Highlights
- Ariana Grande tells White House to stop using her 2024 track Bye in immigration video
- TikTok clip shows border enforcement scenes with caption praising US border policy
- White House defends immigration stance, criticising “criminal illegal aliens”
- Video audio muted and Grande’s comment removed after backlash
- Ongoing pattern of artists objecting to political use of their songs
Grande calls out use of Bye in immigration clip
Ariana Grande has asked the White House not to use her music after her 2024 song Bye was featured in a social media video promoting US immigration enforcement.
The TikTok-style post showed border agents detaining individuals, placing them in handcuffs, and transporting them in vehicles. It was captioned: “Bye-bye... President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history.”
Grande responded publicly, writing: “Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.”
A White House spokesperson defended the video, saying: “What’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens.”
Following the exchange, the video’s audio was muted and Grande’s comment was removed, with users noting the changes shortly after.
Artists repeatedly object to political use of songs
The dispute adds to a growing list of cases where musicians have challenged the use of their work in political messaging.
Last year, Sabrina Carpenter objected after her song Juno appeared in a White House clip featuring immigration enforcement imagery, writing: “do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda.”
Other global artists including ABBA, Céline Dion and Beyoncé have also previously asked Donald Trump’s campaign to stop using their music at rallies and political events.
Why it matters in the election and culture debate
The controversy highlights a recurring tension between political campaigns and artists over the use of popular music in messaging around immigration and elections.
With streaming-era songs often repurposed for short-form political content, disputes over consent and context have become increasingly common, particularly around highly charged issues such as border enforcement.
