ANALYSIS | From Artist To Activist: The Rise Of Celebrity Advocacy
Photo Credit: Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images via Rolling Stone
Many famous figures have been speaking out about political issues recently, especially following certain events in the United States.
One artist who has consistently used her spotlight is Billie Eilish, one of the most awarded musicians of the century. However, she is not just using her voice for music — but for advocating for humanitarian rights, sustainability, and mental health.
Eilish often promotes her views through public speeches, particularly when accepting awards. At the Wall Street Journal Awards in late October 2025, Eilish received the Music Innovator Award and revealed that she had donated $11.5 million from her tour profits to charities in need. During her acceptance speech, she encouraged wealthy individuals to use their money for good. “I’d say if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people that need it,” urged Eilish. “If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire? No hate, but give your money away, shorties.” Mark Zuckerberg was in the crowd that night, whose net worth is around $215.2 billion, according to Forbes. An eyewitness stated that he did not clap after Eilish’s speech, according to People Magazine.
After winning the award for Song of the Year at the 2026 Grammys, Eilish took advantage of the spotlight to call out the current state of American politics. “No one is illegal on stolen land,” she said, as per Variety, also adding profanity directed toward ICE. Stars like Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, and many more clapped in support, while others like right-wing influencer Emily Austin and boxer Jake Paul took to social media to mock Eilish.
Also at the Grammys, Olivia Dean and Bad Bunny spoke up about politics in their acceptance speeches as well.
“I’m up here as the granddaughter of an immigrant. I’m a product of bravery, and I think those people deserve to be celebrated,” said Dean after winning Best New Artist.
“We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens, we are humans and we are Americans,” said Bad Bunny after his own win, according to NPR. He also added that “the hate gets more powerful with more hate. The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”
The latter quote became a theme in Bad Bunny’s halftime show performance at the 2026 Super Bowl. The halftime show featured Bad Bunny singing his Billboard-charting hits alongside dancers performing Latin-American-inspired choreography. The performance radiated an upbeat, welcoming mood, which many enjoyed and praised.
However, there was opposition to Bad Bunny’s performance. Days after Spanish-singing performer Bad Bunny had been announced as the headliner for the Super Bowl, a conservative organization known as Turning Point USA, founded by Charlie Kirk, pitched an alternative performance dubbed “The All-American Halftime Show” that would air at the same time. The alternative performance was meant to celebrate “American faith, family and freedom,” said Turning Point USA, which is currently led by Kirk‘s widow, Erika Kirk, according to The Hill. The “All-American Halftime Show” had a lineup of country singers, with the lead act being Kid Rock, a Trump-supporting singer, who also commented on Bad Bunny before the show. “He's said he's having a dance party, wearing a dress, and singing in Spanish? Cool. We plan to play great songs for folks who love America,” the singer said, as per The Hill.
Nicki Minaj is another celebrity who’s been stirring up drama with her recent shift in political stance. Once an open supporter of the Democratic Party and an icon for female liberation and independence, Minaj has now publicized that she is a Republican, posted tweets praising Donald Trump and his team, and taking pictures shaking hands with Trump. Her sudden change in perspective was controversial because it was a stark change from what she stood for in 2020 — a time when her democratic beliefs were firm. According to CBC, she said at the Pollstar Live 2020 Conference that she was “not going to jump on the Trump bandwagon.”
“What stuck with me was the children being taken away from their parents when they came into this country,” she said at the time. “I was one of those immigrant children coming to America to flee poverty."
More recently, however, Minaj declared herself to be Donald Trump's number one fan. "I will say that I am probably the president's number one fan, and that's not going to change," she said onstage at a Trump campaign in Washington, DC, on Jan. 28. "And the hate or what people have to say, it does not affect me at all. It actually motivates me to support him more." In December 2025, Minaj also appeared alongside Charlie Kirk’s wife Erika Kirk, calling Trump a “handsome, dashing president,” according to CBC.
Minaj also reposted social media posts where the White House or Trump used her music as audio, contrasting Sabrina Carpenter’s reaction when the same happened to her. On X, a video of ICE detaining people was posted by the White House’s official account, along with the song “Juno” by Sabrina Carpenter. Carpenter replied to it with: “This video is evil and disgusting. Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”