Joan Baez Calls Out ‘Brilliant, Young Women Songwriters’ Who Don’t Speak Up About Politics
Joan Baez has been putting politics in her music for decades. Activism is a major part of her identity as an artist. These days, she said she hasn’t seen enough of this from new pop stars. Without naming names, Baez called out wealthy, famous artists for not being more politically vocal.
Joan Baez called out pop stars who don’t talk about politics
Baez, who has been a political activist for decades, discussed the unwillingness of some young artists to speak out about political causes.
“I understand where they’re coming from,” Baez said on an episode of Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus. “The young people right now, some are writing amazing stuff. A few are willing to speak out.”
She said that while artists like Maggie Rogers and Brandi Carlisle have been politically active, she feels disappointed by others.
“I sort of cock my head at these stadiums filled with brilliant young women songwriters, and why can’t they just take that little step?” Baez said. “Because they’re already richer than God, you know, most of them. So, that little step. Might anyone try it?”
People speculated about who she could be talking about
In recent years, artists like Billie Eilish and Olivia Rodrigo have spoken out about various causes and encouraged their fans to be politically active. During the 2024 election, a number of stars, including Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, endorsed Kamala Harris. Still, people have expressed frustration with their favorite artists for not using their platforms.
Swift in particular has faced criticism for taking a step back from politics after the election. A number of people believe that Baez is directly referring to Swift with her comments.
“Why are so many people willing to say it but not? It’s Taylor Swift,” wrote one Reddit user. “She’s previously dipped her toes in liberalism and now want to toe the line. Her fans hide behind her previous notions but her current lack of even a modicum of push back is disgusting. Her lack of any political stance is a stance, now more than ever. “
People wished that Baez had named names.
“Has to be [Taylor Swift],” another person wrote. “But if I were Joan Baez, and in that season of my life, I would unapologetically name TS.”
Joan Baez once called out Bob Dylan for not sharing his politics after the early 1960s
Baez had a close working and personal relationship with Bob Dylan in the 1960s. He started his career making protest music, but moved away from this several years into his career.
“I’ve stopped composing and singing anything that has either a reason to be written or a motive to be sung,” he told Playboy in 1966. “Don’t get me wrong, now. ‘Protest’ is not my word. I’ve never thought of myself as such.”
He described protest songs as a “drag” and said he never had any real interest in them.
“I haven’t lost any interest in protest since then,” he said. “I just didn’t have any interest in protest to begin with — any more than I did in war heroes. You can’t lose what you’ve never had.”
In 1972, Baez addressed his shift away from protest music on her song “To Bobby.” She asked him to start writing more political songs again.
“I’ll put flowers at your feet and I will sing to you so sweet / And hope my words will carry home to your heart / You left us marching on the road and said how heavy was the load / The years were young, the struggle barely had its start / Do you hear the voices in the night, Bobby? / They’re crying for you.”
He ultimately did not return to writing political music.
