Kamala Harris Given Permission to Use Beyoncé’s Hit Song ‘Freedom’ for Presidential Campaign — After Charli XCX Endorses VP as ‘Brat’
July 23 2024, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
Beyoncé has permitted Vice President Kamala Harris to use her hit song Freedom during her presidential campaign, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Harris, 59, wasted no time using the song. She walked out to the track during her first official visit to her campaign headquarters in Delaware on Monday evening.
According to CNN, the Harris campaign sought permission from Beyoncé's reps for use of the song. The Houston singer is known for keeping close control over her music catalog — and while she hasn't officially endorsed Harris for president, extending permissions for the song served as a strong indicator of support for the vice president's campaign.
The campaign's use of the song is just the latest example of Harris capitalizing on support from young voters and leaning into Gen Z trends.
After President Joe Biden announced on Sunday, June 21, that he would not be seeking re-election and formally endorsed his vice president, an outpouring of support for Harris was seen by celebrities and social media users alike.
One of which was U.K. singer Charli XCX, who's currently riding a wave of success online following the release of her latest album, Brat.
On X, Charli XCX posted, "kamala IS brat," in reference to Gen Z adopting her album title into a summer aesthetic.
The Harris campaign fully embraced support — and responded by creating a new X header image that resembled the singer's minimalist lime green album cover with the words "Kamala HQ" in a matching font.
While the "brat" aesthetic has thrown older demographics for a loop — prompting major news networks like CNN to report on what exactly the term means — it has seemingly reenergized the highly-sought after 18 to 25-year-old demographic ahead of the November election.
Support for Harris among young voters online is nearly impossible to escape. In the days since Biden endorsed Harris, memes and video mash-ups have taken over social media platforms, often using Charli XCX songs and graphics superimposed over images of the Democratic vice president.
As a result, Harris' campaign turned into a viral sensation overnight. The demographic that once bemoaned their choices — 81-year-old Biden and 78-year-old Donald Trump — now appeared to be excited to head to the polls in less than four months.
The proof appears to be in the pudding, too. The Harris campaign claimed they raised over $100 million in donations between Sunday afternoon and Monday evening, according to CBS News.