Taylor Swift’s ‘Only the Young’ Soundtracks Biden/Harris Campaign Ad [Watch]
Taylor Swift is musically voicing her support for democrats Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the 2020 presidential race. The country artist-turned-pop megastar has allowed her song "Only the Young" to be used in a new ad for the pair's campaign.
Released on Friday (Oct. 30) — mere days before election day (Nov. 3) — the new ad begins with a voiceover from Harris: "Why are so many powerful people trying to make it so difficult for us to vote?" It concludes with words from late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg: "Think about how you would like the world to be for your daughters and granddaughters."
The campaign ad's images — of women's march participants, immigrant children separated from their families, newly confirmed Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett and more — sync up with the lyrics of Swift's song, which she wrote to inspire young voters.
"We have three to four million people turning 18 in the next two years — resist," Swift explains of the song in the Miss Americana documentary, which shows her crafting it (quote via Elle). "If you can shift the power by being bold enough, it won't be like this forever."
Indeed, the ad, via the footage used, positions young voters as an integral part of creating change. The video concludes with hashtags including #NovemberIsComing, #BlueWave2020 and "Vote."
"Thank you @TaylorSwift13 ... for showing young people what's at stake in this election," Harris tweeted when sharing the ad. In early October, Swift officially endorsed Biden and Harris as her presidential and vice presidential picks, in an interview with V magazine.
“The change we need most is to elect a president who recognizes that people of color deserve to feel safe and represented, that women deserve the right to choose what happens to their bodies, and that the LGBTQIA+ community deserves to be acknowledged and included," Swift shared at the time. "Everyone deserves a government that takes global health risks seriously and puts the lives of its people first. The only way we can begin to make things better is to choose leaders who are willing to face these issues and find ways to work through them ... Under [Biden and Harris'] leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs.”
Musically, Swift released a surprise new album, Folklore, earlier in 2020. The project came together during the novel coronavirus quarantine and includes the country radio single "Betty," which Swift performed for the 2020 ACM Awards in September.
Country Music's Most Political Artists: