Taylor Swift has licensed her music for the first time to a political campaign in a new ad targeting young voters.
Released via Rep. Eric Swalwell’s Remedy PAC on Friday, the ad uses Swift’s song “Only the Young” to encourage young Americans to vote along with images and videos calling attention to the Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movements, child separation at the border, climate change, gun violence, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Swift sings, “And the big bad man and his big bad clan / Their hands are stained with red / Oh, how quickly they forget,” the ad then switches to clips of President Trump and other prominent Republicans.
The late Ruth Bader Ginsburg also makes an appearance in the ad with a clip from a past interview in which she say, “Think about how you would like the world to be for your daughters and granddaughters,” while Democratic candidate Joe Biden is next seen consoling a young boy saying, “We’re gonna be okay.”
Swift released “Only the Young” in January alongside her Netflix documentary, “Miss Americana,” and said that the 2018 midterm elections inspired her to write the song. Earlier this month, the artist also announced she was endorsing Biden and Kamala Harris.
In an interview with CNN, Swalwell said his office reached out to Swift last week for permission to use “Only the Young” and said that the artist allowed his campaign to use it free of charge. The ad is expected to run on social media in the remaining days leading up to the election.
“Up there’s the finish line. Our future is worth our fight. Thank you, @taylorswift13, for voicing what #OnlyTheYoung can do. Let’s run!” Swalwell tweeted alongside the ad.
Watch the ad here.