Ariana Grande slams Team Trump over ‘We Can’t Be Friends’ on TikTok
In the ongoing battle between pop stardom and political spectacle, the music world continues to grapple with the boundaries of consent, especially when that music becomes a backdrop for political commentary. Recently, superstar Ariana Grande once again took a firm stance, reacting to the unauthorized use of her work in a viral TikTok clip linked to Donald Trump.
The controversy erupted when Grande’s track ‘We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)’, from her 2024 album ‘Eternal Sunshine’, was featured in content associated with the Team Trump campaign. The clip involved a post where a quote about silence and gender dynamics was paired with the song, sparking immediate outrage from Grande.
When confronted with the usage, Grande delivered a sharp rebuttal, declaring, “Never use my music again. Also, your truth is false.” This strong response underscored a growing frustration over how her artistic output is deployed within politically charged environments.
This incident is not an isolated event, but rather part of a wider pattern of artists asserting their rights against the deployment of their music by powerful political figures and institutions. Grande has a history of challenging the use of her work, notably when she criticized the White House after her song ‘Bye’ was used in footage concerning the detention of individuals by ICE agents, urging the administration to refrain from associating her music with those “barbaric, inhumane” images.
Her public stance reflects a broader trend among musicians who feel compelled to address the political context of their work. Throughout the 2024 election cycle, Grande actively supported Democratic nominee Kamala Harris and previously urged her fanbase to “reject him [Trump] with everything you have,” even criticizing what she viewed as the rhetoric of “straight, white, old” presidential candidates.
The pushback from Grande is not unique. Other artists and estates have also voiced objections regarding the unauthorized use of their music. Taylor Swift’s track ‘August’ was removed from a TikTok post that suggested the artist would be “super excited” about its use, and Kesha hit out after ‘Blow’ was used in a military video. Furthermore, groups like the Boards of Canada and Warp Records condemned the unauthorized use of ‘Deep Time’ in border patrol imagery.
The friction between art and politics is deep. Artists like The Rolling Stones, Adele, Neil Young, ABBA, and even Isaac Hayes’ estate have also engaged in legal or public disputes concerning the use of their work by figures like Donald Trump, illustrating that the ownership and context of music often intersect fiercely with political power.
Amidst this ongoing public scrutiny, Grande is currently focusing on her career and personal well-being. She is enjoying a ten-date residency at London’s O2 Arena for her ‘Eternal Sunshine’ tour, which the press has lauded as a “brilliant business-as-usual before the singer takes a break from the spotlight.” Furthermore, she has confirmed plans to step back from visibility, including withdrawing from the upcoming West End revival of ‘Sunday In The Park With George’, a move that signals a deliberate reevaluation of where she chooses to direct her focus.
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