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Bernie Sanders has a clear lead in artist endorsements

March 3, 2020

Heading into Super Tuesday, Senator Bernie Sanders is popular with singers such as Ariana Grande, as well as rappers like Public Enemy. His rallies have drawn comparisons to music festivals for their star lineups.

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Bernie Sanders Rally Public Enemy
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Seyum

Democratic voters are gearing up for Super Tuesday, which falls on March 3 this year. It marks the day on which the greatest number of US states hold democratic primary elections and caucuses, and with four candidates still in the race, it is bound to be interesting.

Mayor Pete Buttigieg, initially thought to be a major contender, dropped out of the race on Sunday, and after Tuesday's results, it is likely others will follow suit. In the meantime, a host of musicians and celebrities have voiced their support for the democratic candidates still in the running. 

Read more: Super Tuesday – a 'how to' guide to the 2020 US primary elections

What the outcome will be on Super Tuesday is anyone's guess, but Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will certainly have a lot of star power backing him on the big day.

The candidate has already appeared in viral campaign ads and hosted rallies that have drawn comparisons to music festivals thanks to their lineup of A-list performers.

On Sunday, a rally in downtown Los Angeles was attended by a diverse mixture of celebrities of all ages, from 94-year-old actor Dick Van Dyke, who has been very vocal about "feeling the Bern," to legendary rappers Public Enemy. The group played classics with titles that complemented the Sanders campaign, such as "Fight the Power" and "Shut 'Em Down." Rapper Chuck D urged people to go to the polls, saying at one point "Voting is as important as washing your ass in the morning." The performance even led to the firing of Public Enemy co-founder, Flavor Flav, who was opposed the group's music being used to endorse Sanders.

Bernie Sanders Rally Public Enemy
Public Enemy performing for Sanders on March 1: The band fired founding member Flavor Flav, who didn't approve...Image: picture-alliance/dpa/D. Dovarganes

In recent months, many musicians have voiced their support for the Sanders campaign. In January, Bon Iver performed an acoustic concert in Iowa during a rally. Vampire Weekend and the Strokes have performed at campaign events in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Durham, New Hampshire. The events packed the house with upwards of 3,000 fans, many of them the younger demographic Sanders is aiming to get the vote from.

Cardi B. and Ariana Grande are also among the musicians pledging their support for the potential democratic nominee. Going the extra mile, Grande encouraged young voters to register during her fall tour with the help of non-profit organization HeadCount. In December, the organization announced she had broken all previous records after 600,000 people registered to cast their ballots.

Read more: New 'Hillary' documentary aims to unpack the myth

Approximately 1,600 people have signed the Artists4Bernie pledge to support Sanders, including photographer Nan Goldin and indie film director Jim Jarmusch.

"Artists and cultural producers are largely precarity laborers — often struggling without benefits, financial security, at the whim of the market," reads the campaign's letter. "Medicare for all, universal childcare, canceling student debt, and free public college, are just a few of the progressive changes that we support for their soundness and logic, that will spill over into a more equal cultural sphere." 

Other candidates have also been garnering support from cultural influencers. Elizabeth Warren took to the campaign trail in South Carolina with musician John Legend alongside her. She has also been backed by actress Scarlett Johansson who pledged her support for the Massachusetts senator back in the fall.

Joe Biden is backed by singer Cher, as well as former Olympic skater Michelle Kwan.

Batting for Michael Bloomberg are celebrities such as actor Michael Douglas and musician John Mellencamp.

Sarah Hucal
Sarah Hucal Freelance Multimedia Journalist