The Dangers of Celebrity Activism

​​​For art to be revolutionary it must detach itself from the artist; and for revolutions to survive, they must reject the celebrity.

Art can be many things; an analytical medium for one’s feelings, a piece for entertainment, or even a tool for revolution. From the war songs of the Mau Mau to South Africa’s Mariam Makeba’s ‘A Luta Continua’, which echoed across Nigerian campuses, and the political struggles of Uganda’s Bobi Wine, African musicians have sung the revolution before it happened, while it was happening, and into posterity.  

The dot-com boom transformed how we engage with the internet, with art and with one another. The increase in internet access and resultant rise in social media use has led to expanded social connections and cultural exchanges across countries. This rise has also led to revolutionary movements being organized on and aided by social media. An example of this was the 2020 #EndSARS movement in Nigeria which was heavily reliant on social media to dissipate information and document significant moments. This reliance on social media has also precipitated the rise of parasocial relationships.  

Social media has flattened the barrier between artist and audience. With artists becoming more accessible, the mutual contract between artist and audience to temporarily suspend disbelief becomes blurred. There is no separation of content and creator when everyday life is documented for social media content. In a bid to connect with fans, share their work and make money, public personalities lean heavily into performing authenticity and relatability online.  

Now in the 21st century, art is collapsed into the artist. People not only listen and like a piece of art, but they also seek out the creator and communities of fellow consumers online to connect with and discuss. It is now nearly impossible to separate a song from the singer, their beliefs and how they earn a living. So, in this internet age, the question is no longer ‘Can art be revolutionary?’ but ‘Is the artist revolutionary?’. Can a song lead a revolution when its singer is flawed? Can it spark revolution when its singer is harming their own community?