When the Chainsmokers’ released “Paris” in 2017, there was no way of knowing that the song would one day resonate with advocates of reproductive rights.
That’s where we are, five years on.
The nostalgic song is reaching new audiences on TikTok, thanks in part to its lyrics “if we go down, then we go down together,” which have taken on new meaning in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.
With the SCOTUS’ controversial June 24 announcement, which wiped away a half century of reproductive rights in the U.S., thousands of TikTokers returned to “Paris” and repurposed the number as a call to arms.
One video caught the attention of the EDM duo. “Do you think The Chainsmokers knew their little pop song about Paris would be used to fight for reproductive rights? F— the Supreme Court,” wrote one teary user.
Chainsmoker Drew Taggart duetted the video with the caption, “we did not see that coming but are glad that something we wrote is being used to support a cause we believe in.” Taggart reposted the interaction on Instagram.
With a No. 6 peak on the Billboard Hot 100, “Paris” was a mainstream hit for Chainsmokers, one of five top 10 appearances on the chart.
Chainsmokers join a chorus of musicians who’ve reacted to the overruling of Roe v. Wade on social media, including Taylor Swift, Halsey, Madonna, Pink, Eminem, Pearl Jam.
The pairing’s fourth and most recent studio album So Far, So Good dropped in May, and blasted to No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Dance/Electronic Albums Chart.