By Fatma Younis
Country music star Brad Paisley has claimed that Russian bots orchestrated a dramatic shift in online reaction to his 2023 pro-Ukraine song "Same Here," which features a recording of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Initial Positive Reception
Paisley, 54, told Rolling Stone's Nashville Now podcast that the track initially garnered an overwhelmingly positive response, with his team tracking 98 percent favorable comments upon release. Ukrainian officials were also monitoring the reaction, he said.
Shift to Negative Comments
According to Paisley, the sentiment flipped to 90 percent negative after what he described as Russian bots seized on the song. He said the negative comments came from "incredibly believable avatars" pretending to be Americans, with origins traceable to Russian operations.
Song Background and Zelensky Collaboration
Paisley co-wrote "Same Here" with Lee Thomas Miller and Taylor Goldsmith. The three-part narrative reflects on universal similarities across distance and language, ending with a recorded conversation between Paisley and Zelensky from a video call. Paisley recalled that Zelensky readily agreed to participate.
Continued Support for Ukraine
Despite the online backlash, Paisley has maintained his support for Ukraine, serving as a United24 ambassador. He said the criticism did not bother him, adding that his new album "Tacklebox" was released over the summer.
