With the recent conclusion of Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour in Europe — and with it, the Instagram livestreams that brightened the afternoons of thousands of American fans like me tuning in to see what surprises she had in store — a wave of displaced Swiftie energy has shifted to ushering in the era of the first woman president.
On Tuesday, over 13,000 people, including former presidential candidate and beloved Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and even legendary singer-songwriter Carole King (whom Swift inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame), along with “little old me,” signed on to the kickoff call of Swifties for Kamala (S4K), a new coalition of Taylor Swift fans determined to save democracy by electing Vice President Kamala Harris as the 47th U.S. president along with other progressive candidates in local and national elections.
S4K began the day President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, when 22-year old S4K co-founder and “mastermind” Emerald Medrano, who is from Texas, posted, “I feel like us US [sic] Swifties should mass organize and help campaign for Kamala Harris and spread how horrendous Project 2025 would be to help get people’s butts down to the polls in November.”
Within three weeks, Swifties for Kamala had amassed more than 180,000 followers across its social media platforms. During the kickoff call, Medrano, who described himself as a Latinx transgender queer person, gave an emotional introduction laced with numerous Swift references.
Photo by Emmy Smith.
“This started for me in a moment of anxiety,” Medrano said, “a moment when I needed to become a ‘cheer captain’ and not just ‘on the bleachers.’ I knew I had to speak now, so I sent out a tweet urging our community to create a blue wave of heart hands and friendship bracelets.”
Then Warren, in her trademark Oklahoma twang, came onscreen to announce her favorite Swift song (“Karma”) and offer words of encouragement in the 70 days ahead. “What I love best about Swifties: You know how to take on bullies, and you know how to be your most authentic and most joyful selves. You come together hand in hand, friendship bracelets on your wrists, and you overcome everything life throws at you. That’s what the Harris campaign is all about.”
Clearly the coalition is about more than just S4K friendship bracelets, though those definitely have a place. S4K co-founder Irene Kim introduced an incentive in the form of a raffle to one of Swift’s November concerts, with one’s chance to win directly tied to how many friends they help vote. Given the immense popularity of Swift’s tour, the savvy move will no doubt keep volunteers motivated over the next 10 weeks, with the winner being announced shortly after the election.
Other speaker highlights included “original cat lady” King offering door-knocking tips (“Know your opening line”) before singing a snippet of “Shake It Off,” and Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey rattling off a litany of lyrical references while stressing the importance of battling climate change. You really had to be there.
The call doubled as a campaign organizing 101 course, likely to the benefit of thousands of young and first-time voters wondering how to get involved. In between the stump speeches, co-founders Medrano and Kim kept the focus on recruiting volunteers to not just attend fundraising and get-out-the-vote events but to actually organize their own events in their communities using S4K’s toolbox and guidance.
S4K will be using communication app Discord to help organize its now-mobilized army of Swift fans. Already it has been using an active social media presence to energize people to not just vote but actively support their local candidates using text and phone banks and postcard-writing events (all named for Swift lyrics, of course), then encouraging members to share their volunteer experiences on the “S4K Wins” account to spread the word.
As for Swift herself, certainly, some Democrats out there are fantasizing about her and current partner Travis Kelce making a joint announcement at the end of some future Kansas City Chiefs game, as Republicans seemed to think would happen at the end of the Super Bowl. More than likely, she’ll post a short statement to her social channels voicing her support and encouraging her fans young and old to exercise their civic duty.
But it’s not a given. Swift stayed out of politics completely until 2018 for fear of alienating large swaths of fans she gained as a teen country star. Then in 2020, she waited until early October to endorse the Biden/Harris ticket, so we know “All Too Well” who she’ll be voting for this time around anyway.
The only hitch in the call was a missed connection with U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Dallas, who gave a viral speech at last week’s Democratic National Convention and surely would have fired up the North Texas Swifties even more.
Near the end of the kickoff, S4K organizers announced they had raised over $122,000 for the Harris campaign during the event, largely through Swift-coded donation amounts like $13 (Tay-Tay’s favorite number) and $19.89. Given the crazy amount of momentum the group is clearly already sending Harris’ way, it’s hard to imagine Swift not acknowledging the movement or making a statement herself. But endorsement or not, Swifties, a powerful force in their own right, are mobilized and “living for the hope of it all” on Nov. 5.
“This movement started with one post,” Medrano said. “One tweet. Your voice matters.”
For more information or to get involved, visit linktr.ee/swifties4kamala.
