A year ago, country star Brad Paisley watched the news on television as Russian troops invaded Ukraine and, like many people around the world, he felt helpless at the images of people fleeing their homes.
鈥淭he world felt like it was in a new place that it hadn鈥檛 been in decades,鈥� the three-time Grammy winner recalls.
On Friday, the one-year anniversary of the war鈥檚 start, Paisley is releasing a new song called 鈥淪ame Here,鈥� featuring Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaking proudly about his country and people.
The song is Paisley鈥檚 first from his new record, 鈥淪on of the Mountains,鈥� to be released later this year on Universal Music Group Nashville.
The West Virginia native wrote the song with Lee Thomas Miller (co-writer on Paisley hits 鈥淭he World鈥� and 鈥淧erfect Storm鈥�) and Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith. It鈥檚 a three-part narrative that reflects on universal similarities, despite distance and language.
While it doesn鈥檛 mention Ukraine specifically, the song ends with Paisley and Zelenskyy in conversation, recorded during a video call. Zelenskyy talks about Ukrainians鈥� desire for freedom, adding 鈥淭here is no distance between our two countries in such values.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 just no differences,鈥� Paisley told The Associated Press. 鈥淵ou can put us in different places with different flags and different languages, but we have so many similarities.鈥�
Paisley is one of several celebrity ambassadors for Ukraine鈥檚 United24 crowdfunding effort, and has donated his time for other fundraising efforts to assist Ukrainians. But even he thought it would be a long shot to have the direct involvement of Zelenskyy, who has traveled the world advocating for Ukraine鈥檚 military and recovery efforts.
鈥淚 think he understands that art is how you reach the most people, especially in the heart,鈥� Paisley said of Zelenskyy, who was an actor and comedian before becoming president.
鈥淗e can give as many speeches as he can give, but it鈥檚 a lot easier to hear something with a melody maybe.鈥�
Zelenskyy didn鈥檛 just sign off on the song he also suggested some changes to it, Paisley said.
Paisley鈥檚 royalties for the song will be donated to United24 to help build housing for thousands of displaced Ukrainians whose homes were destroyed in the war, he said. Using his platform to advocate for causes important to him has always been part of his career, whether it was opening a free grocery store in Nashville with his wife, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, or fighting hunger by donating 1 million meals during the pandemic.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 be able to sleep at night if I didn鈥檛 sort of swing for the fence with things like this,鈥� Paisley said. 鈥淔or me, I鈥檓 happiest dealing with stuff as a songwriter that鈥檚 very true and very, very passionate. And sometimes I don鈥檛 know if you鈥檇 call it risky, but it鈥檚 more like it鈥檚 bigger than me.鈥�
Paisley brings his passion on stage during live shows. He鈥檚 been changing the lyrics to his hit song 鈥淎merican Saturday Night,鈥� for instance, to replace a reference to the U.S.S.R. to 鈥淭here鈥檚 a Ukrainian flag hanging up behind the bar.鈥�
The new record will be his debut on UMG since moving from Sony鈥檚 Arista label, and he said 鈥淪ame Here鈥� reflects the kinds of big universal themes on it.
鈥淲e do deal with stuff going on in the world,鈥� Paisley said. 鈥淗ow do you sing about things that are truly big 鈥� a big deal right now 鈥� that also don鈥檛 feel like maybe they鈥檙e the type of thing that you would be singing about typically? And yeah, on this album I have kind of really dug deep and tried to say something.鈥�
Paisley, who has visited U.S. troops in Afghanistan, said he鈥檚 been invited to visit Ukraine, which he鈥檇 like to do. In the meantime, he hopes the song鈥檚 message will bolster the country now facing down year two of the war.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where it gets really rewarding鈥� feeling like maybe the heart of this helps paint the picture they want to paint,鈥� Paisley said.
鈥斺赌�
By Kristin M. Hall
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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