Archives April 2024

If you’ve ever dared to utter anything less than flattering about Taylor Swift online, you’ve probably already encountered the sheer force of her devoted followers. Swifties, as they’re known, are renowned for their strategic prowess (refer to: the collapse of Ticketmaster) as well as their immense fervor for the object of their pop admiration. So it shouldn’t be astonishing that a dedicated group among them—Swifties for Kamala—are channeling their abundant enthusiasm into assisting Kamala Harris’s presidential bid this November. Although the group emphasizes it isn’t officially affiliated with Swift, their clout is nonetheless formidable: Swifties for Kamala has amassed nearly $150K in campaign donations and has recently hosted notable figures such as Carole King, along with senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, during their inaugural fundraising call.

Vogue recently chatted with two active members of the Swifties for Kamala movement—first-time campaign participant Emerald Medrano and swing-state voter Carly Long—about their political drive, the intersection of Taylor Swift fandom with Harris-Walz 2024 campaign principles, and the significance of preventing another Trump presidency. Read the comprehensive interview below:

Vogue: What motivated you to engage with the Harris-Walz 2024 campaign?

Emerald Medrano, 22, cofounder and chairman of Swifties for Kamala: In an unusual manner, my worries have truly driven me to participate in this election. Regardless of the November outcome, I want to look back on this election period knowing that I gave my all to support Kamala in becoming the 47th president of the United States. I wish to avoid regrets and reside in a country that acknowledges everyone with kindness. I believe America is poised to shine, and Kamala will allow us to dazzle.

Carly Long, 25, communications director for Swifties for Kamala: When Kamala Harris became the presumptive candidate, a profound sense of optimism for the election filled me. For once, I was not just casting a vote against something but voting for someone—for an intelligent and strong figure, for someone committed to advocating for minority rights and safety, for a lively and spirited candidate. Her campaign instilled pride in my choice, and I aspire to be part of electing the first woman to lead this nation!

Oh, 2024. What an extraordinary year it has turned out to be. Just as we believed pop tunes were becoming a tad mundane and predictable, Chappell Roan emerged to remind us of the impact of a grand, courageous chorus coupled with genuinely eccentric costume transformations. No artist has ascended to superstar levels with such natural flair in a single summer since Lady Gaga—something you’re undoubtedly already aware of. Hence, the looming curiosity surrounding 2025: Will there be a successor to her initial album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess? And, if it does materialize, what will its aesthetic, sound, and atmosphere be like?

Clearly, our knowledge is somewhat limited at present. The 26-year-old’s debut was only released towards the conclusion of last year, and it required an additional half-year to truly gather steam. Nonetheless, those who are truly observant might have picked up on a few hints scattered around. Presented here is all the information known to us concerning Roan’s second, as-yet-unidentified album to date.

She’s collaborating with producer Daniel Nigro once more

You might not instantly recognize the name, but you’ve undoubtedly encountered the songs Nigro has contributed to. The New York-based producer and songwriter has been involved in creating everything from Carly Rae Jepsen’s Emotion (2015) to Caroline Polachek’s Desire I Want to Turn Into You (2023), along with both of Olivia Rodrigo’s albums, Sour (2019) and Guts (2023). He also co-authored and produced Roan’s debut, demonstrating his adeptness at shaping a pop masterpiece. Both Roan and Nigro have confirmed their continued collaboration on the second album—which is reassuring, because if it isn’t broken, there’s no need to fix it, etc.

Five new compositions have been crafted, including “The Subway”

Last September, Roan informed Rolling Stone that she had already completed five or six songs. “We have a country tune. We have a dance-inspired track. There’s one with a strong ’80s vibe, an acoustic number, and a piece that exudes a natural, live-band feel with a ’70s atmosphere,” she disclosed. “It’s incredibly unusual.” Earlier this month, in a discussion with The New York Times, Nigro provided a comparable update. He mentioned a “lively, fast-paced country song” that includes “a fiddle. That’s all I’ll reveal. It’s a fresh version of Chappell.” In addition, there are “a few ballads and a mid-tempo rock piece.”

