Kamala Harris was reportedly given permission by Beyoncé to perform her 2016 hit song “Freedom” on Monday, July 22.
Shortly before the song played at Harris’s campaign headquarters entrance, CNN reports that the icon’s team offered Harris permission to use it. The U.S. vice president was seen walking out to the song “Freedom, freedom, where are you? / ‘Cause I need freedom, too / I break chains all by myself” in video that was posted online.
Though she hasn’t officially sponsored the current nominee, Beyoncé did support the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020, thus allowing Harris to utilize “Freedom” was undoubtedly a step in the right way.
Beyoncé’s sixth studio album, Lemonade, featured a guest verse by Kendrick Lamar on the song “Freedom.” Following George Floyd’s untimely death in 2020, the record acted as a call to action for Black women and had a spike in popularity during the Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Not to mention, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and Trayvon Martin’s moms made brief appearances in the video companion.
British singer-songwriter Carla Marie Williams, who is listed as one of the track’s songwriters, spoke with The FADER about the writing process. “We wanted to address certain issues, and [Beyoncé] wanted it to be a female anthem.” We met in the summer of 2015, and we were still attempting to improve the second verse when we started working on it in the beginning of 2016,” she said.
Numerous celebrities have shown their support for Harris since Joe Biden declared on Sunday, July 21, that he was withdrawing from the presidential campaign. “You know it was your moment, Kamala; it should have been. In a vintage video that she posted on Instagram on Monday, Cardi B said, “You know you want to be the f**king president.” Lizzo, Plies, and Lil Nas X are just a few of the numerous people who support the politician.
