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John Legend Calls Taylor Swift a ‘Great Example’ For Artists Who Want to Endorse Political Candidates

Musicians have to stick together. EGOT-winner John Legend has become more vocal in politics, making a decision few do: to publicly endorse a candidate. And he’s also giving props to Taylor Swift, who previously made this choice. Here’s why Legend relates to what the “The Man” singer-songwriter went through.

John Legend is endorsing Elizabeth Warren for president

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHeRg-eJiB0?feature=oembed&w=500&h=281]

Legend has been speaking about his decision to back Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren for months now. But recently, he’s really shown up for her, even performing at a rally for her in South Carolina ahead of the primary election there in 2020.

Talking with Warren in a video for her campaign, Legend said that he grew up looking up to artists who used their fame to “fight for justice.” They spoke of their mutual admiration for Barack Obama, and Legend said that many of the qualities he saw in the former president, he sees in Warren.

He spoke to Variety about his decision

Legend knows that the decision to speak on politics — and, more specifically, to endorse a candidate — is a personal one. “I don’t profess to be a role model for behavior that other artists should emulate,” he told Variety in a new interview. “But I think about these things a lot, I care about them a lot, and it’s hard for me not to talk about them.”

On his decision to endorse Warren, he said of the politician, “I feel like her heart and her agenda are all around helping ordinary people and making their lives better.” Legend added, “She’s prepared and from day one can make this country a lot better.”

Swift’s documentary ‘Miss Americana’ showed her opening up about politics

A reason to not speak on these issues is that it could alienate an artist’s fan base, as Legend acknowledges in the article. He brought up Swift, who broaches this topic in the recent documentary Miss Americana. In 2018, she publicly endorsed a candidate for the first time, while speaking out against others.

“I felt her pain,” said Legend of what Swift went through at the time, “It was a risky thing for her.” He continued, saying, “That’s a great example, I think, for a lot of artists out there, that she was able to do that and she’s still out there doing extremely well as an artist, after she was able to speak her truth.”

Are Taylor Swift and John Legend friends?

Taylor Swift and John Legend on 'The Voice'

Taylor Swift and John Legend on 'The Voice'

Taylor Swift and John Legend on ‘The Voice’ | Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

After reading Legend’s kind words, Swifties may wonder: Are the two musicians close? They’ve had numerous interactions over the years. Legend and Swift were first photographed together on the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards red carpet. Then, in 2010, he presented her with her very first Grammy for Album of the Year for Fearless.

In August 2015, Legend and Swift performed his hit “All of Me” during her 1989 Tour. Finally, their most recent public appearance came when Swift was on The Voice as a “Mega Mentor,” as seen above. Obviously, these two have a lot of respect for one another, both on and off stage.

Written by: CheatSheet

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