Sheryl Crow is opening up about her headline-making move against Elon Musk, saying the public protest of selling her Tesla was a way for her to fight for her children’s future.
The “Soak Up the Sun” singer shared a video on Instagram in February of her Tesla being towed away, saying she was donating funds from the sale of the vehicle to NPR in response to Musk and President Trump’s calls to slash federal funding for public broadcasters.
NPR, Crow said at the time, is “under threat” by Musk, the CEO of Tesla and head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
In an interview with Variety published Wednesday, the Grammy Award winner described the reaction she received for the move, which was mocked by critics, including Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr.
“This feels different, because when I came out against Walmart carrying guns, not everybody was armed — and certainly I didn’t live in Tennessee, where everybody is armed,” the Nashville resident said, making a reference to her 1996 song, “Love Is a Good Thing.”
“So yeah, there was a moment where I actually really felt very afraid: A man got on my property, in my barn, who was armed. It doesn’t feel safe when you’re dealing with people who are so committed,” Crow said.
But, she told the publication, the response wouldn’t deter her from doing it all over again.
“I can’t help it,” the 63-year-old musician said.
“I feel like I’m fighting for my kids. Also, that’s the way I was raised. There have been times when it hasn’t really been fun, but I follow my Atticus Finch dad; I’m very similar to him if I see something that seems unfair, you know?”
With her outspoken political views, Crow told Variety that living in the Volunteer State can be a challenge.
“Tennessee is a hard place for me. I mean, I struggle,” she said.
“I call my representatives every single morning — Andy Ogles and Marsha Blackburn hear from me every day — because we have to stand up and be vocal and fight for the future for our kids,” Crow said of the Tennessee Republican congressman and senator, respectively.
An Ogles aide told ITK that Crow has contacted the congressman’s office fives times this year, according to office records.
The most recent call in March, chief of staff Grant Henry said, was “a moment our team recalls vividly,” saying staffers “love her music” and were “absolutely thrilled to speak directly with an icon in the industry.”
“During that call, Ms. Crow expressed concerns regarding actions taken that might impact the Department of Education. We had a thoughtful and respectful conversation with her, documented her concerns in detail, and Congressman Ogles sent a formal response through his official office the following day,” Henry said.
“Although we have only had the opportunity to interact with her about once a month, we would relish the opportunity to hear from her every single day,” Henry said, praising Crow as a “rock legend but also a tremendously influential voice for Nashville and the broader Tennessee community.”
“Her platform gives her access to perspectives we might not otherwise encounter, and her continued insights would be invaluable to us,” Henry said.
Blackburn’s office didn’t immediately respond to ITK’s request for comment about Crow’s remarks.
“I do think, ’Are they laughing?’” Crow said of her outreach to lawmakers.
“But it’s like what Jimmy Carter said: As long as there’s legal bribery, we won’t ever have fair elections,” she said.
“So we have to keep raising our voices and showing up to these organized rallies.”
A representative for Crow declined further comment.
—Updated at 4:12 p.m. EDT
