With great power comes great responsibility. Many celebrities recognize this responsibility upon achieving a high level of fame. They choose to use their power and take the risk of voicing their opinions-sometimes engaging in heated discussions regarding politics. Because fans often tend to place a great weight on the choices and opinions of celebrities, voicing these opinions gives celebrities the power to sway their fans toward one side or another on divisive issues. Not only are they able to raise awareness they are also able to influence undecided voters. This power makes it critical for celebrities to speak out on their beliefs. Doing so can help celebrities make a difference and allow them to use the influence they have to support a cause that is important to them.
John Legend recently endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in an interview with CBS News, which is the perfect example of why high profile celebrities should voice their opinions. John Legend is an icon not only in the music industry, but in the entertainment industry as a whole, especially as someone who came from a humble childhood. His genre of music is centered around R&B and soul, which are both about speaking up for what you believe in, what you love, and how you honestly feel about issues that impact you. After his endorsement we are able to see him as a more relatable person. A guy from a blue-collar town, who knows what it is like to work hard for something you believe in. During his interview with CBS News, he said, “I don’t wanna sit out. I wanna make sure that my voice is heard, but also that I lift up other voices and make sure they’re heard too.” He is using the fame that he has to amplify his opinions onto the country. He’s thinking about his own voice but also he is thinking of how he can help others. This isn’t a publicity stunt: he cares and wants to whole heartily support. If you think your voice is not going to be heard, it is difficult to have confidence in the political system that your vote will matter in the grand scheme of things. Having reassurance from someone such as John Legend is something that could raise your hopes so that you can make a difference.
A large problem during this election is the low number of young voters, specifically 18-29 year olds. Legend and other celebrities can reach the younger community who potentially do not know who to vote for because they don’t agree with either party. An example of another celebrity endorsement would be Taylor Swift. She publicly announced her endorsement to Kamala Harris through an Instagram post. In doing so around 363,500 of her young fans registered to vote. That’s about half of the 727, 000 voters who registered on Vote.org that past week. The New York Times covered her endorsement with these statistics. This is the scale of impact these celebrities have. Both Swift and Legend have highlighted the key issues of this election and how the significance of this election for every citizen cannot be understated. The importance of this election is all about the issues you want addressed. When high profile celebrities speak out and show their passion for the election, it encourages people to participate in our democracy. It opens the eyes of voters and shows them that they need to care about this election. Celebrities can aid in boosting the number of young voters. They do this by setting an example. You don’t have to listen to their opinions but some people respect them. There is nothing wrong with listening or following someone’s opinion that you respect. The key to a healthy democracy is expressing one’s opinion. So although I may not agree with some celebrities’ political ideologies, it’s still important for them to endorse who they believe in.
Billie Eilish has also highlighted the importance of fighting against climate change in her video endorsing Harris . It was shared on Instagram and alongside her brother, Finneas. Charli XCX has also fueled the Harris spike in the media. She has helped by lending Kamala the rights to brat, a famous trend from the summer. Each of these celebrities have used their influence to endorse Harris. Voting is a right ,so is sharing your opinion. So, what stops from speaking your opinion just as these high profile celebrities have? This country has its predetermined biases, meaning that our democracy has sometimes valued a small group of voters’ opinions rather than the country as a whole. This country has its flaws , but thinking your vote won’t change anything is flawed itself. The average citizen might not have the influence to sway people’s opinions, but celebrities like John Legend, Billie Eilish, or Taylor Swift have the power to influence voters in this upcoming election. In the end these celebrities are humans too, they can speak their mind and people can choose to listen or not. Think about what you want our country to become, who you want to be the face of that country, and vote.