U.K.’s Joss Stone part of in American vote drive

October 30, 2008

NEW YORK – Even though Joss Stone can’t vote in the U.S. presidential election, the British soul singer is still encouraging others to go to the voting booth next week.

The 21-year-old is teaming up with HeadCount, a nonpartisan organization devoted to registering voters, to get more Americans get involved in Tuesday’s election, which pits Republican John McCain against Democrat Barack Obama.

"America is a large, major power and it affects everywhere, so I can’t just sit down and shut up," she said in an interview last week. "Just because I can’t vote doesn’t mean I can’t say what I mean and what I feel. I just hope that people will vote. … I’m not here to say Barack or McCain, I’m hear to say, ‘Have a voice and use it.’ It’s so important."

British singer Joss Stone is photographed after an interview, Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, in New York. (AP

The singer released a song, "Governmentalist," to help spread her message: "I feel like it needs to be heard now and if I’m going to speak I feel the loudest way to speak is through music."

More of the story,
click image

Posted in Arts and Culture, Music, Political