Roe vs Wade: Music Biz Reacts
The global music industry has taken to social media following the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs Wade, a landmark case that protected abortion rights in America.
Among the artists to publically respond or acknowledge the judgement were Pink, Taylor Swift, Mariah Carey, Pearl Jam, and Olivia Rodrigo.
Singer Pink tweeted a very clear message to followers who supported the decision – and anyone who was racist or against marriage equality, which many commentators say is the next issue under threat.
“Let’s be clear: if you believe the government belongs in a woman’s uterus, a gay persons business or marriage, or that racism is okay- THEN PLEASE IN THE NAME OF YOUR LORD NEVER F—ING LISTEN TO MY MUSIC AGAIN. AND ALSO F— RIGHT OFF. We good?” the singer wrote.
https://twitter.com/Pink/status/1540816633039466496?s=20
Others posted reactions to social media, including Taylor Swift, who shared Michelle Obama’s response with the caption: “I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that.”
I’m absolutely terrified that this is where we are – that after so many decades of people fighting for women’s rights to their own bodies, today’s decision has stripped us of that. https://t.co/mwK561oxxl
— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 24, 2022
Mariah Carey said it was “unfathomable” to explain to her 11-year-old daughter “why we live in a world where women’s rights are disintegrating in front of our eyes.”
It is truly unfathomable and disheartening to have to try to explain to my 11 year old daughter why we live in a world where women’s rights are disintegrating in front of our eyes.
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) June 24, 2022
Pearl Jam shared a video of vocalist Eddie Vedder, who has publicly supported abortion rights since the 1990s, speaking on stage.
Time Magazine’s Entertainer of the Year, Olivia Rodrigo, was performing at Glastonbury in the UK when she invited Lily Allen on stage to sing Allen’s hit song, ‘Fuck You’.
“I’m devastated and terrified. So many women and so many girls are going to die because of this,” Rodrigo told the crowd. “I wanted to dedicate this next song to the five members of the Supreme Court who have showed us that at the end of the day, they truly don’t give a shit about freedom.”
@oliviarodrigo & lily allen i absolutely fucking adore you. thank you for standing up for our rights. ur such a bad bitch ily <3 pic.twitter.com/9xYPaBvqZV
— lex ⸆⸉ (@lexnorwoodd) June 25, 2022
Rodrigo was not the only Glastonbury performer to comment on the decision. Prior to performing ‘Your Power,’ Billie Eilish told the crowd that the song is “about the concept of power and how we always need to remember not to abuse it.”
“Today is a really really dark day for women in the US,” she said. “And I’m just going to say that because I can’t bear to think about it anymore in this moment.”
Phoebe Bridgers, meanwhile, led the crowd in a chant, according to Consequence. “In all honesty it’s, like, super surreal and fun, but I am having the shittiest day. Are there any Americans here?” she asked the crowd. When plenty of people cheered, she said, “Who wants to say ‘Fuck the Supreme Court’ on three?”
Halsey also led a crowd chant while performing in Phoenix, Arizona.
“This has been happening for a very long fucking time,” they said. “And I know that we want to sit at home and we want to wait for some revolutionary to come along and to make a difference, but no one is fucking coming. Nobody is fucking coming. It is up to every single one of you, myself, every single person in this building to do our fucking part to protect bodily autonomy and bodily integrity. To protect medical privacy.”
From there, Halsey led the audience in a chant of “MY BODY, MY CHOICE.”
Other artists and companies are putting money towards the cause, including Lizzo, Rage Against The Machine and Live Nation.