Carole King to Speak at ‘Swifties for Kamala’ Kickoff Call
Legendary singer-songwriter and rock icon Carole King is set to join the Swifties for Kamala kickoff call, the coalition announced on Tuesday.
“We wouldn’t be Swifties for Kamala without Midnights Mayhem,” political director April Glick Pulito wrote in an email sent to attendees. “With that… We are so incredibly excited to announce our special, surprise guest 4x Grammy winner, singer-songwriter and a Swiftie for Kamala… Carole King!”
More from Variety
The call is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. According to its official X/Twitter account, Swifties for Kamala describes itself as a “coalition of Swifties ready to mobilize Taylor Swift fans to help get Democratic candidates elected up and down the ballot!” The organization is not affiliated with Taylor Swift herself — though, according to one post, “she is always welcome to show up to our party.”
Featured speakers and guests on the call include senators Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand and Ed Markey; Rep. Chris Deluzio and Rep. Becca Balint; North Carolina Democratic Party chair Anderson Clayton; and Swifties for Kamala team members Irene Kim, Emerald Medrano, Annie Wu Henry, April Glick Pulito, Emma Coleman and Lexa Hayes.
Swift inducted King into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2021, performing a cover of “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” and calling her “the greatest songwriter of all time.”
“I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know Carole King’s music,” she said. “I was raised by two of her biggest fans, who taught me the basic truths of life as they saw it: that you should treat people the way you want to be treated, that you must believe that you can achieve whatever you want to in life, and that Carole King is the greatest songwriter of all time.”
Later in the speech, she recounted the lessons she’d learned from King’s musical career.
“Carole taught artists like me that telling your own story is worth the work and struggle it takes to earn the opportunity for your story to be heard,” Swift said. “That musical connection can be generation-spanning. She created the purest works of love and strength and catharsis while navigating the politics of an era that didn’t make space for the idea of a female genius.”
The Swifties for Kamala kickoff call is one of several Zoom meetings organized by various independent affinity groups in support of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. Other virtual events include Comics for Kamala, which took place on Aug. 5 and featured appearances by Nick Offerman, Ben Stiller, Kathy Griffin, John Stamos, Ed Helms, Tiffany Haddish, Ike Barinholtz, Mark Hamill and Rosie O’Donnell.
Another event, Cooking for Kamala, will take place this Thursday. Padma Lakshmi and Joel McHale are set to host, and a star-studded lineup of celebrity chefs — including Tom Colicchio, Jonathan Waxman, Nancy Silverton and many more — will appear to cook some of Harris’ favorite recipes live.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.