Beyoncé Sends Cease-and-Desist To Trump Campaign Over Song ‘Freedom’

Daily Report August 24,2024

Music megastar Beyoncé has joined the growing list of celebrities upset with former President Donald Trump over using their music for his presidential campaign without permission. Per Billboard magazine, the 42-year-old singer’s record label and publisher issued a cease-and-desist letter to the Trump campaign after using her hit song “Freedom” in a social media video touting his presidential run, according to Billboard.

Beyoncé Becomes Latest Star Upset With Trump For Using Her Song: Report https://t.co/EziulINXrE pic.twitter.com/lacI1bG9hx

— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) August 22, 2024

The video showed Trump stepping off a plane, with Beyoncé’s powerful anthem playing in the background. It was posted to X by Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung. But after reports that the singer’s label was threatening legal action, the video was removed, according to The Guardian.

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This isn’t the first time Trump has run afoul of artists angry about him using their music. Beyoncé now joins an ever-growing list of performers who have pushed back against his campaign’s use of their songs. Earlier this month, Celine Dion’s management team did so on behalf of Dion and her record label after her iconic song “My Heart Will Go On” was played at a Trump-JD Vance rally in Bozeman, Montana.

“Today, Celine Dion’s management team and her record label, Sony Music Entertainment Canada Inc., became aware of the unauthorized usage of the video, recording, musical performance, and likeness of Celine Dion singing ‘My Heart Will Go On’ at a Donald Trump / JD Vance campaign rally in Montana,” the team’s statement read, adding, “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use. …And really, THAT song?”

The artists’ pushback against Trump playing their music at campaign events began long ago. The Rolling Stones, Rihanna, and Axl Rose all have each complained in the past. Only recently has the family of late singer-songwriter Isaac Hayes filed a lawsuit against Trump’s campaign for no less than $3 million in licensing fees due to the unauthorized use of his song “Hold on, I’m Coming” at rallies from 2022 to 2024, per The Hollywood Reporter.

Ironically, the dust-up over Beyoncé’s song comes just after Vice President Kamala Harris used it during her campaign events. She even unveiled a new a cappella version of it in an ad played at the Democratic National Convention.

Unlike Trump, Harris did have permission from Beyoncé to use the song for her campaign, according to CNN.