Award shows are sometimes criticized for sprinkling politics in, but that didn’t scare some performers at the American Music Awards away from making their opinions about the upcoming election known. Taylor Swift also didn’t let some online backlash stop her from using one of her three award acceptance speeches to encourage people to vote to say:
“This award and every single award given out tonight were voted on by the people. And you know what else is voted on by the people is the midterm elections on November 6. Get out and vote.” (watch above)
Swift’s message to vote may actually be helping add young people to the voter rolls. After she posted her support of two Tennesse candidates (Phil Bredesen for Senate and Jim Cooper for House of Representatives) last minute voter registrations got a big bump. The New York Times points out:
In the hours after Ms. Swift shared her political views on Sunday, the voter registration site Vote.org recorded a flood of requests, both nationwide and in the pop superstar’s adopted home state of Tennessee.
More than 166,000 people across the United States submitted new registrations on Vote.org between Sunday and noon on Tuesday, with about 42 percent of the registrants falling between the ages of 18 to 24, officials at the site said.
And Swift wasn’t the only celebrity getting political during the AMAs. USA Today reports:
AMA host Tracee Ellis Ross put her clothing where her priorities are. In one of her (many) outfit changes, the “Black-ish” star detoured from official proceedings to note that she’s registered to vote, while wearing an “I am a voter” t-shirt.
She wasn’t the only one who brought politics onstage. During his acceptance speech for Soul/R&B Male, Khalid added in a few words of support to Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat who is running to unseat Sen. Ted Cruz in Texas. “Before I go, shout out to the 915, to El Paso, Texas, shout out, Beto. Thank you,” Khalid said.
Went off script at the #AMAs to remind young people to vote and was rewarded with a hug from the awesome @ShawnMendes. NOW LET’S VOTE, PEOPLE!!! https://t.co/84UfZjuX6L https://t.co/Vgs63Dcua2
— billy eichner (@billyeichner) October 10, 2018