Celebrities for Kamala: Oprah Winfrey, Stevie Wonder and Amanda Gorman light up Democratic convention

The unsurpassed showmanship of American politics reaches its apotheosis at the national party conventions. For a succession of speeches to serve as a prime-time television broadcast requires rhythm, drama, and punch. Wednesday night’s surprise at the Democratic conclave in Chicago was Oprah Winfrey, who delivered an impassioned speech. Another legend of the entertainment world, musician Stevie Wonder, performed live. Both called for a vote for Kamala Harris. Other artists appeared on stage, while speculation is rife that on the final day of the convention Beyoncé, whose song Freedom has become Harris’ campaign anthem, may put in an appearance.

In order to reach new voters, the Democratic campaign has placed great importance on content creators and influencers with tens of millions of followers on social media. Some 200 of them have been granted access to the convention in Chicago and some have had their 15 minutes of fame at the lectern, addressing the thousands of attendees. However, when it comes to truly reaching the masses, few people have the impact and influence of Oprah, who for a quarter of a century was a fixture in American homes with her hit show, which was broadcast from Chicago.

In her first appearance at a political convention Oprah, 70, appealed to independent voters, like herself, who are not registered with either of the two major parties and who can prove decisive on election day on November 5. Her support for Harris may carry special weight among women, who made up the majority of the audience for The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran from 1986 to 2011, and among the African American population, demographics in which the Democratic candidate hopes to achieve an advantage.

Although she openly endorsed Barack Obama in 2008, Oprah has tried to remain relatively separated from partisan politics. On Wednesday, she made her unannounced appearance having attended a rehearsal wearing a hat, sunglasses, and a mask to conceal her identity. In a vibrant speech in which her communication skills were on full display, she openly called for a vote for Harris and attacked Donald Trump, although without mentioning the Republican candidate by name.

“Freedom isn’t free,” she said in one such allusion. “America is an ongoing project. It requires commitment, it requires being open to the hard work and the heart work of democracy. And every now and then, it requires standing up to life’s bullies.

“These are complicated times and they require adult conversation. And I welcome those conversations because civilized debate is vital to democracy, and it is the best of America,” she added. “There’s a certain candidate that says, if we just go to the polls this one time, then we’ll never have to do it again. Well, you know what? You’re looking at a registered independent who’s proud to vote again and again and again. Because I’m an American, and that’s what Americans do.

“So I’m calling on all you independents and all you undecideds. Let us choose loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to any individual, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose optimism over cynicism, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose inclusion over retribution. Let us choose common sense over nonsense, because that’s the best of America. And let us choose the sweet promise of tomorrow over the bitter return to yesterday. We won’t go back. We won’t be sent back, pushed back, bullied back, kicked back. We’re not going back. So, let us choose. Let us choose truth, let us choose honor, and let us choose joy! Because that’s the best of America. But more than anything else, let us choose freedom. Why? Because that’s the best of America. We’re all Americans, and together, let’s all choose Kamala Harris!”

Dueling soundtracks

Earlier, the legendary Stevie Wonder, 74, also called for a vote for the Democratic candidate, noting that this is an exceptional situation. “This is the moment to remember when you tell your children where you were and what you did,” the musician told the crowd. “As we stand between history’s pain and tomorrow’s promises, we must choose courage over complacency. We must keep on keepin’ on until we truly are a united people of these United States. And then we will reach our high ground,” he added to lead into his performance, a rendition of Higher Ground, a hit from his 1973 album Innervisions.

Between the Republican and Democratic conventions there is also a duel of soundtracks. In Chicago, the Atlanta rapper Lil Jon, singer-songwriter Jason Isbell, Stevie Wonder, and John Legend have already performed, the latter covering songs by Minnesota icon Prince alongside Sheila E. just before the speech by Democratic vice-presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The Democratic playlist, with rap, rhythm and blues, indie, country, rock and pop, is somewhat more varied than the Republican convention a month ago in Milwaukee, which was very focused on classic rock, with Lee Greenwood and his God Bless the USA as the star and Kid Rock as a guest. The Republicans, however, had a live band throughout the convention, which livened up the pauses and transitions between speeches with their cover versions.

Pop star Pink will perform on the final night of the Democratic convention but there has been speculation about a surprise appearance by Beyoncé, which for now remains a completely unconfirmed rumor, or a fervent hope among delegates and guests. With the star’s permission Harris’ campaign uses Beyoncé's song Freedom as an unofficial anthem. Curiously, Trump’s team used the same song in a video posted on social media on Wednesday, in this case without Beyoncé's blessing. She has requested that it stopped being used by the Republican campaign, according to Rolling Stone.

Amanda Gorman, who at 22 became the youngest poet to participate in a presidential inauguration in U.S. history when she delivered The Hill We Climb at Joe Biden’s inauguration in 2021, also read a new poem, This Sacred Scene, at the Democratic convention Wednesday. The work is a paean to freedom, unity, and the American dream. “We gather at this hallowed place because we believe in the American dream,” it begins. “We are one family regardless of religion, class or color. For what defines a patriot is not just a love of liberty but our love for one another.”

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