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Patti LaBelle to Perform at Democratic National Convention on Night 2

Legendary R&B singer Patti LaBelle will perform at the Democratic National Convention Tuesday (Aug. 20) in Chicago at the United Center, the Kamala Harris campaign confirms to Billboard.

The multiple-Grammy winner follows country singer Mickey Guyton and Americana artist Jason Isbell, who played the opening night (Aug. 19) of the four-day event. Longtime Democratic supporter and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Taylor was slated to perform, but was cut for time constraints and to allow President Joe Biden on stage earlier.

Among the speakers slated for the four-hour primetime slot Tuesday — under the theme A Bold Vision for America’s Future — are former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama; Harris’ husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff; and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker. (Harris’ VP pick, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, will speak Aug. 21). Tuesday’s host will be commentator Ana Navarro. 

The “New Attitude” singer is no stranger to the DNC stage.  She performed a spine-tingling version of the Sam Cooke classic and civil rights anthem “A Change is Gonna Come” at the 2004 DNC.  

She is also no stranger to Harris and Biden. LaBelle most recently performed on the White House South Lawn on June 10 for Biden’s Juneteenth concert.  In 2021, Biden signed a law that made June 19 (Juneteenth) a federal holiday, commemorating when the last enslaved people learned of their freedom in 1865. She was joined by Gladys Knight, Kirk Franklin, Anthony Hamilton, Doug E. Fresh, Brittney Spencer, Trombone Shorty, Charlie Wilson and other performers. 

LaBelle is on her 8065 tour, so named for her age, 80, and her 65th year in music. The tour, which started in July, ends Dec. 18 in St. Petersburg, Fla.  When Billboard asked her earlier this year if she had any plans to retire, the icon answered, “No way. I’m going to keep on going. There’s no reason to stop unless you just can’t do anything anymore, right? And how can you retire from something you love?”

Beyoncé’s Stirring A Cappella ‘Freedom’ Video Helped Kick-Off Night 1 of Democratic National Convention

The 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago kicked off in style on Monday night (August 19) with rousing speeches from former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton and President Joe Biden and riveting performances from Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton.

But on a night when Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and her VP nominee, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, made surprise appearances, one of the biggest unexpected moments came during the reveal of a new ad for the Harris/Walz campaign that is scored to Beyoncé‘s a cappella version of the bid’s theme song, “Freedom.”

The powerful Lemonade track that has quickly become the musical grace note of the 11th hour campaign that kicked off when Biden unexpectedly agreed to drop out of his second race against convicted felon and former one-term President Donald Trump soared from the speakers inside Chicago’s United Center to help hype the crowd up for what turned out to be a very long night.

Opening with images of horses running free on the prairie and trains moving through the desert West, the video was full of classic images of Americana, from desperate Dust Bowl families to American troops storming the beaches during WWII, plenty of American flags and the Statue of Liberty. “What kind of America do we want?” Oscar-nominee actor Jeffrey Wright intoned over video of regular citizens suiting up for a day’s work. “One where we’re divided, angry, depressed? C’mon! We’re Americans! Fascism? We conquered it. The Moon? Landed on it. The future? Building it. Freedom? Nobody loves it more.”

As pics of Black Lives Matter protests, the moon landing and Civil Rights, reproductive rights and gay pride marches mixed with training film of Paralympic athletes and citizens of all races and abilities filled the screen, Bey’s voice soared as she sang, “Freedom, freedom, I can’t move/ Freedom, cut me loose/ Singin’ freedom, freedom/ Where are you?”

In contrast to the often dark, dire message from Republicans during the RNC several weeks ago, the “Freedom” video offered a message of hope and unity, save for a bit that spotlighted the deadly Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol by Trump’s followers. “I’mma keep on running cuz a winner don’t quit on themselves,” Beyoncé’s bellowed as footage of Harris promised, “extremists want to take us back, but we are not going back!”

The convention that runs through Thursday (August 22) will nominate the nation’s first Black and Asian American woman to the precipice of the highest office in the land. It is expected to be a star-studded affair that will contrast with the RNCs roster of septuagenarian professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, Ultimate Fighting CEO Dana White, model Amber Rose, country singers Lee Greenwood, Jason Aldean and Chris Janson and rapper-turned-far-right country singer Kid Rock. Instead, the DNC will have nightly celeb hosts including Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Ana Navarro and Tony Goldwyn as well as guest Julia Louis-Dreyfus, along with Jason Isbell and Mickey Guyton (who performed on night one) and James Taylor, who was cut for time on the first night.

