OPINION – Western pop artists singing Russian songs?
Music icons are appearing in viral AI-generated reels on social media singing Russian songs in English. While some play innocently with AI, others use it for darker purposes. When does a fun attraction become an instrument to control minds?
Recently I saw Billie Eilish on Instagram singing a new song. At that moment I was listening to it and thought: “Wow. Not a bad song, but the melody sounds the same as one Russian song.”
Yes, I was fooled by the AI generated video. This wasn’t a new song and what’s more, it wasn’t a real Billie but generated by AI singing a Russian song in English. Later on, I discovered that there are other videos with the same concept involving other celebrities such as Eminem and Rihanna.
Generating AI content and AI Act
Using celebrities’ images and cloning their voice to generate AI content is a clear violation of their image and voice rights. They didn’t give permission to do it. Most singers are against cloning their image and voice. However, people still use famous people’s image to create different type of content where could be hidden different purpose. AI has raised serious concerns about our safety and security. Therefore, EU is regulating AI-generated content by implementing AI Act to foster trustworthy AI in Europe.
USSR footprints in AI-generated songs’ translations
AI is a fun attraction. Russians generate AI videos involving pop artists. One of the AI music creators, August Septemberov, posted some AI-generated Russian songs’ translations on Instagram. Some of them, for instance, “Beautiful Far Distance”, represent the USSR times – brutalist buildings, young pioneers and other Soviet symbols.
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I see not only entertaining motives for posting content like this, but it could be also considered as a tool for serving Russia’s ideology, making people, especially older generation, believe that their culture is attractive for Westerners. Russian culture also becomes closer for West listeners when they listen to West celebrities singing Russian songs, their voices are close for them, and it encourages them to like it. After all, why wouldn’t someone like Billie Eilish singing a Russian song in English, if it sounds good? It is dangerous, because West only sees esthetics, but not the whole context. It just becomes an Instagram filter.
AI as a tool for Russia’s propaganda
While fans and content creators play with AI by creating a “soft propaganda”, AI has become an instrument for Russia to spread “hard propaganda”. In August 2025, Russian State launched the first AI-generated television program, “PolitStacker“ (Политукладчик), owned by Russia’s Ministry of Defense, dedicated to satirizing politicians and political events.
In one of the episodes Trump talks about golden toilets and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sings a Soviet-era pop song while working in a factory.
AI today and its dangers
AI is progressing everyday and it is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish whether content is real or AI-generated. This is exactly what raises concerns. We can’t hardly spend a few minutes without encountering it, though for now it is still evolving, anyone is already able to create whatever their heart desires. While some use it to create a funny content, others use it to create a fake perception of global acceptance to spread propaganda. Examples such as AI-generated celebrities singing Russian songs and programs like “PolitStacker” show us that AI-generated content is no longer just a fun attraction – it has become a dangerous tool to control people’s minds.
Text: Olivija Pagiryte
Photo: Screenshot from Instagram/ @augustseptemberov