Beyoncé to join Kamala Harris at Texas-sized rally in Houston

Months of speculation surrounding whether one of the world’s most successful entertainers would perform at an event with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris has finally been answered. Beyoncé, the global superstar and Houston native, is set to take the stage at a rally in Texas Friday night, marking a rare political appearance for the 32-time Grammy-winning artist. The event in Beyoncé’s hometown comes 12 days ahead of Election Day. Harris is expected to highlight the state’s restrictive abortion laws and the broader national debate over reproductive rights.

According toThe Washington Post, Beyoncé won’t be the only notable figure at the rally—her mother, Tina Knowles, and country music icon Willie Nelson are also expected to attend.

Rumors of a Beyoncé performance reached a fever pitch earlier this year during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, as false reports circulated throughout the massive United Center. However, Beyoncé’s team quickly dispelled those claims, confirming she was never scheduled to attend. Two months after the DNC, those rumors are becoming a reality.

Beyoncé’s song “Freedom,” from her 2016 album Lemonade, has served as a powerful anthem for Harris’s campaign, symbolizing themes of justice and liberation—core messages for the vice president.

While Beyoncé has supported political candidates in the past—performing at former President Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2013 and endorsing Hillary Clinton in 2016—this will be her first appearance at a Harris event.

Harris’s speech will likely focus on the sweeping consequences of Texas’s abortion laws, which she has criticized as emblematic of the broader efforts to curtail women’s rights across the nation. With U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, a Democrat running against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, also expected to attend, the rally highlights the high stakes of the election season.

Harris will continue her closing push with events until November 5. It was announced late Wednesday that Harris will give what is expected to be a historic speech on Tuesday. Harris will address thousands in Washington, D.C., at t the Ellipse between the National Mall and the White House, where former President Donald Trump spoke on January 6, 2021. The event will be a stark contrast to that day when Trump instigated a mob to engage in an insurrection down the street at the U.S. Capitol.