'Nobody asked you': Pharrell Williams tells celebs to 'shut up' about political endorsements

Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Pharrell Williams has voiced his opposition to celebrities endorsing political candidates, stating he doesn’t engage in politics and thinks celebrities should “shut up" about the matter. 

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Williams was asked if he would allow political parties to use his music in their campaigns. His response was clear: “I don’t do politics.”



“I get annoyed sometimes when I see celebrities trying to tell you [who to vote for],” Williams explained. “There are celebrities that I respect that have an opinion, but not all of them. I’m one of them people [who says], ‘What the heck? Shut up. Nobody asked you.’”

“When people get out there and get self-righteous and they roll up their sleeves and sh*t, and they are out there walking around with a placard: ‘Shut up!’ So, no, I would rather stay out of the way, and obviously, I’m going to vote how I’m going to vote. I care about my people and I care about the country, but I feel there’s a lot of work that needs to be done, and I’m really about the action,” he added.

As the 2024 presidential election draws closer, political endorsements from high-profile celebrities have made headlines, including Taylor Swift’s recent endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris immediately after the presidential debate. Singer Billie Eilish also weighed in on the election this week, telling supporters in a video alongside her brother to “Vote like your life depends on it, because it does.”

But for Williams, he chooses not to make public endorsements about the election or weigh in with his beliefs. When asked in the interview about his feelings on the upcoming election, Williams said, “I am much more of a federal employee. I believe in merited civil service.”

When asked to elaborate, he explained, “There are federal employees appointed by the president, right? You come in because you are loyal to a party or your leader. Then there are federal employees, this is what they do, come rain or shine, whether it’s a Democrat or a Republican in office, you show up to work every day, you serve your country.”