Despite rampant speculation, Beyoncé never appeared at this year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Still, music played a key role at the gathering. The superstar’s song “Freedom” has been a for Vice President Kamala Harris since President Biden announced he was no longer running for reelection.
The upbeat 2016 song triumphantly declares “I’ma keep running ’cause a winner don’t quit on themselves.” It aligns with the . from the DNC was , during which Democratic delegates announced their votes for Harris.
DJ Cassidy played a unique song to represent Standouts included Georgia’s “Turn Down for What” and “Get Low,” by rapper Lil Jon, and California’s of several, songs including “California Love” by Tupac and “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar. The musical celebration got fans on their feet and cheering long before . It’s a stark contrast to the mood of the roll call at the 2020 convention, which was amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The DNC isn’t a stranger to musical moments. Clips of 1996 convention attendees dancing to the , go viral every four years. It’s possible that organizers wanted to replicate and expand on that kind of memorable musical moment.
Harris’s campaign has already been rife with cultural nods — from using a song by one of the biggest pop stars in the world as her official anthem to watching the world debate whether or not she The roll call wasn’t the only time where music took center stage at the 2024 DNC..