Joy Villa forms exploratory committee for congressional run
Singer says fresh blood is needed in Washington to enact President Trump's agenda.
Move over, Kid Rock: Pro-Donald Trump singer and performer Joy Villa may be entering the world of politics.
Villa, 26, who famously wore a Trump-themed dress to the 2017 Grammy Awards, announced on “Fox and Friends” Wednesday that she is launching an exploratory committee to look into a possible run in Florida.
Villa said she's looking everywhere from Jacksonville to Miami, adding that she wants to run partly because "Congress isn't getting anything done," citing things like immigration and health care reform.
Congress is a "house of cards that's tumbling. We need to put new people in, we need to vote fresh blood in," she said.
Villa said that first daughter Ivanka Trump encouraged her to run at a recent Christmas party at the White House.
"She said, 'I really want you to run. We need more strong women to back up what America needs,'" Villa said. "So, it's looking good. This congressional possibility is looking more and more like a reality. And I'm proud to dive into it."
Villa first announced in October that she was considering a run for Congress. “If I run, I’m going to win,” she said at the time.
The singer and songwriter said she would focus on tax reform, legal immigration and helping American families -- much like the president's current platform.
Congresswomen like Maxine Waters, D-Calif., Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., are “ruining this country," she said in October, adding that “it’s time we have strong women who step up, run, win and support the president.”
Villa also said she would be “running as an outsider, but definitely running as a Republican.”
Shortly after her announcement, President Trump tweeted his support.
Villa is now asking fans for donations as she’s “testing the waters.” But before she officially runs for Congress, here’s what you should know about the singer.
Who is she?
Singer Joy Villa, who became known for wearing a "Make America Great Again" dress to the Grammys, is mulling a congressional bid. (Reuters/Mario Anzuoni)
Villa, who was born in Burbank, Calif., is a recording artist who was relatively unknown before she rocked her “Make America Great Again"-themed dress at the Grammys. Shortly after, her EP “I Make the Static” jumped to the No. 1 spot on iTunes and Amazon, beating out well-known artists like Beyoncé, Adele and Lady Gaga.
Additionally, her Twitter followers increased by 11,000 following her debut at the Grammys, according to Quartz.
Villa’s interest in music and theater sparked when she was just 5 years old, according to her website. Her music is a blend of alternative rock, soul and pop.
Villa’s father was Italian and her mother is African-American and Choctaw. Villa grew up as a “Pastor’s kid,” according to her website. Her father, the late Joseph Villa, was a reverend and her mother, Angela Villa, sang gospel.
Her “mixed life” helped to shape her “unique perspectives on politics, society, education and Black American culture,” according to her website.
In addition to being a musician, Villa is also a vegan health coach, model and author, and a Scientologist -- a decision she made after going through a hard time.
“Now, I feel like there’s nothing I can’t tackle,” Villa said in the video that details her decision to become a Scientologist. “Scientology gave me tools to survive, tools to create, and that’s what I feel like -- a creative person who is full of power and there is no stopping me.”
Villa also said Wednesday that she's working on her second album, which should be completed before she officially launches her campaign if she decides to run. She also plans on attending the Grammys in January, she said Friday.
What about her support for Trump?
Villa, who describes herself as an “unabashed conservative and Trump supporter” was appointed to the president’s Campaign Advisory Board -- a part of Trump’s 2020 campaign which is run by Lara Trump. She’s also been a distinguished speaker at a GOP event in Tucson.
Villa, a “Republican millennial,” according to her website, “speaks proudly on topics ranging from Trump's policies and actions to the current social climate in pop culture and Hollywood, as well as race relations as a conservative woman of color.”
She has also tweeted that she’s pro-life, pro-Trump, and supports tax reform, religious freedom and the Constitution.
During an interview in February, Villa told Fox Business that she and “a lot of her friends” voted for Trump in the 2016 election.
“We felt like we had to be closeted, we had to be quiet about it or we would face a backlash and bullying, and I just got tired of the narrative of hate. You know, you’re a racist, you’re a bigot, you’re this, you’re that -- people losing jobs, all because they voted for our now elected president,” Villa said.
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