During the MTV era, the life of a celebrity proceeded in the following manner: an individual gains fame, paparazzi pursue the individual, photographs of said individual are auctioned to the highest-paying tabloid, and the cycle repeats. Fans might linger outside hotels and venues seeking autographs. Occasionally, a few stalkers might attempt to obtain a home phone number. Largely, however, being a celebrity was a tangible experience, characterized by evading camera flashes and trying to keep one’s location discreet.

The ’90s and ’00s were infamously not enjoyable periods for celebrities. Now, however, it seems the distinctions between stars and fans have become even more blurred. With personal phones in hand, the need for paparazzi and tabloids has diminished—we can assume the roles of paparazzi and tabloids. Social media allows us to discover not only a celebrity’s location but also that of their family. We can observe their friends, their hangout spots, and which burger place they prefer at 3 p.m. post-celebration (even in the absence of their posts, rest assured, someone nearby will have shared it). Celebrities are perpetually under watch, and reaching a certain level of fame often means sacrificing personal privacy.

This isn’t a life that 26-year-old pop artist Chappell Roan is willing to embrace for herself. On Friday afternoon, she announced on Instagram: “For the past decade, I’ve been relentlessly focusing on my project, and it’s time I establish clear boundaries,” she stated. “I’ve encountered too many unwanted physical and social interactions, so I need to clarify and remind you, women owe you nothing.” She proceeds to mention that when she is on stage or at a press event, she is “working,” but “[in] any other scenario, she is not on the clock.” She adds: “Please stop touching me. Please stop behaving awkwardly with my family and friends… And kindly: do not address me as Kayleigh.”

Chappell isn’t the first celebrity to convey a sentiment similar to “celebrities don’t owe you everything” (in 2016, Justin Bieber ceased fan meet-and-greets because they left him feeling exhausted and “like an exhibit at a zoo”). Nevertheless, she is among the first to make such a firm declaration so early in her career. Around this time the previous year, Chappell Roan was not widely known. Now, her name is familiar, and you’d recognize her even outside of drag. She’s addressing the issue before it advances. Similar to deciding, early on, to not answer work emails outside of office hours or refraining from befriending your boss on social media, Chappell is asserting that when she’s not performing (meaning: not getting paid to perform or appear for work), she need not remain ‘on.’

Tom Rasmussen has consistently been a multifaceted individual. (Quite literally, sometimes: the performer initially gained recognition in the broader scene as their previous drag persona, Crystal, a vocalist born in Russia and raised in Lancashire with a fondness for headpieces.) They’ve authored two books, co-created a musical, and even contributed as a columnist on sex and relationships for Vogue. However, the role they’ve always felt most at ease in—and which they wholeheartedly returned to a few years prior—was in pop music. “I find it mortifying to say, ‘I’m a storyteller,’ because it’s what bothersome people declare,” Rasmussen remarks, with their signature self-deprecating humor. “Yet, I believe that’s what I’ve achieved throughout all my endeavors, and it truly became prominent once I began composing my own music, just for myself.”

In 2023, Rasmussen came out with their introductory album, Body Building, on Globe Town Records: an exhilarating, dance-pop journey of a record where the euphoric instances were balanced by incredibly vulnerable lyrics depicting the highs and lows of revealing one’s nonbinary identity, and the paradox of being visible. Now, just a year and a half later, Rasmussen has returned with its sequel, Live Wire—and is prepared to openly express their feelings in a distinct, more optimistic manner. “I’m really supportive of grand and beautiful, expansive emotions,” Rasmussen notes regarding the more reflective nature of the new album, which explores the smaller, quieter aspects of their existence—from casual encounters to marriage and their closest friendships. “I’m humorous, but I’m also quite emotional and actually quite genuine.”