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Pharrell Williams is facing criticism for recent comments he made about celebrities endorsing candidates in the 2024 US presidential election.
In a recent interview with The Hollywood ReporterWhen asked if he would allow the Democratic and Republican parties to use his music in their campaigns, the 51-year-old singer replied that he does not “do politics.”
She then criticized celebrities who shared who they would vote for, days after Taylor Swift endorsed Democratic candidates Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.
“Sometimes I get angry when I see celebrities trying to tell you [who to vote for]“There are celebrities that I respect who have an opinion, but not all of them. I am one of those people.” [who says]- What the hell? Shut up. Nobody asked you.
“When people go out and become moralistic, they roll up their sleeves and walk around with a sign that says: 'Shut up!'”
While he made it clear that he will vote in the elections, he stressed that he does not want to speak publicly about his political stance.
“No, I prefer not to interfere and obviously I will vote however I have to vote,” Williams concluded. “I care about my people and I care about the country, but I feel like there is a lot of work to be done and what I am really interested in is action.”
On X (formerly Twitter), fans criticized Williams' comments.
“Just because YOU don’t get political doesn’t mean other celebrities can’t… And just because YOU haven’t been asked who you voted for (because no one cares) doesn’t mean other celebrities aren’t asked,” one wrote.
“I respectfully disagree Pharrell. Informed voices can educate,” another responded to Williams’ comment.
“Celebrities should talk about politics, millions of people follow them, it is their responsibility to give advice on choosing the right leader,” wrote a third.
“I don’t do politics,” says one of the most influential and wealthy music creators of his generation,” wrote another. “If you say and believe without irony that I don’t do politics, then you are either in a position of privilege that is beyond the average person’s understanding or you are willfully ignorant.”
Immediately following the presidential debate between Harris and Trump on September 10, Swift took to Instagram to officially endorse the Democratic candidates.
“I will be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 presidential election. I will be voting for @kamalaharris because she is fighting for rights and causes that I believe need a warrior to champion. I think she is a talented and steady leader, and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are guided by calm and not chaos,” the “Fortnight” singer wrote. “I was so encouraged and impressed by her choice of running mate @timwalz who has been championing LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”
In her post, the Grammy winner shared a photo of herself posing with her cat, Benjamin Button, along with an apparent reference to Donald Trump's running mate, JD Vance, as she signed off her message: “Childless cat lady.”
On Sept. 17, National Voter Registration Day, Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas also endorsed Harris. “We voted for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz because they are fighting to protect our reproductive freedom, our planet, and our democracy,” the “Bad Guy” singer said.
“We cannot allow extremists to control our lives, our freedoms, and our future. The only way to stop them and the dangerous agenda of Project 2025 is to vote and elect Kamala Harris,” Finneas added, and Eilish concluded: “Vote like your life depends on it, because it does.”
Project 2025 — a plan for Trump’s presidency spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation and more than a dozen former Trump administration officials — is essentially a wish list for his administration with plans to expand his executive authority, replace civil servants with ideologically aligned appointees, crush abortion rights and impose an anti-immigrant agenda, among other policies.
