Beyoncé Has Not Endorsed Kamala Harris, and She Didn't Perform at the Convention

For decades now, Democrats have received the lion's share of the celebrity endorsements. While it's sometimes helped to have the Hollywood establishment behind them, that certainly hasn't always been the case, and it's not like celebrity endorsements have ever decided an election.

Following the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention, some are wondering whether Beyoncé has endorsed Kamala Harris. Part of the reason some are confused about this is because of rumors that were swirling on social media prior to Harris's speech that Beyoncé would make a surprise appearance, which ultimately didn't come to pass.

Beyoncé has not made any sort of political endorsement during the 2024 election cycle, but she did take another important step shortly after Harris launched her campaign, licensing the song "Freedom" to the Harris campaign for the 2024 cycle.

Beyoncé has been active in politics in the past and endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020. She even went so far as to host a pre-election concert on behalf of Hilary Clinton in Cleveland in 2016.

There were rumors that Beyoncé would make an appearance at the 2024 DNC to perform "Freedom" live prior to Harris's speech, but those rumors turned out to be false. There was speculation throughout the day that a surprise guest would be appearing at the convention, but no such guest showed up.

It's somewhat surprising that Harris has not received a formal endorsement from the singer yet, especially considering how much her campaign has chosen to associate itself with "Freedom." It was her walkout song for her speech at the DNC and has also been used in campaign ads throughout the cycle. If Beyoncé had a problem with that, she would likely make it known, and the use of the song might make it seem like she's endorsed Harris when she hasn't.

Some also speculated that Taylor Swift might be the surprise guest at the DNC, as she played a crucial role in helping young voters to register in the 2020 elections. Taylor has had an even more fraught political history than Beyoncé and only endorsed Biden-Harris in 2020 after sitting out several previous election cycles over fears that it would alienate fans or lead to security issues.

Whether either of these megastars will ultimately endorse someone in 2024 is still up in the air, and it's ultimately unclear how much either of their voices might matter. Even so, the Harris campaign would probably rather have their endorsements than not, especially in an environment when every little thing could make a difference.

Beyoncé may not have performed at the DNC, but she could still make her voice heard at some point before the election. For now, though, it seems like she is content to stay on the sidelines and just let Harris use her song as much as she wants.