BY: JOEY REAMS
The Strokes have announced a virtual performance fundraiser with New York Mayoral Candidate Maya D. Wiley for this Saturday, May 15, at 7:00 pm EST. On top of that, lead singer Julian Casablancas will sit down with Wiley to speak to her about “her plans to revive the city’s economy,” according to a press release. Wiley is a former lawyer for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio. You can find more information on the virtual event here.
“I’ve been a fan of Maya’s for a long time,” Casablancas said in a statement. “I wanted to reach out to her even before she announced her campaign. When she announced she was running for mayor, I was so excited that someone so smart, solid and caring was running for any office, let alone to lead the city we’re all from and we all love and care so much about. Maya’s lifelong commitment to racial and social justice is so inspiring to all of us and we couldn’t be more excited to be doing this with her this weekend.”
As Stereogum points out, this isn’t the first time the band has used their fame for political influence. Last November, Casablancas spoke with Wiley’s opponent, Andrew Yang, who announced his mayoral run in January 2021. Additionally, The Strokes performed last year for Bernie Sanders before releasing their latest album, The New Abnormal.