Taylor Swift Lends ‘Only the Young’ to New Political Ad

Taylor Swift has allowed a super PAC fronted by California Democratic representative Eric Swalwell to use her song “Only the Young” in a new political ad.

The spot from Remedy PAC is aimed at boosting voter turnout, especially among young people, and opens with a quote from vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, wondering why so many powerful people are making it so difficult to vote. The rest of the ad boasts a montage of chaotic and hopeful scenes from the past four years, soundtracked by 2020’s “Only the Young,” from Swift’s documentary Miss Americana.

The new ad marks the first time Swift has allowed her music to be used in a political ad, although over the summer her cover of Tom Petty’s “American Girl” was featured in a video package during the Democratic National Convention. Swift has not shared a statement specifically about the “Only the Young” spot and a representative did not return Rolling Stone’s request for comment.

On Twitter, Swalwell thanked Swift for letting Remedy PAC use the song, as did Harris, who wrote, “Thank you @TaylorSwift13 and my friend @EricSwalwell for showing young people what’s at stake in this election.”

Thank you @TaylorSwift13 and my friend @EricSwalwell for showing young people what’s at stake in this election. https://t.co/T5EQO1GLnC

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 30, 2020

Swift, who was wary of expressing her political views publicly for a good chunk of her career (she faced criticism after declining to endorse a presidential candidate in 2016), has become significantly more vocal over the past two years. In 2018, she endorsed Tennessee’s Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen (although he lost to Republican Marsha Blackburn) and this year, she endorsed Joe Biden and Harris in V Magazine.

“Everyone deserves a government that takes global health risks seriously and puts the lives of its people first,” Swift said. “The only way we can begin to make things better is to choose leaders who are willing to face these issues and find ways to work through them… I will proudly vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in this year’s presidential election. Under their leadership, I believe America has a chance to start the healing process it so desperately needs.”