Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has always been known for her sharp mind and strong convictions, but did you know she’s also a big music fan? Recently, Harris participated in the music guessing game Track Star, where she flexed her musical knowledge by identifying songs based on just a few seconds of their instrumentals. Impressively, she nailed a Stevie Wonder track, calling him “one of the greatest musicians who ever lived.” She praised Wonder not only for his musical genius but also for his activism in social justice issues, adding, “He’s actually a friend.”
In the interview, Harris admitted that due to her hectic schedule leading up to the presidential election, she hasn’t had much time to enjoy music. “This is probably the most music I’ve listened to in a long time,” she shared, recalling how music was a constant in her childhood home, thanks to her music-loving parents.
When asked to name a song everyone should know, Harris didn’t hesitate to mention Roy Ayers Ubiquity’s 1976 classic, “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” calling it one of her all-time favorite tracks.
The conversation soon shifted to her Vice President pick, Tim Walz, who shared his own musical influences. For Walz, Bruce Springsteen’s 1980 album The River was a “transformational piece of music,” and he has a special place in his heart for Bob Seger’s Night Moves, which became the soundtrack to his life after he found it in his first car, a 1973 Chevy Camaro.
Harris also revealed that while her family home was filled with the sounds of Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, and John Coltrane, one of her “personal favorite musicians” is none other than Prince. “My husband Doug and I — I’m more of a hip-hop girl, and he’s more Depeche Mode,” she said. “However, in the Venn diagram of things, Prince is where we overlap. Talk about how Prince was with that guitar, man. I almost know by heart every one of those songs.”
Harris’ deep appreciation for music and her wide-ranging tastes show another side of the candidate, reminding us that even in the high-stakes world of politics, there’s always room for a great soundtrack.
