PinkPantheress Features Zohran Mamdani at Her Show in NYC

It's the final stretch of the New York mayoral election, and the race is heating up. At a packed-out PinkPantheress concert in Brooklyn, fans were expecting an evening of avant-pop, not a political rally. But with just days to go until the election, that is exactly what they got.

The moment happened on Friday night (October 24), during the kick-off of the 'An Evening With PinkPantheress' North American tour.

As the artist performed 'True Romance,' a track from her 2023 debut album Heaven Knows, the video backdrop lit up. A pair of hands appeared, bearing a simple message on the palms: 'Our Time Has Come' and 'Vote Nov. 4.'

As the camera pulled back, the face of Zohran Mamdani was revealed, sparking loud cheers from the Kings Theatre crowd.

Zohran Mamdani's Final Push For The Youth Vote

This appearance was a calculated move. Zohran Mamdani is the left-wing Democratic nominee on the ballot to replace the outgoing Eric Adams.

With the crucial election just 10 days away (November 4), the candidate is making a clear and direct appeal to New York's younger, progressive voters, urging them to get to the polls.

This high-profile cameo is part of a growing, and effective, trend for the candidate, who seems intent on meeting voters where they are, rather than demanding they come to him.

This Is Not The First Time Zohran Mamdani Has Appealed To Music Fans

This isn't the first time Mamdani has swapped the soapbox for the stage. Just last month, he popped up during Lucy Dacus' show at the All Things Go festival in New York. There, he addressed the crowd directly with his vision for the city.

'This is what our city should feel like,' he told the festival-goers. 'It should be a city where trans New Yorkers are cherished, a city where our queer neighbours are celebrated, and a city where each and every New Yorker can be the fullest version of themselves. And it has to be a city that all of us can afford.'

Choosing a PinkPantheress show is an equally strategic move, aligning the candidate with one of the UK's hottest musical exports. The singer is riding a wave of critical acclaim. Her latest studio album, Fancy That, was released in May and was later nominated for this year's Mercury Prize.

NME gave the album a four-star review, with Kyann-Sian Williams writing: 'She's no longer content with being the elusive girl behind the screen, proving she can shapeshift, push boundaries and still keep us hooked – all in under 20 minutes.'

Just this month, she released the star-studded remix album Fancy Some More?, which features collaborations with SEVENTEEN, JADE, Kylie Minogue, Sugababes, and Zara Larsson. NME awarded that follow-up three stars.

Her live shows have also drawn significant praise. NME attended her O2 Academy Brixton show last month, rating the gig four stars and noting it 'felt less like a polished pop spectacle and more like a madcap show-and-tell with a superstar host.'