Artistes’ big political dilemma: To endorse or not

As the political landscape shifts, whether endorsing a candidate or advocating for specific policies, the power of a musician’s endorsement shouldn’t be underestimated. Throughout history —in Kenya and beyond— artistes have played a significant role in shaping public opinion, not just through their art, but also through their political endorsements and advocacy.

Whereas pop culture and politics have a history of crossover, these intersections take on new significance during an election year. But how important are celebrity endorsements of candidates, and do they actually make a difference in voters’ minds?

Musicians’ involvement in politics sparks both support and criticism. Whether backing a candidate or voicing opposition to a policy, research shows musicians and celebrities speaking out and endorsing candidates impact civic engagement and poll numbers.

The first recorded instance of a musician endorsing a specific political candidate can be traced back to the Great Depression, with American jazz legend Duke Ellington becoming one of the first major musicians to publicly support a presidential candidate in 1932, endorsing Franklin D Roosevelt.

In the recent elections in America, music celebrities aligned themselves with presidential candidates. In Kamala Harris camp were big names such as Beyonce, Eminem, Ariana Grande, Cardi B, John Legend, Taylor Swift, Charli XCX, Cher, Demi Lovato, and Jennifer Lopez. There were more including Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland, Lady Gaga, Lil John, Madonna, Megan Thee Stallion, and the legendary Stevie Wonder.

In Donald Trump’s side stood celebrities such as actor Sylvester Stallone, and musicians Kanye West, Kid Rock, Lil Pump, 50 Cent, and Lil Wayne, among others. In fact after the assassination attempt on Trump on September 15, 2024, rapper 50 Cent’s name trended, and he then put Trump’s face on his album cover.

But what does all these endorsements by artistes mean? Kenyan musician Brima Maovete says that artistes do it primarily for the money.

“It’s definitely for the money, but I would endorse a political candidate that resonates well with the aspirations of my fan base. For the partnership to be two-sided the political candidate should also be ready to sponsor my music, so that we can collaborate to reach a common message to the community,” he says.

Brima adds that loyalty among an artiste’s fan base would grow if both the political candidate and the artiste are engaged in impactful community work prior to the political campaign.

“There’s the risk of getting associated with unfulfilled promises that are common as the after-effects of political campaigns in Kenya, but that could be fixed by working towards tangible results at a personal level. An artiste must be creative and ensure involvement in projects and development programmes that drive positive change,” he says.

In 2018, Taylor Swift, one of the most famous musicians in history, entered the political arena, breaking her silence and endorsing Democratic candidates in the Tennessee midterms. Since then, Swift’s involvement in politics has helped galvanise younger voters. Her endorsements are credited explicitly with increasing voter registration, with Vote.org reporting a 1,226 per cent jump in participation in the hour after her Instagram post on September 10, 2024, endorsing the Harris Walz campaign, averaging 13,000 users on the site every 30 minutes.

While political campaigns have long drawn the influence of star power, the actual impact on a campaign is squishy at best. An August 2024 Harvard study showed that while celebrity association helps drive more voters to the polls, whether or not it affects outcomes is hard to quantify.

“I really wonder if any celebrity endorsement ever won a candidate a race, unless of course they were celebrities already, such as George Murphy, Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger. I think the reality and the irony is that an endorsement does more for the endorser than the endorsee,” says New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts professor Laurence Maslon.

He explains that most celebrity endorsements are like a lobbying event, as the bold-faced name makes noise and raises money, but is also then “affiliated with the potential power of a winning candidate. In other words, the celebrity has more to gain than the candidate.”

Kenyan music publicist Agnes Nonsizi opines that there is no guaranteed outcome when an artiste endorses a political candidate, as the impact largely depends on the prevailing political climate.

“If the artiste supports a popular candidate, they are likely to gain favour with the majority, while endorsing an unpopular one may attract backlash. In many cases, endorsements are financially motivated, as artistes leverage their audience’s attention, which politicians value highly, prompting them to offer monetary compensation,” she says.

Nonsizi adds, “However, some endorsements stem from genuine admiration for the candidate, while others are driven by the hope of securing opportunities if the politician wins—though this remains a significant risk.”

Mark Harvey, the author of Celebrity Influence: Politics, Persuasion, and Issue-Based Advocacy, says: “Well, a lot of research suggests that maybe young people are more influenced by celebrity. In my research, there was no correlation that it really didn’t matter what the age group was. There wasn’t any sort of connection that I could find anyway in terms of age group.”

Kenyan pop singer Vivian says she would be open to endorse a politician, as long as the project is aligned to 70 per cent of her values.

“A project like empowering young women would interest me. When an artiste endorses a politician, it’s most probably their song is big, so the spotlight is on them. But again, having a big song doesn’t translate to self-awareness. It’s during such times that artistes get taken advantage of,” she says.

Vivian adds that when a musician endorses a politician or political party, there’s always something he/she stands to gain, an in most cases it’s the money. “For an artiste, it’s a job, you know. But politics is not an easy job. In Kenya, when you endorse politicians, people will want to deplatform you, while telling you that you shouldn’t have a political view. There is a lot of hogwash,” she says, adding that being an artiste doesn’t mean that one doesn’t have opinions.

“Actually, because of their creative nature, artistes are better positioned to know what would work and what would not. Yes you want that money, but you need to ask yourself whether the politician you are endorsing is aligned with your values. If they don’t, you could give them the song they want, get the money, and then distance yourself from them,” says Vivian in ending.