Less than a week after confirming Vampire Weekend was not breaking up and indeed working on a new album, frontman Ezra Koenig made it out to Iowa to sing the praises of Bernie Sanders.
Koenig and a host of friends played a pair of Vampire Weekend songs, and helped introduce the Democratic hopeful before a rally Saturday night (Jan. 30) at the University of Iowa. Sanders’ nomination hopes hinge largely on today’s Iowa caucus, so Koenig gave a brief interview with CNN about why he’s so down with the self-proclaimed Democratic socialist.
“A few months ago I even read his book that he’d written in the ‘90s,” Koenig said. “As a kid then, [during the] Clinton era, it’s easy for me to forget how messed up a lot of things were. This guy was an independent criticizing Democrats and Republicans, saying a lot of the same things that he’s criticizing now. I see a consistency in him that’s rare in most human beings, let alone politicians.”
Bernie Sanders Sings ‘This Land Is Your Land’ With Vampire Weekend at University of Iowa: Watch
When asked about the Republicans running, he could only laugh.
CNN also spoke with members of Foster the People, actor Josh Hutcherson, and comedians The Lucas Brothers.
Koenig discussed Sanders on his Beats 1 radio show yesterday as well. A recording of the show is not yet available, though Koenig did discuss what the Iowa rally was like and what a Sanders presidency would mean for the arts.
Check out the CNN interview below:
For more, check out Billboard’s recap of Bernie Sanders’ University of Iowa rally with Vampire Weekend.