A flurry of concerts, headlined by Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, Jay Z and others, will take place before election day
As the presidential election approaches and worries linger over whether millennial voters will turn out in key swing states, the Clinton campaign has turned to the unifying force of celebrity. A flurry of get out the vote concerts, headlined by Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, the National and others, will take place between Saturday and 8 November.
On Saturday, the same day early voting begins in Florida, Lopez will appear with Hillary Clinton in Miami. But the biggest act will hold court in one of the most crucial swing states on 4 November. Four days before the final vote, Jay Z will host a concert in Cleveland, Ohio.
According to the Clinton campaign, he will do so to encourage unity and urge Ohioans to support Clinton by voting early or on election day.
For a campaign that has faced headwinds in its efforts to motivate young voters and African American voters and which according to a Real Clear Politics poll average trails Donald Trump by 1.1% in Ohio the Jay Z concert will present a key opportunity.
According to campaign sources, the concert will feature multiple special guests, with Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James, a Clinton endorser, a possible addition to the program.
Jay Zs concert will be the penultimate event in a series under the title Love Trumps Hate, following Lopez in Miami and the National in Cincinnati on 2 November. On 5 November, Perry, a longtime and vocal supporter, will perform in Philadelphia.
This is not the first time the Clinton campaign has recruited entertainment industry powerhouses. At the conclusion of the Democratic national convention in July, Lady Gaga and Lenny Kravitz performed for Democratic delegates in a thank-you concert held in Camden, New Jersey.
In August, Clinton appeared with Cher in Provincetown, Massachusetts, at a private fundraiser in the gay vacation destination. That appearance was marred slightly when Cher compared Trump to Adolf Hitler in front of a semi-drunk audience.
But, by and large, celebrities have put their wattage to good use. Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Justin Timberlake and Scarlett Johansson are just a few of the stars who want to help get Clinton elected, whether through Instagram posts of ballots or earnest advertisements extolling the virtues of voting.
The concert program draws a sharp contrast to those celebrities who have made appearances on behalf of Trump.
Although the businessman vowed before the Republican convention to host a winners circle of movie stars and sports heroes, and has enjoyed support from New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, the candidates celebrity surrogates have largely been tarnished glitterati.
Among them have been former underwear model Antonio Sabto and Natalie Gulbis, who is currently the 597th-best female golfer in the world.