He’s not anti-vax, anti-mask — or “anti-anything.”
Country singer Blind Joe, whose hit song “I Will Not Comply” has gone viral on social media, says he just wants people to stand up for their personal freedoms amid the COVID-19 pandemic. If they don’t, he warns, those rights could be taken away.
“This is America, man. We have freedoms here — for now, anyways, and I really, truly believe that if we don’t stand up for them, they’re going to take them away from us,” the singer, whose real name is Joe Bommersbach, told the Washington Examiner. “It’s obvious. It’s happening right now around the world.”
COUNTRY SONG ‘I WILL NOT COMPLY’ TAKES OVER SOCIAL MEDIA
Bommersbach, who is legally blind, wrote the song over a year ago, but it only surged in popularity over the past few weeks. It’s garnered about 780,000 views on TikTok after the platform initially removed it at 70,000 views.
“I will not comply,” the song goes. “Quit trying to take me to task ’cause I don’t want to wear a mask or take a vaccine that could maybe make me die. They got no scientific evidence to back that crap up. All they do is feed us lie after lie. That’s why I will not comply.”
Coronavirus vaccines have been widely credited with stemming infections and lessening their severity around the world, though some critics claim the jabs have caused injuries and even death in relatively rare cases. Still other critics believe the vaccines are safe and effective, but should not be forced on people.
https://www.tiktok.com/@theblindjoe/video/7025335880235781422?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6915506903071344134&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Bommersbach is “speechless” over his newfound fan base.
“I’m just glad that this song has been able to put a smile on so many faces. I’ve gotten emails, comments, and messages from people all over the world,” he said. “It’s absolutely surreal to me.”
He added, “To really be able to make a difference is humbling, and I’m just honored to be a part of the resistance.”
The idea came to Bommersbach after he researched the origins of the coronavirus and its economic impact. When he was posting information on social media, he got a random private message asking him to “actually do something about it.”
“I thought, ‘You know what, buddy? I think I will.’ So I took three minutes out of my day, wrote down that song, and called up my buddies from North Dakota Today.”
Bommersbach’s anthem hit the airwaves after that. He grew up in Kindred, North Dakota, and now resides in Nashville. He was also on season nine of NBC’s The Voice.
Mask mandates were challenging for Bommersbach to acclimate to when they were being enforced.
“It was hard for me because I had never really noticed how much I used my nose and my mouth, and my face in general, to acclimate to certain situations,” he said.
Even as someone who doesn’t have anxiety, wearing a mask at a music venue caused a panic attack.
“I just felt like I had to get it off,” he said. “It was unbelievable.”
Former President Donald Trump has frequently used independent musicians’ material at his rallies.
Would Blind Joe want to be next?
“I’d be absolutely thrilled. I wouldn’t even know what to say.”
