This presidential election has been a nail-biter for many Americans. Vice President Kamala Harris has called president-elect Donald Trump to concede. As we grapple with Trump's win and return to the White House, allow me (your favorite USA TODAY columnist) to provide a moment of levity in a time when it's so rare.
Since August, Harris has made stops in 11 states on the campaign trail, according to Axios. Harris' rallies have been graced with guests ranging from Cardi B to Beyoncé to Samuel L. Jackson and myriad musical performers have breathed life and energy into these events.
In an attempt to take my mind off of ... well, everything ... I took it upon myself to score some of the most notable performances.
The Houston-born rapper gave an energetic performance at Harris’ first rally in Atlanta. Megan Thee Stallion and her ensemble donned blue suits, similar to those worn by Beyoncé’s background dancers during a Hillary Clinton rally performance in 2016. The rapper opened with her 2020 song “Girls in the Hood.” The song’s second line, “I’m sick of motherf---ers tryna tell me how to live,” read less like a personal confession and more like a political rallying cry. After performing “Mamushi,” Thee Stallion took a beat before transitioning into “Body.” “Now I know my ladies in the crowd love their bodies,” she said. “And you want to keep loving your body ‒ you know who to vote for!” #HottiesforHarris
Kofi score: 4/5
Justin Vernon, front man of Bon Iver, performed at a Harris rally in his hometown of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, with bandmates Sean Carey and Michael Lewis. The performance was mellow and pensive, like much of the band's music and provided an atmosphere to reflect the political moment. The band performed their songs “Towers,” “Flume” and “666 ʇ.” Before their last song, an acoustic rendition of “The Battle Cry of Freedom” by George Frederick Root, Vernon stated his place in all of this: “We all know what we’re here for, so we’re going to do our thing ‒ make this music and make way for the people that we need to hear from.”
Kofi score: 4/5
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Bruce Springsteen is probably as American as it gets. Last month, he joined Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee and former President Barack Obama at a Harris rally in Atlanta where he performed an acoustic set.
“I want a president who reveres the Constitution, who does not threaten, but wants to protect and guide our great democracy, who believes in the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power, who will fight for a woman’s rights, a woman's right to choose, and who wants to create a middle-class economy that will serve all our citizens,” Springsteen said. “There is only one candidate who holds those principles dear, that's Kamala Harris.”
Eight days before Election Day, the rock 'n' roll superstar lent his star power to a Harris rally in Philadelphia and played a solo acoustic set with his classic guitar and harmonica. His performance included songs like "The Promised Land" and "Dancing in the Dark."
Kofi score: 3/5
At a rally in Ann Arbor, Michigan, singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers performed her songs “Light On,” “Don’t Forget Me” and “A Different Kind of World” among others. She was able to engage the crowd of young voters with her songs while sharing her personal thoughts on the election and our future.
“The future feels so uncertain and I don’t always know what to do with that feeling,” Rogers said. “Voting is the key to the future.”
She said voting is the key to a candidate who believes in reproductive freedoms, will fight climate change and uphold "basic human dignity for all people.”
“In these next eight days, you can fight back against the fear of Donald Trump and everything that he creates,” Rogers said. “You can take action against his darkness. You can choose the light.”
Kofi score: 5/5
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Before she captivated the audience with a performance of “I Love You, I’m Sorry” and “Risk,” Gracie Abrams expressed grievances shared by many young voters at a Harris rally in Madison, Wisconsin.
“For many of us here onstage and in this crowd tonight, this is either the first or second time that we’ve had the privilege of voting in a presidential election,” Abrams said. “As we know, we’ve inherited a world that is struggling and it’s easy to feel disconnected and disillusioned. Between the advent of social media in our childhoods and COVID-19 and relentlessly targeted disinformation, we’ve been through some things. It’s easy to be discouraged, but we know better. We know that unless we vote and keep our democracy intact, there is nothing we will be able to do to fix it when it is our turn.”
Her closing song, “Free Now,” injected an energetic glimpse of hope into the audience: “I’ve never been less empty, all I feel is free now.”
Kofi score: 5/5
Mumford & Sons, the kings of stomp-clap-hey, millennial music, performed four songs, “The Cave,” “Little Lion Man,” “Awake My Soul” and “I Will Wait,” at a rally in Madison, Wisconsin.
Kofi score: 2.3/5
Aaron Dessner and Matt Berninger of American rock band The National dedicated their song “I Need My Girl” to Harris at a rally in Madison, Wisconsin.
Kofi score: 2.8842749204/5
Indie singer-songwriter Remi Wolf opened her rally performance by talking about the safe space she creates for her fans at her concerts. She believes America should be the same ‒ a place where everyone feels “safe, accepted and free.”
Wolf’s electrifying vocals soared high above the audience as she belted out “Cinderella” and a rendition of Janis Joplin’s version of “Piece of My Heart.”
Kofi score: 4/5 only because it should’ve been longer.
At the final Harris rally before Election Day in Philadelphia, Lady Gaga took to the stage to perform a rendition of “God Bless America.” She then discussed how the tide is turning for women in America.
“For more than half of this country’s life, women didn’t have a voice. Yet, we raised children, we held our families together, we supported men as they made the decisions,” she said. “But tomorrow, women will be a part of making this decision.”
She later returned to the stage to perform a powerful rendition of “The Edge of Glory.”
Kofi score: 3/5
At the final Harris rally, Katy Perry took to the stage to perform a myriad of her hits including “Dark Horse,” “Part of Me” and “Firework.” She then, for some reason, decided to cover “Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston (OK, girl). She ended her performance by discussing how motherhood impacted her choice this election.
"Four years ago, I became a mother," Perry said. "She is the reason I am voting for Kamala Harris. I know she will protect my daughter's future and your children's future."
Kofi score: 2/5
Kofi Mframa is a columnist and digital producer for USA TODAY and the USA TODAY Network.
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