Ever since the Kamala Harris Presidential campaign started using Beyoncé’s 2016 hit “Freedom” in its ads and rallies, rumors that Beyoncé herself would perform at the Democratic National Convention didn’t so much “swirl online” as “auditioned for the sequel to a certain weather-based blockbuster from earlier this summer.”
Alas, said rumors turned out to be bunk. According to a spokesperson for Cowboy Carter, “Beyoncé was never scheduled to be there. The report of a performance is untrue.” Naturally, fans are being very chill about this online… if by “chill,” you mean questioning whether the rumor was a bait-and-switch to get them to watch Harris’ speech as she accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for Presidential candidate. There were also some who posited that the rumor was planted by everyone from Pink, who showed up ahead of Harris’ speech, to the Democratic Party itself.
kamala after tricking yall to watch the dnc for a beyoncé performance pic.twitter.com/O16SKqliAH
— shayla (@bornysterday) August 23, 2024
Good Evening, “DNC surprise Beyoncé” was a 7 hour sociological study conducted by the Democratic Party. We are now complete with our study. Thank you for your attention.
— Joshua Rush (@JoshuaRush) August 23, 2024
https://twitter.com/OrangePaulp/status/1826808838240059545
the dnc’s social media manger watching the taylor swift/beyoncé surprise appearance speculation tweets pour in while lin-manuel miranda warms up
pic.twitter.com/CUo3l49LGk— one dozen rats at a keyboard (@PanasonicDX4500) August 22, 2024
Of course, TMZ is certainly to blame for some of this, and that organization also offered a mea culpa on Twitter. But it wasn’t all bad; many of those who did tune in were very complimentary of Harris’ speech, and some have already set their sights on another potential date for a Beyoncé appearance: at Kamala’s potential inauguration day in 2025 should she manage to beat Donald Trump at the polls in November.
Here’s the thing. She didn’t need Beyoncé. She didn’t need Taylor. Tonight there is no bigger superstar in the world than KAMALA HARRIS! pic.twitter.com/VkgjbzKVgl
— Kaivan Shroff (@KaivanShroff) August 23, 2024
No one’s not voting for Kamala because Beyonce or Taylor or whoever didn’t show up tonight, but I’ll bet a fair few folks watched because of the rumors and may come away as voters after this speech. #DNC2024 pic.twitter.com/k9iKp08SFJ
— Franklin Leonard (@franklinleonard) August 23, 2024
Kamala didn’t need Beyonce or Taylor.
She was the star tonight. She was like Muhammad Ali with that speech. She just kept throwing punches. Perfect pace. Perfect pitch. And even perfect personality.
And she will be our pragmatic President. pic.twitter.com/AKWj2pxtQd
— Renee
(@PettyLupone) August 23, 2024
If Team Kamala started the Beyoncé rumor just to get you to tune in to the DNC I can only applaud them.
— Joanna Robinson (@jowrotethis) August 23, 2024
Wearing my communications/marketing guru hat- I can understand why Beyoncé was NOT there tonight. The story tomorrow needs to be the VP and only the VP. She didn’t need a Beyoncé to draw attention. We’ll save that for celebrating at the inauguration. Bey will DEF be there.
— Mr. Peculiar (@DonChampionTV) August 23, 2024
I feel that Beyoncé is an inauguration performer and not a DNC performer. Beyoncé performs for winners.
Does that make sense ? https://t.co/1RsyYiFNh7
— BetweenTheParentheses (@BtwnParentheses) August 23, 2024
Also the Las Vegas Aces’ funniest player, Sydney Colson, said this, so it maybe it was all worth it.
Doug staring at Kamala like she’s Beyoncé so it’s kinda like she did show up
— Sydney Colson (@SydJColson) August 23, 2024