Harris campaign gets musical boost from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, more 🎤

Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign is getting a whole lot more musical.
Several music superstars, from Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera, lent their support for the vice president with a series of rally performances ahead of the 2024 presidential election on Tuesday. Harris is running against Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump.
The musicians not only roused crowds across the country with performances but also shared why they were casting their vote for Harris. “Kamala Harris is for us. She’s for unity, she’s for all Americans,” Martin told a Philadelphia audience while Aguilera encouraged fans to “vote for freedom.”
Martin previously shared his enthusiasm for the Democratic nominee in a statement to Rolling Stone.
“These stakes for Latinos in this election are higher than ever,” Martin told the outlet. “Latinos will be decisive to delivering a win tomorrow for Vice President Harris, a leader who stands with us, and will fight for us as president. I could not be more proud to join her tonight in Philadelphia.”
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Harris has received numerous endorsements from pop music royalty throughout her campaign, including Megan Thee Stallion, Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Charli XCX and Cardi B, the latter of whom spoke at a Wisconsin rally on Friday.
“Just like Kamala Harris, I too have been the underdog,” said Cardi during her speech at Wisconsin State Fair Park. “I have been underestimated, my success belittled and discredited. Women have to work 10 times harder, perform 10 times better and still people question how we got to the top.”
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It was a night full of Puerto Rican talent in Philadelphia. Before introducing Ricky Martin to the stage for an electrifying performance, Fat Joe took the stage and declared, “Yo soy Boricua, para que tu lo sepa,” which translates to, “I’m Boricua, just so you know.”
He added, “I heard they needed a Puerto Rican in Philly and I was so happy to be here and represent the Puerto Ricans. Tonight I’m (keeping it) short and sweet; it’s all about pride.”
The New York rapper also spoke about why his vote is going to Harris and why he thinks she should be the next president of the U.S. “Kamala Harris is for us. She’s for unity, she’s for all Americans – Black, white, big, small, Latino, you name it,” Fat Joe said. “She’s for us. One thing I won’t do is sell my soul for anybody. If I’m out here telling you she’s the one, it’s because I know she’s the one.”
Taking the stage at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, at an event that featured appearances from Oprah Winfrey and Harris herself, Martin performed “Livin’ la Vida Loca” and other hits.
During his last song, he pleaded to the audience: “Please vote to help our democracy; it is a vote for Kamala.”
Given the task of introducing Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, a leather jacket-clad Lady Gaga sat at a grand piano and delivered a powerful rendition of “God Bless America.”
“For more of this country’s life, women didn’t have a voice. Yet we raised children, we held our families together, we supported men as they made the decisions. But tomorrow, women will be part of making this decision,” Gaga said. She added that she believed Harris would be a president “for all Americans.”
Perry showed her support for the Harris campaign with a performance at Carrie Blast Furnaces in Pittsburgh. She performed her hit songs “Dark Horse,” “Part of Me” and “Firework.”
At the end of her performance, Perry endorsed Harris: “Four years ago, I became a mother… She is the reason I am voting for Kamala Harris. I know she will protect my daughter’s future and your children’s future.”
Soul-pop powerhouse Andra Day and DJ D-Nice also performed.
James Taylor, who grew up in North Carolina, showed his support at Harris’ rally in Raleigh.
The Grammy winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer brought his guitar onstage to treat the crowd with a performance of “Something In The Way She Moves.”
The folk-rock icon’s performance follows his no-show at the Democratic National Convention in August. Taylor was slated to take the stage as part of the convention’s Day 1 kickoff, but scheduling delays appear to have led to his performance being scrapped.
Other performers in North Carolina included “American Idol” alum Fantasia Barrino, country group Sugarland and pop singer Remi Wolf.
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Rock icon Jon Bon Jovi and The War and Treaty teamed up for an electric performance of their new track “The People’s House” at the Hart Plaza in Detroit.
“Detroit, we won’t turn around,” Michael Trotter Jr. sang out during the song.
Their appearance also featured a stripped-back version of Bon Jovi’s ’80s classic “Livin’ on a Prayer.” As the song came to a close, he said, “Go to the polls tomorrow; let’s elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz; America’s counting on you.”
The rally also featured an appearance from Democratic vice president nominee Tim Walz and his wife, Gwen Walz.
Bon Jovi also stumped for the Harris campaign with a performance in Atlanta on Sunday. The Grammy-winning singer sang an acoustic rendition of “Livin’.”
Aguilera lent her signature vocal acrobatics to Harris’ election eve celebration with a performance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Regional Mexican band Los Tigres del Norte and EDM duo Sofi Tukker made appearances as well.
“Tonight, I’m here in honor of the people who have fought to give us the privilege to be heard. Let’s raise our voices and vote for freedom,” she said before launching into 2002’s “Fighter.”
According to videos posted to social media, Aguilera also performed “Beautiful” from the same album as well as her Pitbull collaboration “Feel This Moment.”
(This story was updated to correct a misspelling.)
Contributing: Pamela Avila, Piet Levy, Jay Stahl, and KiMi Robinson