Kamala Harris’ summer playlist is actually pretty good.
As a messaging ploy, curated to make voters think the presidential candidate and Democratic senator from California is cool, but not too cool, “Kamala’s Summer Playlist” didn’t initially strike me as an exciting musical experience. But it’s actually not bad.
Her team checked all of the right boxes, from “Like A Girl” by Lizzo to “Dark Skin Women” by GoldLink. Lizzo’s lyrics are particularly appropriate: “Woke up feelin’ like I just might run for president/ Even if there ain’t no precedent, switchin’ up the messaging/ I’m about to add a little estrogen.”
The only artists missing are Tupac and Snoop Dogg. But the playlist is more than just on-brand.
“I’m a firm believer that we all need to find the time to dance, to sing and to bop our heads a little, so I’m sharing the songs I’m listening to in the car out on the campaign trail this summer,” Harris said in an email to Bustle. “Whether we’re driving from Sacramento to Reno or Dubuque to Chicago — this playlist always lifts me up.”
The combination of R&B, hip-hop, and pop has songs for pretty much every summer mood. “Work That” by Mary J. Blige, which is also Harris’ walk-out song, is perfect for jamming out in the car. Maroon 5’s “Girls Like You (feat. Cardi B)” was meant for spending an afternoon at the pool, and Betty Who’s “Somebody Loves You” is as danceable as Prince’s “Kiss.”
Not to be too breezy, though, the playlist includes John Legend’s “Preach” and Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come.” In “Freedom (feat. Kendrick Lamar),” Beyoncé sings, “I’ma riot, I’ma riot through your borders.”
As far as I can tell, Harris is the only 2020 candidate to release a playlist this summer, and it was a good move. The combination of oldies and recent hits is fun enough to humanize a senator running on a prosecutor’s platform and serious enough to remind voters that she’s still pushing for social justice. It’s a smart political move and, remarkably, also a fun one.
You can stream Harris’ playlist on Spotify here. It even includes “Push It” by Salt-N-Pepa, the hip-hop group whose name Harris has hopefully learned how to pronounce.