After jumping into the race at the end of last month, Harris’ campaign rolled out “Freedom” during the veep’s walk-out at her inaugural visit to campaign headquarters; the rousing, full-band album version of the song was also featured in an early campaign video. Unlike Trump, who has been sued, issued cease & desist orders and strongly-worded requests to stop using the music of popular acts during his campaign stops by musicians who do not agree with his divisive, name-calling rhetoric, Queen Bey gave the Harris campaign full approval to use “Freedom” during the run for the White House.

And while Trump re-posted fake AI-generated images of what appeared to be Taylor Swift fans, and the singer herself, endorsing his third presidential bid over the weekend, the Harris campaign has been flooded with full-throated, A-list endorsements from a galaxy of contemporary and classic stars, from Olivia Rodrigo and Barbra Streisand to Megan Thee Stallion, John Legend, Spike Lee, Katy Perry, Charli XCX, P!nk, Cardi B, Kesha, Jane Fonda, Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro and George Clooney, among many others.

Watch the new “Freedom” campaign video below.

Watch Mickey Guyton & Jason Isbell Perform at Night 1 of DNC 2024

It was a music-packed first night at the 2024 Democratic National Convention, with Jason Isbell, Mickey Guyton and James Taylor all performing at Chicago’s United Center in support of presidential hopeful Kamala Harris.

Isbell and Guyton both made their DNC debuts on Monday night (Aug. 19), while Taylor was playing his fifth straight convention in support of the Democratic Party. In an interview with CNN ahead of Monday’s performance, Guyton explained the importance of supporting Harris in her bid for the presidency. “For me, this is beyond a genre of music,” the country singer reflected. “This is about humanity. This is about the culture. This is about our country and I feel honored to be able to witness history.”

Watch the trio of performances below (we will add Taylor’s performance video once it’s live):

Jason Isbell

Jason Isbell performs on the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024.

Jason Isbell performs on the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, on August 19, 2024.

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images

Six-time Grammy-winning Americana singer/songwriter Jason Isbell took the stage to perform “Something More Than Free,” which is the title track from his 2015 album. The poignant song speaks to the working man’s dilemma of toiling so hard for an unclear reward. “My back is numb, my hands are freezing/ What I’m working for is something more than free.”



Mickey Guyton

Grammy-nominated country artist Mickey Guyton played her song “All American,” which she co-wrote with Victoria Banks for her 2021 album Remember Her Name. The unifying chorus was a perfect fit for the DNC: “Ain’t we all, ain’t we all all American?”



James Taylor

James Taylor rehearses during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

James Taylor rehearses during the first day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 19, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

James Taylor is set to finish the night with his 1971 Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “You’ve Got a Friend” (his lone chart-topper), marking his fifth consecutive DNC performance.

John Legend Says Daughter Luna Thinks ‘This Is Me’ When She Sees Presidential Hopeful Kamala Harris

John Legend was one of the first major musicians to publicly endorse Kamala Harris for president in 2024, but he’s not the only one in his family supporting the politician.

In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter ahead of his private performance at the Democratic National Convention this week, the “All of Me” singer revealed that his 8-year-old daughter Luna — one of four kids he shares with Chrissy Teigen — sees Harris as a role model. “[Luna] is so excited to see someone who’s Black and Asian like she is, [and] a woman like she is — so she’s looking at [Kamala] like, ‘This is me’ up there,’” he told the outlet.

“For her to see that, of course, is really inspiring, and she’s excited,” he continued. “And she can’t imagine why anyone would vote for Donald Trump, but that’s another issue.”

As mentioned, Legend was quick to voice support for Harris when President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 race in July. “I’m so ready to work to help unite the pro-democracy coalition to reject Trump’s authoritarian, oppressive Project 2025 and elect Kamala Harris as our President,” he tweeted at the time. “She’s ready for this fight and I’m excited to help her in any way I can.”

