Paul Brandt’s ‘independence’ post sparks debate over Alberta separation

Canadian country star Paul Brandt has ignited a wave of speculation after a cryptic post online, leaving some Albertans wondering whether the singer is signalling support for the province’s growing separatist movement.

Brandt, who was born and raised in Alberta, shared a photo of himself at a crosswalk overlaid with a line from his 2004 hit Alberta Bound: “I’ve got independence in my veins.”

The highlighted lyric quickly drew attention, prompting questions about whether the post was simply nostalgia or a political message.

Brandt insists it was neither a declaration nor a denial.

“My responsibility as a person on a platform, who is an artist, is to bring people to the point of enjoyment, enlightenment… maybe sometimes discomfort,” he said in an interview. “You’re not going to get a yes or no answer.”

That discomfort surfaced almost immediately. One respondent, Corrina, wrote that she hoped Brandt wasn’t aligning himself with Alberta separatists, calling the idea “a betrayal to the country that gave you your career.”

Brandt said he welcomes the criticism.

“I love that she’s living in a country where she’s able to voice that concern freely,” he said. “This is important dialogue… for us to wrestle and struggle with these things and try to figure out the best path forward.”

The debate comes as Stay Free Alberta, a group pushing for a provincial referendum on independence, continues gathering signatures. The organization says it is aiming for one million names to pressure the Alberta government into holding a vote.

“We’re well on our way,” said Jeffrey Rath, the group’s general counsel. “That’s going to send a really strong message to politicians in Alberta that this is a real movement.”

Brandt, however, remains publicly noncommittal. He noted that his lyrics have long been open to interpretation and that he doesn’t tailor his art to avoid offending anyone.

“I’ve said and written a lot of songs that, put in different contexts, people could get really offended about or not,” he said. “I don’t think I’m clairvoyant enough to walk around going, ‘This is going to offend a group of people today.’”

With more than 53,000 followers on X, Brandt’s posts continue to fuel speculation about where he stands. Meanwhile, separatist organizers keep collecting signatures across the province, hoping to force a referendum that would ask Albertans whether the province should leave Canada.

Brandt, for now, is leaving the guessing to everyone else.