While many countries are attempting to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in art in order to protect artists' integrity, intellectual property and even their voices, one Russian artist has taken a different approach.
Yaroslav Dronov, 34, is a singer who previously participated in the Russian versions of The X Factor and The Voice. Known as Shaman, he has publicly supported the Russian invasion of Ukraine and regularly performs at the events organised by the current government.
Shaman also participated in Intervision 2025, the Putin-ordered alternative to Eurovision that promotes “respect for traditional universal, spiritual and family values”. In 2025, he even performed at Pyongyang in North Korea.
The singer has been included on sanctions lists maintained by the European Union, Canada and Australia. As a result of this, Shaman’s official Western distributing channels, including Spotify and YouTube, were terminated in 2024.
Now, in his most recent music video for the song 'Mother Russia' ('Rossiya – Mama'), Shaman develops photographic portraits of Russian public figures who left the country following the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
