Breaking Rust

Breaking Rust is an AI-generated country music project created in 2025 by Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor. [2] It gained prominence with the release of the

ResilientEP in October 2025, featuring singles such as "Walk My Walk" and "Livin' on Borrowed Time".

"Walk My Walk" topped the

[[3]](#cite_note-holler-3)

[Billboard](/wiki/Billboard_(magazine))[Country Digital Song Sales](/wiki/Country_Digital_Song_Sales)chart, the first AI-generated country song to do so,

though the significance of this has been questioned.

[[4]](#cite_note-billboard-4)Breaking Rust has amassed over 35,000 followers on Instagram, where

[[5]](#cite_note-:0-5)[the character is presented with a cowboy persona.](/wiki/Virtual_band)

[[2]](#cite_note-tasteofcountry-2)

[[3]](#cite_note-holler-3)## Description

[[edit](/w/index.php?title=Breaking_Rust&action=edit§ion=1)]

Breaking Rust was developed using generative artificial intelligence tools to produce vocals, instrumentation, and lyrics, with no human performers involved.[6] [2] The project is credited to Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor, an obscure figure with limited online presence prior to the act's launch.

[[3]](#cite_note-holler-3)Taylor previously created music under the alias Defbeatsai, focusing on explicit, AI-generated country tracks in the style of

[[7]](#cite_note-7)[Wheeler Walker Jr.](/wiki/Wheeler_Walker_Jr.)

The act's persona is represented through AI-generated imagery, depicting a rugged cowboy in dystopian settings.

[[2]](#cite_note-tasteofcountry-2)No registrations for Breaking Rust or Taylor appear in performing rights organizations

[[3]](#cite_note-holler-3)[BMI](/wiki/BMI_Foundation)and

[ASCAP](/wiki/American_Society_of_Composers,_Authors_and_Publishers).

The act's debut release, the

[[2]](#cite_note-tasteofcountry-2)*Resilient*EP, was issued in October 2025 and includes eight tracks available on platforms Spotify and Apple Music.

[[3]](#cite_note-holler-3)

[8]Breaking Rust debuted at No. 9 on the Billboard Emerging Artists chart dated November 1, 2025, driven by "Walk My Walk" and "Livin' on Borrowed Time". [4] "Walk My Walk" reached No. 1 on the

Country Digital Song Saleschart with approximately 3,000 units sold.

[2]Due to the low volume of contemporary digital music sales in the age of music streaming, Andrew Chow, writing in TIME magazine, questioned the significance of the charting, noting that digital music sales charts have had problems with manipulation, and suggested that the #1 ranking of the song may have been artificially inflated for publicity purposes.

[[6]](#cite_note-npr-6)

[[5]](#cite_note-:0-5)*The Independent*noted that as the song was priced at about $1, it would only have taken around $3,000 to push the song to the #1 chart position.

[[9]](#cite_note-9)* Billboard* stated that in recent months, at least six AI "artists" have made it into

Billboardrankings.

[4]Aaron Ryan of [6]Whiskey Riffnoted the track's appeal, describing it as "groovy" and reminiscent of classic country, yet expressed concern over its synthetic origins.

In a separate

[[10]](#cite_note-whiskeyriff-10)[NPR](/wiki/NPR)interview, Ryan argued that AI erodes the genre's emphasis on authenticity, drawing parallels to the backlash against

[Randy Travis](/wiki/Randy_Travis)'s AI-assisted vocal release in 2024.

The issue has also been discussed on social media, with some fans being unaware of the AI aspect until they saw media coverage of it.

[[6]](#cite_note-npr-6)

[[3]](#cite_note-holler-3)## See also

[[edit](/w/index.php?title=Breaking_Rust&action=edit§ion=2)]

[AI slop](/wiki/AI_slop)[Tilly Norwood](/wiki/Tilly_Norwood), an AI-generated character[Xania Monet](/wiki/Xania_Monet), an AI-generated gospel and R&B singer

References #

[edit] Aidin Vaziri (12 November 2025),^"AI country singer Breaking Rust tops Billboard with 'Walk My Walk'",,San Francisco Chroniclearchivedfrom the original on 13 November 2025, retrieved 14 November 2025- ^ abcde Rolli, Brian (November 7, 2025).f"Who Is Breaking Rust? Country's Top Digital Song This Week Is AI".Taste of Country.Archivedfrom the original on November 12, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025. - ^ abcde Bennett, Emma (November 10, 2025).f"Who the Heck is Breaking Rust? The AI-Generated Artist Topping the Spotify and Billboard Charts with 'Walk My Walk'".Holler.Archivedfrom the original on November 13, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025. - ^ a****b Willman, Chris (November 3, 2025).c"How Many AI Artists Have Debuted on Billboard's Charts?".Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2025. - ^ a Chow, Andrew R. (November 14, 2025).b"No, That AI-Generated Country Song Isn't a No. 1 Hit".TIME.Archivedfrom the original on December 18, 2025. Retrieved February 6, 2026. - ^ abc Parton, Chris (November 10, 2025).d"Breaking Rust is a hot new country act on the Billboard charts. It's powered by AI".NPR.Archivedfrom the original on November 11, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025. O'Connell, Michael (November 11, 2025).^"AI country singer Breaking Rust tops Billboard with 'Walk My Walk'".Yahoo Entertainment.Archivedfrom the original on November 12, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025.^"Breaking Rust".Spotify. Retrieved November 11, 2025.^"The most downloaded country song in the US right now was made by AI".The Independent. 2025-11-13.Archivedfrom the original on 2025-12-09. Retrieved 2025-11-30.Parton, Chris (November 8, 2025).^"An AI-Generated Country Song Is Topping A Billboard Chart, And That Should Infuriate Us All".Whiskey Riff.Archivedfrom the original on November 10, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025.