Well, that didn’t take long to blow up.
Canadian country artist Josh Ross found himself in a hot mess this week after declaring America “the best f***ing country in the world” during a concert in Illinois on June 13. What should’ve been a patriotic moment quickly turned into a social media storm that sent Ross scrambling to clarify where he stands.
Ross, who’s been riding high since dropping his EP Complicated and scoring traction with hits like “Single Again” and “On a Different Night,” was holding an American flag onstage at Tailgate N’ Tallboys when he made the comment.
“Fun fact real quick. I’m Canadian,” he said. “You want to know the best fun fact? I moved to the best f***ing country in the world and I love it very much. So thank you very much.”
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He then led the crowd in a “USA” chant like he was running for office. It might’ve played great at the moment, but the clip made its way back across the border, and Canadians didn’t love it.
The backlash on social media came fast. While he didn’t trash-talk his homeland, plenty of fans felt like he might as well have. “Please don’t say you’re representing Canada,” one fan wrote. “It’s embarrassing. Please stay in Nashville.” Another chimed in, “I’m a proud Canadian and I feel lucky to live in beautiful Canada.”
It didn’t take long for Ross to issue a statement. Posting a selfie-style video to Instagram, he offered an apology or something close to it.
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“I’m sorry to anybody who’s offended by what I said,” he said. “I’m grateful I get to tour all over the world and I feel like I’m always representing Canada no matter where I go.”
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He explained that he’s been living in Nashville for the past five years, and his family is split between Canada and the States. “I’m as proud of establishing myself in the U.S. as I am being Canadian,” he added, saying the video clip didn’t reflect the full picture.
The apology didn’t exactly silence the critics.
“You broke my heart,” one person wrote. “Saying sorry doesn’t fix it.” Others took a more sarcastic tone. “Been away from Canada too long, forgot how to properly say sorry,” another commenter joked.
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But not everyone was ready to toss him out of the Great White North. Some fans came to his defense, noting that the outrage was overblown and Ross didn’t say anything directly negative about Canada. He expressed love for the country that gave him a career and maybe just got a little too excited with the Stars and Stripes.
Ross’ rise in country music has been fueled by his blend of pop-country hooks and a Nashville-worthy polish, but this might be the first time he’s learned the hard way what happens when patriotism gets personal. Whether it was a genuine expression of gratitude or just an ill-timed shoutout to his adopted home, the fallout proves that even one flag-waving comment can hit the wrong chord.
If nothing else, Ross joins a long list of artists who’ve learned that the mic is always on and the cameras are always rolling, especially when you’re straddling two countries with a truckload of opinions between them.
Welcome to the big leagues, Josh.
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