Beyoncé to appear alongside Harris at Houston rally

By Jeff Zeleny and Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN

(CNN) — Beyoncé will appear alongside Vice President Kamala Harris at a rally Friday in Houston, a person familiar with the planning tells CNN, the first joint appearance with the music icon whose anthem has been the soundtrack of the Harris campaign.

The appearance, in which Beyoncé will appear with Willie Nelson, is designed to be one of the biggest closing acts of the campaign. Since the moment Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket, the vice president’s team has been working behind the scenes to negotiate a joint appearance before Election Day.

Beyoncé’s team did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. Her upcoming appearance was first reported by The Washington Post.

Beyoncé all but gave her endorsement to Harris months ago, giving her permission to use her song “Freedom” as her official campaign anthem, CNN first reported in July. Beyoncé, who is known for maintaining strict clearance guidelines around her music, gave quick approval to the Harris campaign to use the anthem, which has been the backdrop for Harris ads and when she was onstage at the Democratic National Convention. Harris first walked out to “Freedom” at her first official stop at her campaign headquarters, two days after she launched her presidential campaign.

At one point, rumors of Beyoncé appearing at the Democratic convention threatened to overtake Harris’ acceptance speech. Campaign officials have insisted it was never the plan to have Beyoncé join Harris in Chicago, even as they sent conflicting signals in the moment.

Fans may be wondering whether Taylor Swift — who endorsed Harris in September — will join Harris on a campaign stop in this final stretch to the election.

“Wouldn’t it be great?” one campaign official said of a Swift appearance, declining to answer the question.

It certainly won’t happen with Beyoncé in Houston: Swift is scheduled to perform in New Orleans Friday night on the final leg of her “Eras” tour.

Though Friday will be Beyoncé’s first time officially rallying with Harris, the superstar has a history of endorsing Democratic candidates.

In 2013, she sang the National Anthem at the second inauguration of President Barack Obama. In 2016, Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z headlined a pre-election concert for Hillary Clinton in Cleveland, Ohio, with her backup dancers dressed in blue pantsuits to honor the woman who could have been the first female president.

“I want my daughter to grow up seeing a woman lead our country and knowing that her possibilities are limitless,” Beyoncé said at the time. “And that’s why I am with her.”

In 2020, Beyoncé endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket, posting on her Instagram to encourage her followers to vote.

In Houston, Harris is expected to address abortion rights as she seeks to draw a contrast with former President Donald Trump over the controversial issue ahead of Election Day, a senior campaign official previously told CNN.

During her remarks, the vice president is expected to warn of the threat a second Trump term poses to women’s reproductive freedom. Harris will also place blame on the former president for extreme abortion bans, including in Texas, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. She will be joined by women who have been impacted by the restrictive laws.

Democratic Senate nominee Rep. Colin Allred will join Harris in Houston as part of a get-out-the-vote effort as he seeks to oust incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz. While in Texas, Harris will also sit down for an interview with popular podcaster Brené Brown as she continues to participate in media engagements in an effort to reach voters where they are.

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