A Supportive Star
Hollywoood Rebel: Former BTR Star James Maslow Defies Boycott Mob With Pro-Israel Anthem
Former Big Time Rush star James Maslow challenges entertainment industry's anti-Israel stance with new single "On My Mind," filmed in Israel with local artists amid ongoing tensions.
American artist and former Big Time Rush member James Maslow has forcefully rejected the rising tide of anti-Israel sentiment and "boycott culture" in the entertainment industry, using his new single to take an explicit stand against what he calls an "untamed beast" of antisemitism.
Maslow's new song, "On My Mind," is more than a personal project; it is a direct political and cultural declaration, with the artist stating it is his way of saying he “won’t be intimidated, won’t be silent” in defending Israel.
Music and Message: Filming in Israel
Maslow put a spotlight on his commitment by entirely centering the project on Israel, collaborating with Israeli rapper Shahar Saul and singer Maya Dadon, and filming the music video on location across the country.
“I put my money where my mouth is, in the middle of a war, and poured my energy into a project that means more to me than anything I’ve done in years,” Maslow wrote.
He positioned the backdrop of Israel, which he described as “raw, real, beautiful and alive”, as a deliberate counter-narrative to the critical stance adopted by many in Hollywood and the music industry.
Defiance Against Blacklisting and Boycotts
The artist characterized the anti-Israel movement in entertainment as a phenomenon that is “sucking the oxygen out of art,” where too many artists are quick to “pile on Israel” and spread “half-truths and outright lies.”
Maslow condemned the silence from the cultural world toward the harassment of Jewish students and the blacklisting of Jewish artists, stating plainly: “Silence is complicity.”
He framed his new music as a rejection of this professional abandonment:
“That’s why ‘On My Mind’ is my answer to that betrayal. It’s a declaration.”
Maslow’s Challenge: ‘Go Visit’ the Democracy
In challenging critics who “scream ‘genocide’ or launch into another antisemitic rant,” Maslow issued a direct challenge: “Go visit. See it with your own eyes.”
He championed Israel as a diverse, thriving, yet complicated democracy, highlighting the rights and freedoms guaranteed there, which he claims are unique to the region:
By choosing to align himself with Israel, Maslow acknowledged the backlash he has already received, but insisted that art is meant to tell the truth, even when unpopular.
“If you’re letting antisemitism dictate your art, you’ve already betrayed it,” he concluded.