Beyoncé started a conversation. We should join in.
By Aditi Juneja
Editor’s note: A democracy comms lesson from Beyoncé? Hell yes.
I also love the call to action from Aditi Juneja, Executive Director of Democracy 2076, in this piece: Enter the fray! Make a meme! Work with an influencer!
Hear about Aditi’s “aha moment” in the video below.
After stops in London and Paris, Beyoncé’s record-breaking Cowboy Carter tour is back in the US. While much has been written about what the album and tour mean for country music and Black Americans’ place in it, there has been little discussion about how the tour is a meditation on American democracy.
I also haven’t seen democracy organizations use Beyoncé’s tour as an opportunity to engage Americans in the conversation fans are having about the promise and challenges of democracy, and our duty to improve it.
The one exception: Pop Culture Collaborative launched the #AmericanRequiemChallenge, all about knowing yourself, knowing your history, and reclaiming what it means to be American.
Democracy organizations have our work cut out for us when it comes to communication. Dissatisfaction with the promises of democracy is not a marginal view in American politics. In fact, exit polling showed that 75% of voters were “dissatisfied/angry” about the way things are going in the US, and those voters supported the authoritarian candidate by a wide margin.
This creates a challenge for those of us in the democracy space — how do we acknowledge people’s dissatisfaction with our democracy while still uplifting our ideals? How do we use critiques of America to foster patriotism and a belief that America can be better? Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter performances provide examples of how to thread the needle while refuting all parts of the authoritarian playbook:
Stoking violence: Beyoncé opens each performance with "American Requiem," calling for change while affirming love of country, then transitions to "Blackbird," (inspired by the Little Rock Nine) before singing the national anthem. This positions those who fought segregation as deeply American unlike those who met them with violence, making it clear that historically excluded people don't need permission to improve America.
Quashing dissent: She sings, “Freedom! Where are you? Cause I need freedom too!” This concludes with a picture of her with a sash saying, "the Reclamation of America" making clear that dissent and efforts to improve America are patriotic.
Scapegoating vulnerable communities: Beyoncé juxtaposes racist critiques of Cowboy Carter with images of joyful Black Americans, suggesting that the path forward is to keep dancing, singing, and being joyful in the face of those questioning their Americanness.
Corrupting elections: As images of the 1960s civil rights protestors and Hurricane Katrina flash on the screen, she sings, “Whole lotta red in that white and blue,” making it clear how much blood has been spilled for the ability of all Americans to vote and that it is a right worth fighting for.
Aggrandizing executive power: As she sings “history can’t be erased” in Ya-Ya, the screen shows African American soldiers in uniform — a notable choice when the military is being politicized and the President is attempting to rewrite history in our cultural institutions.
Spreading disinformation: During an interlude, clips of TV broadcasts flash with the word “propaganda” on screen, followed by "USA" and "America" repeated over Beyoncé's face marked with "conform." The sequence ends with “turn this TV off” and “despite the noise, we sing.”
As Beyonce’s concert returns to the United States, I’d encourage democracy organizations to join the conversation many Americans are having through her work about democracy. Whether through toolkits, partnerships with influencers, op-eds in publications that focus on pop culture, or participating in memes and trends — there is opportunity to activate Americans to fight for our democracy.
Aditi Juneja is the Executive Director of Democracy 2076.
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