The EGOT winner also praised Biden’s decision to let Harris take the reins while speaking to THR. “I think people were kind of apathetic about voting for two 80-year-olds, and they were ready for some new energy and some new excitement,” he said. “I’m truly grateful to President Biden for making that sacrifice, because the default for any president, especially someone who’s had as successful a first term as he has, is to run for re-election. And he understood that that wasn’t necessarily the best thing for the country, and he did something that was really graceful and patriotic by stepping down and allowing a new generation to step up.”

Legend’s remarks come over a week after he announced plans to release an album full of children’s lullabies titled My Favorite Dream, featuring lead single “L-O-V-E.” On the track he sings alongside Teigen and their oldest two children, Luna and 6-year-old son Miles.

Luna also personally illustrated the single’s cover art, and Legend — who’s also Dad to 1-year-old daughter Esti and 2-month-old Wren — wrote on Instagram that all the album’s songs were “baby tested, baby approved.”

“I’m right in the thick of fatherhood,” he added in a statement about the LP, which is due Aug. 30. “My parents loved to sing around the house, making up bedtime songs for us and songs to motivate and inspire us. And Chrissy and I also love singing to our kids. We make up little jingles and ditties for them all the time. In our home, music is very important to the way we interact and communicate with them.”

Kanye West Spotted Outside Donald Trump Rally in Beverly Hills

It looks like Ye still has love for Donald Trump.

Over the weekend, the Chicago rapper was spotted with his wife, Bianca Censori, in their Tesla Cybertruck outside a Donald Trump rally in Beverly Hills, California. TikTok user @ali.aam.06 captured a group of Trump supporters running up to Ye’s car as he pulled over to show them love. Naturally, the crowd went nuts and couldn’t believe they had just met him as he drove off.

Last month, during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, former White House director of strategic communications Alyssa Farah Griffin revealed a plan the ex-president had for “unifying” the country. “One day he wanted to have Kanye West come and do a church service on the White House lawn to unify the country,” she told a fan after being asked what was the wildest thing that came across her desk as a Trump staffer. “And I can think of a few things less unifying than that. But we were like, ‘Not the time or the place, sir.’”



The former president and Ye have been linked since 2016, when the rapper met with Trump in New York City after he won the presidential election. “I wanted to meet with Trump today to discuss multicultural issues,” Kanye tweeted at the time. “I feel it is important to have a direct line of communication with our future President if we truly want change.”

Their most recent link-up was when they had a controversial dinner with far-right streamer Nick Fuentes at Mar-a-Lago in 2022, where Ye reportedly asked Trump to be his 2024 running mate. “So I help a seriously troubled man, who just happens to be black, Ye, who has been decimated in his business and virtually everything else and who has always been good to me, by allowing his request for a meeting at Mar-a-Lago, alone, so that I can give him very much needed ‘advice,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. “He shows up with 3 people, two of which I didn’t know, the other a political person who I haven’t seen in years. I told him don’t run for office, a total waste of time, can’t win. Fake News went CRAZY!”

Also, Trump made an appearance on Adin Ross’ stream earlier this month (Aug. 5) and referred to the rapper as “complicated.” Trump said of West, “He’s very complicated. Let’s say complicated, because he is. He’s a really nice guy, but he can get some people into trouble.” Adding, “And he can get some other people — he’s got a good heart, he does, he does, but he’s complicated.”

Ye has yet to publicly endorse the former president’s current re-election campaign.

James Taylor, Mickey Guyton Join Jason Isbell as Democratic National Convention Opening Day Performers

The Democratic National Convention takes over Chicago’s United Center starting on Monday night (Aug. 19), and Mickey Guyton and James Taylor have joined the opening day performer lineup, Billboard has confirmed.

Guyton and Taylor will join previously confirmed performer Jason Isbell, who is set to deliver a rendition of his 2015 hit, “Something More Than Free,” the title track off his Grammy-winning fifth studio album. The DNC’s first night’s theme is “For the People.” The Hollywood Reporter first reported the lineup.

Kerry Washington, Mindy Kaling, Tony Goldwyn and Ana Navarro are this year’s DNC hosts, each scheduled to deliver opening remarks and make appearances throughout the week. Additional performers are to be announced.

Vice President Kamala Harris‘ presidential nomination will be celebrated this week in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention. Harris has also chosen Minnesota governor Tim Walz to run alongside her as her selected VP. Harris was swapped in for President Joe Biden last month and since then, surveys have shown that while Trump was previously winning in several key battleground states, the polls are now shifting slightly in Harris’ favor, per New York Times/Siena College.

