Rock the Vote, Gaia Music Collective & Live Nation Women Team Up To Launch Pop-Up Community Choirs & Help Get Out The Vote

Originally published Oct. 18

In an effort to help “inspire young women and allies to harness the power of their voices — both in song and at the ballot box,” nonpartisan, nonprofit organization Rock the Vote, New York-based creative community Gaia Music Collective, and Live Nation Women have teamed up to launch “Rock the Vote: Make a Beautiful Noise.” The initiative is a series of 20 pop-up, one-day community choirs and early voting activations across the country.

The pop-up choirs will be performing “A Beautiful Noise,” the Grammy-nominated song recorded by Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile.

The series starts Oct. 20 at Brooklyn, New York’s Sound Mind Center. Additional events are scheduled between Oct. 26 and Nov. 2 with stops including Pittsburgh, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Dallas, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit and Miami, with a focus on battleground states.

The free events, will be open to the public, take place at a variety of locations including concert halls and campuses. An announcement explains that the pop-up choirs are open to everyone, regardless of musical background or experience. In other words: “No Auditions. No Commitment. Just Community.”

After joining together in song, participants will be encouraged to cast their ballots at early voting locations together as a way of making “voting a shared, empowering experience.”

Ali Harnell, President/Chief Strategy Officer of Live Nation Women, previously spoke to Pollstar about commissioning the song “A Beautiful Noise,” which was created by an all-female songwriting team.

“‘A Beautiful Noise’ is really about mobilizing women and commemorating our fought-for rights,” Harnell told Pollstar ahead of the 2022 midterm election. “I basically commissioned that song to be written. So, I put together all of the writers and artists, and I sent inspiration for women’s suffrage – [2020] was the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote and the 55th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And in 2020 there was a huge social and racial justice awakening in this country. [The song] was originally meant to be an anthem for a huge event I was trying to do in 2020 called All Women Vote. COVID thwarted our plans for that [but] we still got the song out in time for the 2020 election. And it really resonated and inspired a lot of people.”

In a statement released Oct. 17, Harnell added, “These pop-up choirs are a celebration of the power and potential of our voices when we come together. At Live Nation Women, we are committed to using music as a force for positive change, and we are proud to partner with Rock the Vote and Gaia Music Collective for these impactful experiences inspiring action through music to ensure that women’s voices are heard this election.”

Live Nation Women is a division of Live Nation that is focused “on the advancement of women within Live Nation, advocacy for women across the live music industry, and the amplification of female artists and leaders.” Earlier this year Harnell was honored as part of Pollstar’s Women Of Live Hall Of Fame.

The “Rock the Vote: Make a Beautiful Noise” events will be recorded as part of a national campaign to help get out the vote.

“At Rock the Vote, we believe that using your voice is a powerful act. ‘Make a Beautiful Noise’ not only brings communities together through song, but also inspires collective action at a time when young women and allies need to be heard,” Rock the Vote President and Executive Director Carolyn DeWitt said. “This election is critical, and we’re excited to create spaces where young voters come together to inspire one another and feel empowered to shape their future.”

Gaia Music Collective’s Co-Director Hannah Tobias added, “Music can be a unique and powerful bridge – calling people together and facilitating connection across differences. Through this creative, immersive initiative, we are amplifying that connection to empower individuals to raise their voices — in song and in civic engagement. We are thrilled to partner with Rock the Vote and Live Nation Women to create an experience that encourages participation and solidarity through music and voting.”

Check out the list of cities and dates below and visit www.makeabeautifulnoise.org for more details and to sign up.

New York, NY Sun, 10/20

Phoenix, AZ Sat, 10/26

Charlotte, NC Sat, 10/26

Pittsburgh, PA Sat, 10/26

Las Vegas, NV Sat, 10/26

Madison, WI Sat, 10/26

Nashville, TN Sat, 10/26

New Orleans, LA Sat, 10/26

Dallas, TX Sat, 10/26

Grand Rapids, MI Sat, 10/27

Orlando, FL Sat, 10/27

Atlanta, GA Sat, 10/27

Philadelphia, PA Sat, 10/27

Houston, TX Sat, 10/27

Atlanta, GA Sat, 11/1

Detroit, MI Sat, 11/2

Raleigh, NC Sat, 11/2

Miami, FL Sat, 11/2