Zara Larsson Criticises White House for Using Her Song in Deporta
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The Song of Deception: When Celebrities’ Music Becomes a Tool for Division
The controversy surrounding Zara Larsson’s song “Midnight Sun” in a White House social media reel highlights the complex relationship between artists, their music, and politics. On its surface, this story appears to be another example of the Trump administration’s willingness to push boundaries and disregard others’ opinions.
However, scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll find something more insidious at play. Larsson took issue with her song being used in a video that seemed to condone or even celebrate deportation raids. This incident is part of a larger pattern of the White House using music as a way to manipulate public opinion and create division.
The Trump administration has been criticized for co-opting artists’ music without permission, including Taylor Swift’s “August” and Olivia Rodrigo’s songs. These incidents point to a disturbing trend: the Trump administration sees artists’ music as fair game for co-opting and manipulating, regardless of the artists’ own intentions.
This raises questions about our cultural landscape. When politicians can take someone’s song without their permission and use it to advance their agenda, we need to ask tough questions. Are we living in a society where art is being used as emotional manipulation rather than genuine expression?
Larsson has spoken out about the dehumanizing effect of this exploitation. “These people in this video – they’re real people,” she said. “The vast majority of these people who are undocumented are regular people with jobs and just trying to have a better future.” Her words cut through social media’s noise, where authenticity is often blurred.
Larsson’s experience speaks to the issue of balancing artistic ownership with public interest. When politicians co-opt art without permission, they profit from someone else’s creative labor without paying them for it. This undermines the principles of artistic expression and reduces art to a PR tool.
The value of art lies beyond its utility. When artists’ work is used as propaganda or manipulation, it takes on a new meaning that contradicts its original intention. Larsson’s “Midnight Sun” may have started life as a catchy pop song but took on a different meaning in this context.
As Larsson so eloquently put it, “It’s so crazy how everything is so memefied and ‘ha-ha-ha’.” But beneath the absurdity lies a harder truth: our art has become a tool for division rather than connection. The White House may have removed Larsson’s song from their social media reel, but the damage has already been done.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the power dynamics at play in our cultural landscape – and the need to reclaim artistic expression as something more authentic, human, and worthy of respect.
Reader Views
- TCThe Cart Desk · editorial
"The Trump administration's use of music as a propaganda tool is more insidious than just co-opting artists' work without permission. It speaks to a larger issue: the exploitation of emotions for political gain. What's often overlooked is that this manipulation not only affects the artists but also their fans, who may unknowingly be swayed by the emotional resonance of familiar songs being used to promote divisive policies."
- PRPat R. · frugal living writer
The White House's use of Zara Larsson's song without permission raises questions about artistic ownership in the digital age. While Larsson is right to speak out against this exploitation, we also need to consider the economics at play. For many artists, having their music used in official government contexts can be a windfall – think of it as a form of unofficial endorsement or marketing. It's time for a more nuanced discussion about how artists can benefit from such uses while still maintaining control over their work.
- SBSam B. · deal hunter
The White House's use of Zara Larsson's song in that deportation video is just another example of how out-of-touch with reality this administration is. What's often lost in these stories is the economic impact on artists when their work is co-opted without permission. We need to be talking about compensation for artists whose music is used by politicians, not just condemning the White House's actions as tone-deaf. It's time for some accountability and transparency around how our cultural content is being used to shape public opinion.