Calling out artists does not win votes. It only burns bridges.

Influencer Breno Carva posted a video asking João Gomes, Xand Avião, Taty Girl, Solange Almeida, Mari Fernandes and Nattan to take a stand. Then internet users tagged the singer: “Where’s your stance”, “Open your mouth”, “The king of piseiro has gone mute”. He has not endorsed any candidate^[1]. On X, a mashup listed João Gomes, Selton Mello, Whindersson Nunes and Cazé as “missing” from the election^[5].

Mestrinho, João’s partner in the Dominguinho project, spoke of “how sad it is to see the way you demand people take a stand”. And he said of himself: “I would never vote for anything related to the Bolsonaro family”^[6]. In other words: you can reject Bolsonarism and reject the call-outs at the same time.

According to his wife, Ary Mirelle, the last time João took a stand he was “extremely canceled”; he has depression, and the family receives threats against their children “every day”^[7]. In 2022, he led a chant against Jair Bolsonaro at Rock in Rio and apologized two days later^[8].

In the AtlasIntel/Bloomberg poll, 77.5% say an influencer’s endorsement would make no difference; 3% would be more likely to vote for the endorsed candidate, and another 3% less^[2]. And 72.3% say they have never changed their political views because of influencers^[9].

In the Datafolha poll, 43% say they are influenced by close friends, 41% by their partner and 39% by social media^[10]. The people close to you weigh at least as much as the people you follow online.

There is one serious exception: in the US, Oprah Winfrey’s spontaneous endorsement of Obama in the 2008 primaries is estimated to have brought him about 1 million votes^[11]. It is the strongest case ever measured, and it came from the country’s biggest star, of his own accord, without any call-out.

Boycotts usually have little effect on sales, according to researcher Brayden King, of Northwestern; what decides their effect is press attention^[12]. Public call-outs also feed on attention, but the headline is about the fight, not the vote.

What call-outs gain is uncertain. What they cost is visible: a cornered artist, divided fans, a bridge burned with someone who may not even have been on the other side.

Artists and companies are not activists. Each has its own audience, fears and timing. Demanding a public statement turns silence into proof of guilt, as philosopher Byung-Chul Han describes^[13].

In December 2025, after a Havaianas ad with Fernanda Torres, PL politicians called for a boycott. Deputy Bia Kicis: “If Havaianas doesn’t want us, we don’t want Havaianas either”. Deputy Capitão Alberto Neto: “We don’t buy from those who attack us”^[14].

The right targets those who stand against it. We found no case of it demanding that its silent artists declare a vote for Flávio. Those who call out their own potential allies do the work of driving them away all by themselves.

In the first round, 33.5 million voters did not vote^[3], and Lula finished 2.2 million votes behind^[4]. There are more than 15 absentees for every vote of difference. That vote is on your street, not on a singer’s profile.

A study published in Science showed that 10- to 20-minute conversations, without judgment, reduced prejudice against trans people, and the effect was still there three months later^[15]. See how to help someone vote on the Abstention page and how to talk without fighting on the Calm page.

There is little time until the 25th. Spend it with people who can go to the polls alongside you.