WASHINGTON (AP) — Grammy-winning singer Ariana Grande has sharply criticized the White House for using her hit song Bye in a social media video promoting immigration arrests, demanding that her music not be linked to what she described as “barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.”
The video, posted by the administration, showed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detaining individuals identified as alleged illegal migrants. It featured handcuffing, detainee transport and processing scenes, set to Grande’s track with the caption: “Bye-bye… President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history.”
Grande objected in the video’s comment section, writing, “Please do not use my music in relation to this barbaric, inhumane, heinous nonsense.” Her remark was later removed, but the White House muted the soundtrack following her complaint.
Administration spokesperson Abigail Jackson defended the policy, saying, “What’s actually barbaric, inhumane, and heinous are the criminal illegal aliens who have injured and murdered innocent American citizens.”
Grande joins a growing list of artists who have resisted political use of their work. In 2025, singer Sabrina Carpenter asked the White House to exclude her music from immigration-related content. International acts including ABBA, Céline Dion and Beyoncé have also raised objections in recent years.
The dispute underscores a recurring clash between popular culture and politics in the United States. Musicians often seek to protect their work from partisan messaging, while governments and campaigns turn to familiar songs to amplify their reach.
Globally, the episode highlights how cultural influence intersects with political communication. Grande, one of the world’s most recognizable pop stars, commands a vast international audience. Her public rebuke adds to broader debates about immigration policy, human rights, and the role of artists in shaping political discourse.
The controversy also reflects a wider trend of artists asserting control over their intellectual property in political contexts. Similar disputes have surfaced in Europe and Latin America, where musicians have objected to governments using their work to promote policies they oppose.
By challenging the White House, Grande has placed herself within a global conversation about the boundaries between art, politics and human rights — a debate that resonates far beyond the United States.
