Beyoncé Knowles took to the stage in Houston to support Vice President Kamala Harris during the finals days of the election.
Joined by Kelly Rowland, the two were introduced by Beyonce’s mom Tina – telling the crowd she was speaking to them not as a “singer or a political” but as “mother”. It had long been reported by many media outlets that Beyoncé was going to make her appearance at the rally today, October 25.
The Texas Hold Em singer told the crowd: “It’s time to sing a new song. A song that began 248 years ago. The old notes of downfall, discord, despair no longer resonate. Our moment right now,” she added. “It’s time for America to sing a new song. Our voices sing a chorus of unity.” Beyoncé hails from Texas and joins the line up of starpower on the campaign trail as Election Day is nearing soon, ten days to be exact. Other stars like Eminem and Bruce Springsteen have made appearances at rallies this week.
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“I’m not here as a celebrity, I’m not here as a politician. I’m here as a mother. A mother who cares deeply about the world my children and all of our children live in, a world where we have the freedom to control our bodies, a world where we’re not divided.”
“Imagine our daughters growing up seeing what’s possible with no ceilings, no limitations,” she continued. “We must vote, and we need you.”
At the end, Beyoncé — who was joined onstage by her Destiny’s Child bandmate Kelly Rowland — introduced Harris with, “Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big, loud, Texas welcome to the next president of the United States, Vice President Kamala Harris.”
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She did not perform — unlike in 2016, when she performed at a presidential campaign rally for Hilary Clinton in Cleveland.
Houston is Beyoncé’s hometown, and Harris’ presidential campaign has taken on Beyonce’s 2016 track “Freedom,” a cut from her landmark 2016 album “Lemonade,” as its anthem.
Harris first used the song in July during her first official public appearance as a presidential candidate at her campaign headquarters in Delaware. That same month, Beyoncé’s mother, Tina Knowles, publicly endorsed Harris for president.
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Beyoncé gave permission to Harris to use the song, a campaign official who was granted anonymity to discuss private campaign operations confirmed to The Associated Press.
Arriving in the back-half of “Lemonade,” “Freedom” samples two John and Alan Lomax field recordings, which document Jim Crow-era folk spirituals of Southern Black churches and the work songs of Black prisoners from 1959 and 1948, respectively. It also features Pulitzer Prize winner Kendrick Lamar.
Kinitra D. Brooks, an academic and author of “The Lemonade Reader,” says the song “‘Freedom” is so important because it shows that freedom isn’t free. The freedom to be yourself, the political freedom … it’s the idea that you must fight for freedom, and that it is winnable.”
Before this event, Beyoncé had not officially publicly endorsed Harris but allowed Harris to use her 2016 track Freedom as her campaign anthem. The 43-year-old performer has consistently supporting Democratic candidates over the years where she notable sang the nation anthem at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2008, performed at an Ohio rally for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign back in 2016 and in 2020 she posted a video wearing a Biden-Harris face mask with an “I Voted” sticker.
Country legend Willie Nelson and Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Knowles also made appearances at the event. Democratic Rep, Colin Allfred stopped by as well as he is amid his own neck and neck Senate race with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. Kamala’s trip to the southern state featured women affected by the Texas’ restrictive abortion laws that were set in motion after the Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022.
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