Backlash grows after Beyonce fails to perform at Harris' Houston rally

Media outlets were abuzz in the run-up to Kamala Harris' Friday rally in Houston, with rumors flying of an anticipated performance by a world-renowned musical phenom.

However, as was the case earlier this summer at the Democratic National Convention, event attendees were left disappointed – and some feeling deceived – when pop star Beyonce did not take the stage to sing, as Fox News reports.

Beyonce rally hype builds

Though Harris regularly struggles to draw crowds comparable to those for former President Donald Trump, her Friday rally in Houston was expected to draw tens of thousands.

The reason for the surging attendance, however, was not a sudden rush of enthusiasm for the Democratic Party candidate, but rather excitement over the prospect of what would essenially be a free-of-charge concert from a music industry superstar, as Fox News reported.

A number of mainstream media outlets, MSNBC included, added to the hype of an expected Beyonce performance, strongly hinting that the songstress was set to perform for attendees, with no pushback on that notion offered by the Harris campaign at any point prior to the rally.

Close, but no cigar

Unsurprisingly, turnout for the event was sizable, with thousands queuing up well in advance of the start time in order to secure a spot in the arena.

Sadly for fans, however, while Beyonce did appear on stage and offer a brief statement in support of Harris, she did not perform for the crowd.

Beyonce delivered her formal endorsement of Harris and spoke about her belief in the importance of reproductive freedom as one of the defining issues of the 2024 contest.

However, her words were deemed utterly insufficient by countless attendees who felt that they had been subjected to an unfair bait-and-switch by the Harris campaign.

Critics weigh in

One disgruntled individual posted to X, “So let me get this straight, Kamala Harris baited people with a free Beyonce concert and then had Willie Nelson perform. Talk about a bunch of pissed-off concert goers.”

Another critic observed, “She can't even deliver on promises to her own followers with a Beyonce performance, but yes she will totally close the border and stuff.”

Senior Trump advisor Tim Murtaugh weighed in on the debacle, saying of the Harris camp, “They lied to build a crowd. Promising a concert from a huge pop star who then did not perform is the most perfect metaphor for the Harris campaign that anyone could dream up, only it really happened,” and that is a damning indictment, indeed.