Biden is also scheduled to speak on the opening night of the DNC, which begins at 9 p.m. ET. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, Ashley Biden, Hillary Clinton, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, U.S. Senator Raphael G. Warnock and more are also set to make remarks.

Jason Isbell to Perform at Democratic National Convention’s Opening Night

Jason Isbell will be taking the stage on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday night (Aug. 19), Billboard can confirm.

The star will be performing his 2015 hit, “Something More Than Free,” the title track off his Grammy-winning fifth studio album. “I don’t think on why I’m here or where it hurts/ I’m just lucky to have the work/ Sunday morning I’m too tired to go to church/ But I thank God for the work,” he sings on the working people’s anthem.

Isbell is also no stranger to condemning Donald Trump. Most recently, in June, he posted the advice to fans: “All I ask is that you consider voting for a presidential candidate who can legally travel to Canada and the UK.”

Vice President Kamala Harris‘ presidential nomination will be celebrated this week in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention. Harris has also chosen Minnesota governor Tim Walz to run alongside her as her selected VP. Harris was swapped in for President Joe Biden last month and since then, surveys have shown that while Trump was previously winning in several key battleground states, the polls are now shifting slightly in Harris’ favor, per New York Times/Siena College.

Biden is also scheduled to speak on the opening night of the DNC, which begins at 9 p.m. ET.

Lele Pons Responds After Nicolás Maduro Lashes Out at Her: ‘You Will Not Silence Me!’

President Nicolás Maduro lashed out at Venezuelan singer and influencer Lele Pons in a video posted on his Instagram and TikTok accounts, amid the tension generated by the recent Venezuelan presidential elections in which he declared himself the winner. The video was released after the massive opposition march on Saturday (Aug. 17), which brought together thousands of people in Caracas and other cities worldwide, including Tokyo, Mexico City and Miami.

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“Eleonora ‘Lele’ Pons wants to impose a government in #Venezuela through a concert in Miami, but who said she is a politician? Lele Pons is not the #CNE! Do not underestimate Venezuela, you do not know the spiritual power of this #People!” reads the description of Maduro’s TikTok video.

“Who said that Lele Pons and the artists that she is calling, just like the concert in Cúcuta, should determine the life of an entire country?” the Chavismo leader said. “So they think that because some artists were going to sing, the next day they would invade Venezuela. Be careful with manipulations, be careful. And you can conspire from Miami, but in Venezuela, the Venezuelans rule. As we did with the artists at the concert in Cúcuta, so will the people of Venezuela, today even more strongly.”

Trending on Billboard

Shortly after, Pons reacted in a video on her TikTok account captioned, “You will not silence me! VENEZUELA WON ??❤️.” The artist also shared some images on Instagram of her participation in the march, during which she carried the flag of her native country, accompanied by Venezuelan artists Danny Ocean, Elena Rose, Marko and Joaquina, among others.

Pons is the Venezuelan influencer and singer with the most followers on social media, with more than 53.4 million followers on Instagram alone and 32.5 million on TikTok. She has been vocal about the irregularities in Venezuela’s elections, where the opposition claims to have evidence that its candidate, Edmundo González, obtained the majority of the votes.

On Aug. 9, she did an Instagram Live with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, during which the politician answered questions from her followers and announced Saturday’s massive event aimed at the international community.

See Lele Pons’ TikTok below:

Taylor Swift Meets Families of Southport Stabbing Victims Before Eras Tour Show

At one of her recent Eras Tour shows in London, Taylor Swift met with the families of victims harmed by the deadly mass stabbing at a children’s dance class in Southport in July.

In photos posted to TikTok by one mom who met the pop star with her daughters at Wembley Stadium over the weekend, Swift poses with the two girls and gives both of them hugs backstage. The older girl appears to wear a bandage covering her left forearm, while both young Swifties sport Red-themed T-shirts. In other photos, the little girls smile next to Swift’s mom, Andrea.

“You drew stars around my scars ?? ….,” the mom wrote in her caption. “The biggest thankyou to @Taylor Swift and her mum for making the most magical night possible for us all ?? thankyou for bringing Hope & Autumn pure happiness last night & always ???.”

Swift hosted multiple families impacted by the tragedy before stepping on stage at Wembley, where she’s slated to play five final shows before closing out the European leg of her Eras trek.

