AR Rahman becomes first South Asian artist to endorse Kamala Harris

Renowned Indian musician AR Rahman has recorded a 30-minute performance video in support of Kamala Harris, a candidate for the upcoming US presidential elections.

The initiative aims to enhance Harris’s popularity ahead of the elections scheduled for November 5.

By recording this video, AR Rahman has become the first international artist from South Asia to endorse a US presidential candidate, according to Express news.

Shekhar Narasimhan, chairperson of the Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Victory Fund, stated, “With this performance, AR Rahman has added his voice to a group of leaders and artists standing for progress and representation in America.”

The AAPI Victory Fund is a political committee focused on encouraging and mobilising eligible voters.

Shekhar Narasimhan further emphasised that the performance is not merely a musical event but also a call to action for communities to participate and vote for the future they wish to see.

A teaser video has also been released, featuring AR Rahman and MR Rangaswami, founder of Indiaspora, aimed at energising activist engagement.

According to a press release, the show will include some of AR Rahman’s most beloved songs and messages promoting support for Kamala Harris and commitment to the AAPI community.

The video recording will be aired on the AAPI Victory Fund's YouTube channel on October 13 at 8 PM.

Taylor Swift endorses Kamala Harris in the 2024 Presidential race

Previously, Singer Taylor Swift also endorsed Kamala Harris after her debate against Republican rival Donald Trump, calling the Democratic nominee a "steady-handed, gifted leader" who could lead the country with calm rather than chaos.

In a post on Instagram, Swift told her over 280 million followers that she would vote for the US vice president in the November 5 election, marking the biggest celebrity endorsement yet for Harris. Polls indicated that the race was essentially tied between the two candidates.

In her post, Swift stated, "I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I'm voting for Kamala Harris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them."

Swift was pictured with her cat in the post, which she signed as "childless cat lady," in a dig at Trump's running mate JD Vance, who in a 2021 interview called some Democrats "a bunch of childless cat ladies."

Vance had since clarified that it was merely a "sarcastic remark."

Swift also expressed admiration for Harris' running mate Tim Walz, describing him as someone "who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman's right to her own body for decades."

Reproductive rights had become a key issue for voters since the US Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion two years earlier.

IVF fertility treatments were also thrust into the spotlight after an Alabama court ruled earlier that year that frozen embryos were considered people.

Harris, who supported abortion rights, cast Trump as a threat to reproductive rights in the country following his appointment of Supreme Court justices who helped overturn the Roe v. Wade ruling in 2022.