Release date
Many countries are seeking to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in the arts to protect the integrity of artists, intellectual property, and art. even their voicesone Russian artist took a different approach.
advertisement
advertisement
Yaroslav Doronov, 34, is a singer who previously participated in the Russian version of “The X Factor” and “The Voice.” Known as Shaman, he has publicly supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and regularly performs at events organized by the current government.
Sherman also participated in Intervision 2025. President Putin issues an order to replace Eurovision It promotes “respect for traditional universal, spiritual and family values.” In 2025, they also performed in Pyongyang, North Korea.
The singer is included on sanctions lists maintained by the European Union, Canada and Australia. As a result, Sherman’s official Western distribution channels, including Spotify and YouTube, were terminated in 2024.
Now, in the latest music video for the song “Mother Russia” (“Rossiya – Mama”), Sherman develops portrait photography of Russian public figures who left the country after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The video does not feature all those designated as “foreign agents” by Russian authorities, but includes comedian Maxim Galkin, rappers Noise MC and Morgenstern, journalist and blogger Yuri Dad, businessmen Oleg Tinkov and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and political scientist Ekaterina Shulman.
At one point in the video, Sherman pins photos of these people to a board. The AI-generated deepfakes begin singing together as a choir. This video includes a disclaimer stating that AI-generated content was used.
In a post on VK, Russia’s largest social networking platform, the singer wrote: [“foreign agents”] They perform for Russia for money, but in my music video they sing for Russia for free. ”
Reactions from people featured in the video have been mixed.
Some people are upset that their old photos were used, while others say it’s good publicity for them.
Blogger Ilya Varlamov went further, claiming that the singer is “one of them” and that Sherman openly supports the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community. It also suggested that the singer had effectively given permission for “foreign agents” to reappear on Russian television.
Not noteworthy from the video is singer Monechka, whose real name is Elizaveta Gildymova. She later expressed disappointment at not being selected.
Monechka, who currently lives in Lithuania, is designated as a “foreign agent” by Russia’s Ministry of Justice, and a criminal case was filed against her in 2024 for “evading the duties of a foreign agent.”
Sherman’s music video sparked further debate online about the legality of using AI-generated deepfakes and whether celebrities can take legal action over the misuse of their images. Many legal experts argue that Russian law allows for lawsuits to be filed if the parties involved choose to take legal action.
However, some commentators have expressed skepticism that such a case could succeed, citing Sherman’s close ties to the Russian government.
In response, Sherman said he had “no right to hide this betrayal” and that the truth would “light up like a star in the Kremlin.”
As of publication, no formal lawsuit has been filed.