On July 29, a 17-year-old knifeman targeted a Swift-themed dance and yoga event for children ages 6 to 11 in Southport, killing three young girls and injuring eight more children as well as two adults — including 35-year-old instructor Leanne Lucas, who was recently readmitted to the hospital, according to the BBC. U.K. police has since charged the teenager with murder and attempted murder.

The 14-time Grammy winner has not addressed the attack on stage, but she did release a statement shortly after it occurred. “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock…” Swift wrote at the time. “The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”

See photos of Swift meeting two young fans affected by the Southport stabbings below.

@_samifoster

You drew stars around my scars ?? …. The biggest thankyou to @Taylor Swift and her mum for making the most magical night possible for us all ?? thankyou for bringing Hope & Autumn pure happiness last night & always ??? taylorswift taylornation erastour swifties andreaswift

♬ enchanted 1989 tour – swiftieoath

Donald Trump Reshares AI-Generated Images Falsely Claiming Taylor Swift Endorsement

Before this wildly unpredictable presidential campaign season even kicked off, technology experts issued dire warnings that doctored artificial intelligence images and videos could be used to manipulate voters. That appears to be the case with some seemingly manufactured images shared by three-time White House candidate Donald Trump on Sunday (Aug. 18) on his Truth Social account.

The twice impeached former one-term Republican president re-posted a series of images whose authenticity could not be verified and which appeared to show Taylor Swift fans, as well as the singer herself, throwing in with his campaign. One featured six squares filled with smiling Swifties wearing “Swifties for Trump” T-shits with the message “Swifties Turning to Trump After ISIS Foiled Taylor Swift Concert,” a seeming reference to the recently foiled plot to attack Swift’s since-cancelled trio of concerts in Vienna after the discovery of a 19-year-old ISIS-radicalized man’s plan to cause a mass casualty event outside the singer’s Austrian shows.

In another image meant to mirror the iconic “I Want You For U.S. Army” recruiting poster, a user doctored up an image of Swift in a patriotic red, white and blue suit and star-spangled top hat with the message, “Taylor Wants You to Vote For Donald Trump.” The other two pictures featured more images of what are allegedly Swift fans in Trump-boosting gear.

At press time spokespeople for Swift and Trump had not returned Billboard‘s request for comment on the post, which also featured Trump’s enthusiastic response to the alleged endorsement, “I accept!” According to The Daily Beast, the Swiftie images were first posted to X on Friday and Saturday by a couple of popular right-wing accounts, including one that reportedly mixed the doctored AI images with a real one of a blonde woman wearing a “Swifties For Trump” shirt at a rally. The Sunday Times noted that one of the 25 Truth Social posts featuring the faked images that read “The Swifties for Trump movement is real!” was labelled “satire,” calling into question whether Trump, 78, realized that he was re-posting computer-generated pictures.

Swift has yet to endorse anyone in the 2024 presidential race between convicted felon Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, whose nomination will be celebrated this week in Chicago during the Democratic National Convention. Harris was swapped in for President Joe Biden last month and since her sudden elevation to the top spot on the ticket polls have shown the once dead-even race that Trump — now the oldest candidate to ever run for the White House — was winning in several key battleground states shifting slightly in Harris’ favor.

The singer eschewed political endorsements for most of her career, but following Trump’s election in 2016 she endorsed two Democratic candidates in midterm elections in her home state of Tennessee as well as endorsing Biden in 2020. She also took aim at the former Apprentice host during the George Floyd protests in 2020, lambasting Trump’s response to the unrest after earlier saying she was “completely blindsided” by his 2016 victory over former Sec. of State Hillary Clinton.

“After stoking the fires of white supremacy and racism your entire presidency, you have the nerve to feign moral superiority before threatening violence? ‘When the looting starts the shooting starts’???” Swift wrote in reference to a comment from Trump that many took as a veiled threat to protesters who flooded the streets around the nation following the killing of unarmed 46-year-old Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on his neck for nearly 10 minutes. “We will vote you out in November.”

Trump, who the Washington Post reported in 2021 had made nearly 31,000 false or misleading statements during his presidency — a rate of 21 claims per day — recently claimed that photos of a massive Harris/Walz rally in Detroit were AI-generated, a falsehood that was quickly disproven by photos and videos taken by reporters and attendees on the ground.

Check out the AI Taylor Swift images below.