Is Ash Ruder related to Sydney Sweeney? Cousin claim debunked as 'Blue Genes' song trends amid American Eagle controversy

As internet users continue to debate the American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney commercial, a song by country singer Ash Ruder, titled Blue Genes, has gone viral. It all began last week when X user Girl patriot (@Girlpatriot1974) reshared a TikTok of Ruder's track alongside an in-video caption claiming the singer was Sweeney's cousin.

The clip featured the lyrics:

"I got blue genes, passed down from mama and her mama, too/ Can't just get new jeans, can't just change out of the pair I was born into/ The rips in the seams, show we go through the pain and the holes in the knees."

The post suggested Ruder dropped the song in support of the actress amid the controversy, writing:

"The left is going to lose their minds."

The left is going to lose their minds. pic.twitter.com/LjmEDOnLG3

— Girl patriot (@Girlpatriot1974) August 1, 2025

However, Sydney Sweeney and the musician are not cousins. Neither has Ruder dropped Blue Genes in support of the actress.

A quick Google search revealed she played the song in November 2022 as part of Nashville's Song Suffragettes (a collective that promotes various female country artists at weekly rounds).

Further, according to Ash Ruder's website, Blue Genes is a song about the "bond" between mother and daughters. It sought to offer a window into her life as she grew up with a "struggling addict father" and a "resilient faith-filled mother."

Elsewhere in the track, Ruder sang:

"There’s stains you inherit, you can’t wash out. Look in the mirror, see her reflection, it’s getting clearer that I’m no exception. To family tradition, tears in the kitchen, emotional hand-me-downs. Guess I got blue genes."

A community note under @Girlpatriot1974's post also confirmed the two women were not cousins and that the track was recorded in 2022.

American Eagle addressed the Sydney Sweeney ad controversy, saying it was "always about the jeans"

Last month, American Eagle dropped their latest marketing campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney and the tagline, "Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans." One of the ads saw the actress overwriting the words "Great Jeans" on "Great Genes."

Another had the actress button up her denims while stating:

"Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue."

Soon, the commercials sparked criticism. Many took offense at the wordplay, suggesting it promoted eugenics. Some also took issue with its hypers*xualized nature.

Notably, one of the ads has the actress talking about her jeans as the camera lingered on her chest. This prompted Sydney Sweeney to state:

"Hey! Eyes up here."

However, others asserted the backlash was the left having a meltdown over a beautiful woman proud of her looks, even claiming it was anti-White propaganda.

Notably, several right-wing leaders, including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, have spoken in her support. According to the BBC, Trump told reporters:

"If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic."

American Eagle released a statement this weekend, asserting that the commercial was "always about the jeans." They added that it was intended as a celebration of "everyone wearing their AE jeans with confidence."

American Eagle responds to backlash over its Sydney Sweeney ad. pic.twitter.com/VwrA5YdIzf

— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) August 1, 2025

In response, some called out the retailer, stating that the timing of releasing the advertisement during the current political climate was questionable, despite their intentions.

It is worth noting that as the public discourse surrounding the Sydney Sweeney commercial continues, many netizens have hopped on to the trend to promote false information, including the X user @Girlpatriot1974.

Last week, they shared a video of the actress in tears over the controversy and claiming she was being "bullied."

In the clip, an emotional Sweeney stated, "People should be nicer on social media."

However, it was actually the actress' emotional breakdown on Instagram Live in 2021, where she addressed the public commentary on her looks.

Ash Ruder rose to fame after her brief appearance on season 19 of American Idol. While she got the golden ticket, it coincided with her Azusa Pacific University finals, and she had to drop out of the show.

She has since taken up writing for country singers, per ZU Media. She also released her track, The Valley, in August 2024.

Sydney Sweeney has not publicly commented on the controversy.