Donning a form-fitting white child tank prime on stage in Los Angeles, megaphone in hand, it was clear that pop star Olivia Rodrigo had one message to get throughout on the ‘Guts World Tour’ on Tuesday: Vote.
The ‘So American’ singer — who is thought for supporting reproductive rights and survivors of gender-based violence — took her activism one other step ahead together with her trend assertion on the Kia Discussion board, in entrance of a sold-out crowd of about 17,500 folks.
Along with her wardrobe decisions, there have been additionally tables all through the venue the place followers might register to vote, all whereas seeing their favourite artist stay.
Supported by HeadCount, a corporation that registers younger folks to vote at occasions like concert events and festivals, the singer’s official fan account additionally shared hyperlinks encouraging followers to vote throughout social media.
Whereas it’s not but clear what number of registrations this resulted in, Rodrigo has 5 extra exhibits in Los Angeles within the coming days, which seemingly means she is going to proceed these efforts.
In reality, it’s removed from the primary time she’s subtly swayed followers into voting. In 2022, the singer sported a bedazzled T-shirt studying “vote,” as effectively, simply in time for the final midterm elections.
With a high-stakes election proper across the nook, advocacy from stars like Rodrigo makes an actual affect.
In 2022, Harry Types helped HeadCount register a record-breaking 55,000 followers to vote (throughout a non-presidential election as a British pop star, no much less). And in 2023, Vote.org recorded a surge of over 35,000 voter registrations when Taylor Swift inspired followers to enroll by way of Instagram.
And if anybody has been following the Kamala Harris marketing campaign, they’ll additionally seemingly hear the candy serenades of artists like Charli XCX and Chappell Roan, whose feminist beats have develop into the soundtrack of election season.
Because it seems, followers of pop music are followers of democracy, too.
“I’d put on that tank prime to the polls,” one fan wrote in response to a photograph of Rodrigo on stage, posted to X (previously Twitter) final night time.
“Love that she makes use of her concert events to ship nice messages to followers,” one other wrote on a Reddit publish concerning the voter registration initiative. “Reproductive rights, voting rights. Go forward Olivia!”
Certainly, Rodrigo’s Fund 4 Good was additionally on full show on the L.A. cease of the ‘Guts World Tour,’ the place a portion of proceeds from ticket gross sales went to help California-based organizations Girls’s Reproductive Rights Help Challenge and Entry Reproductive Justice.
“We stan,” Entry Reproductive Justice shared on its Instagram Tales, whereas posting about Rodrigo Tuesday night time. “Thanks for the shout out… and thanks for supporting entry to abortion care.”
Whereas Rodrigo is definitely main the cost for these points, it’s her followers who will go on to hold the torch when the ultimate encore ends and the final piece of confetti falls.
“Personally, if I had that form of affect, I might be utilizing it to speak concerning the issues which might be vital to me and which might be vital to the world as an entire,” mentioned 20-year-old San Jose resident — and Rodrigo fan — Ananya Bahugudumbi, in an interview with KQED.
Elected representatives, she went on to say, “ought to keep in mind that the people who find themselves voting for them are just like the folks right here at this live performance.”
Header picture courtesy of X
