“They thought it was a very unifying song” — Mickey Guyton on performing ‘All American’ at the 2024 DNC

On the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), held at the United Center in Chicago, Mickey Guyton performed her single All American. The event took place on Monday, August 19, 2024, and her performance was a highlight of the evening. Shortly afterward, the singer spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the opportunity, stating:

"They thought it was a very unifying song, and they wanted me to do it. I said it would be the greatest honor."

Mickey co-wrote the track with Victoria Banks for her 2021 debut album, Remember Her Name. The song's lyrics, which include:

"We got the same stars, the same stripes/ Just wanna live that good life/ Ain't we all, ain't we all American? We're different in a million ways/ But at the end of the day/ Ain't we all American?"

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"I feel honored to be able to witness history" — Mickey Guyton about performing at the DNC 2024

The opening night of the DNC also featured the party making its case for electing Kamala Harris as president, along with her VP pick, Tim Walz. Following her performance, Mickey Guyton elaborated on the moment in an interview with CNN, saying that she felt honored to be given the opportunity to "bring unity."

With the possibility that the people could elect their first female president who is also a woman of color, Guyton told CNN that it was important for her, stating:

"For me, this is beyond a genre of music. This is about humanity. This is about the culture. This is about our country and I feel honored to be able to witness history."

Mickey Guyton explained that it felt inspiring to see someone who "looked like her" run for the highest office in the country. She continued:

"She represents so much to so many and I just think it’s incredible. I never thought I would see a woman be president in my lifetime and now it seems attainable."

According to Hollywood Reporter, Guyton rehearsed with the house band, led by Rickey Minor, and the convention's production team prior to her act.

Mickey Guyton is a country singer hailing from Arlington, Texas. She rose to fame with her debut single, Better Than You Left Me (2015), which peaked at No. 34 on the US Country Airplay chart and earned her an Academy of Country Music Award nomination.

In 2020, in the wake of George Floyd's death, the 41-year-old released her single, Black Like Me. The track addresses her experiences as a woman of color in the country music industry. It earned Guyton a Grammy nomination for Best Country Solo Performance, making her the first black woman to ever be nominated in the category.

Mickey Guyton was one of two musical acts at the convention, the other being Alabama native Jason Isbell. He sang the title track of his 2015 solo album, Something More Than Free.

Additionally, veteran singer-songwriter James Taylor was set to perform just before President Biden's address, but it was cut due to time constraints. This would have been Taylor's fifth consecutive performance at the convention.