French artist Woodkid, a proud LGBTQ+ musician, is once again calling out Donald Trump for using his song “Run Boy Run” during his presidential campaign rallies. Despite previously asking Trump to stop using the track back in December, his plea appears to have been ignored.
Woodkid, whose real name is Yoann Lemoine, took to social media on August 6th to express his frustration. “Once again, I never authorized the use of my music for this video,” he posted on X. He also pointed out the irony of Trump using “Run Boy Run,” a song that has become an LGBTQ+ anthem, written by him, a proud LGBTQ+ artist.
You might have heard the song being used legally in television ads and shows like Doctor Who and How To Get Away With Murder and movies like Divergent and The Maze Runner.
“Run Boy Run” is more than just a song; it’s a powerful anthem about transformation and the pursuit of personal freedom. Woodkid has shared that the song is deeply inspired by his own experiences as a gay man, making Trump’s use of it in his campaign particularly galling.
If you’re wondering if you’ve heard the song before, here it is.
This isn’t the first time Woodkid has had to defend his music from misuse. In 2016, he spoke out against the use of “Run Boy Run” during a “Manif pour tous” demonstration in France, an event led by opponents of gay marriage. Reflecting on that incident, Woodkid quipped, “It’s the Middle Ages aspect of my music that must have appealed to them.”
The use of “Run Boy Run” in Trump’s campaign video is the latest in a long line of incidents where musicians have had to publicly distance themselves from the former president’s use of their work. Artists like Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Elton John, Rihanna, and R.E.M. have all demanded that Trump cease using their songs at his rallies, often pointing out the stark contrast between the messages of their music and the values Trump represents.
And then there is Sinéad O’Connor’s estate. It has to ask Trump to stop using her hit 1990 song ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ at his political rallies. The released a statement:
“Throughout her life, it is well known that Sinéad O’Connor lived by a fierce moral code defined by honesty, kindness, fairness, and decency towards her fellow human beings. It was with outrage therefore that we learned that Donald Trump has been using her iconic performance of Nothing Compares 2 U at his political rallies.”
The Village People went on a wild ride with Trump. In February of 2020 they said ‘He Has Remained Respectful In His Use Of Our Songs’ and let the man play. But in June of the same year, The Village People Say Trump Can’t Use Their Music Anymore. In 2021, the band had to beat the drum even louder, especially about ‘YMCA’ and ‘Macho Man’.
“We have no ill will towards the president, but we asked him to cease and desist long ago. However, since he’s a bully, our request was ignored. Thankfully he’s now out of office, so it would seem his abusive use of our music has finally ended. We hope to spearhead a change in copyright law that will give artists and publishers more control over who can and cannot use our music in the public space. Currently there is no limit to blanket licensing.” – The Village People (Billboard)
Kathy Golik, the legacy manager for Laura Branigan, criticized Trump for playing her client’s signature song “Gloria” at a tarmac gathering.
“It was both sad and upsetting to see Laura’s memory and ‘Gloria’ become an unwilling participant in the Trump video earlier this month on one of the darkest days in U.S. history.” – Kathy Golik (Billboard)
She was then referencing hearing the song being played by Trump’s team inside a tent just before the January 6th riot on the U.S. Capitol. Members of his family could be seen dancing to the track.
And then there was the several times Trump has been sued by other artists who objected to his use of their music at his rallies, like Neil Young and Eddy Grant, whose 1983 hit “Electric Avenue” which was in one of the former President’s odd 2020 campaign videos.
As Woodkid continues to push back against the unauthorized use of his music, he joins a chorus of artists who refuse to let their work be co-opted by a campaign that stands in opposition to the values they hold dear. Perhaps it’s time for Trump to stick to artists who align with his message and leave LGBTQ+ anthems out of it.