Well-known entertainer, Beyoncé, has made an out-of-the-blue move and shown up at a rally in Houston, Texas, hosted by the Vice President, Kamala Harris. Respectfully, it seems more apt to suggest that she was there as one more VIP celebrity attendee, rather than delivering a sincere message of heartfelt concern as a concerned mother. She made a statement, claiming to care about ‘the world our children live in’, yet stood firm on a platform aligning with divisive political views.
She also made a sweeping statement about a world where we supposedly ‘have the freedom to control our bodies and we’re not divided’, conveniently neglecting the many facets of legislation affecting individuals’ freedoms, especially ones that President Joe Biden and VP Kamala Harris seem incompetent to address. The Grammy award-winning singer has three children with rap star Jay-Z, yet her parental concern seemed more like political jargon to rally more support for the current administration.
She posed an image to the crowd of our daughters and grandmothers visualizing a world with ‘no ceilings, no limitations’. Indeed, imagine our elders, those who have lived through much harsher times and have seen the expedited decline of America under the current regime. Her vision of sacrifices made for the ‘strength of a woman standing in her power’ seemed more of a trivialized and narrowed view, focusing only on a gendered perspective.
Beyoncé’s representation at the VP’s event might have had the crowds excited, but, quite predictably, it was not a complete surprise. According to sources, she was expected to grace the stage along with the Democratic nominee for president. Her admiration for the nominee, in her claim, suggests that she gravitates towards a ‘steady-handed, gifted leader’ rather than chaos, severely undermining the current state of affairs marred by increased restrictions, weakened foreign relations and raging inflation.
This isn’t Beyoncé’s first rodeo in making a politically motivated appearance. Rumors circulated about her performing at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on August 22. While this speculation buzzed around social media, it was later refuted by her team stating she was never scheduled to be present. Clearly, spreading rumors and creating unnecessary hype seems to be a popular tactic used by some celebrities to maintain relevance.
But since Beyoncé is known for her love of surprising fans, no one blamed the crowds for falling for these rumors. At the age of 43, it appears she has more planned to keep her fans always at the edge of their seats. Over the years, she has kept everyone guessing with surprise appearances, performances and album releases.
The elusive pop star has a unique philosophy when it comes to fame and creating music. She claims to focus on ‘evolution, innovation, and shifting perception’, as though this somehow justifies her extensive absences from public events only to reappear when it’s time for political endorsements. Is this a form of manipulation or her unique marketing strategy?
Coincidentally, the Environmental Voter Project reported that over 130,000 first-time voters, supposedly prioritizing climate change, have already cast their ballots. It would be interesting to see if these voters, under the influence of images of celebrities standing alongside Biden and Harris, have truly understood the impacts of their choices, especially given the stark realities of extreme weather and climate change.