Drake Burning Bridges AI Video: The Trend Explained
The AI versions all remake one scene from one music video. This page covers the song, the scene, the gesture, and the dates we could confirm for how the AI remakes spread.
- Song: “Burning Bridges”, track 8 on Drake's Iceman, released May 15, 2026. It peaked at No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Scene: a handheld party in a private dining room at Sotto Sotto in Toronto, directed by Theo Skudra.
- Gesture: a flat hand over the eyes, scanning the room, known as “where she at”.
- AI versions: the earliest dated one found is a Threads post from September 19, 2026. Who started the trend is not confirmed.
The song and the video
“Burning Bridges” runs 3:45 and is widely read as a diss aimed at A$AP Rocky. The official video came out the same day as the album. It was directed and shot by Theo Skudra in a private dining room at Sotto Sotto, an Italian restaurant in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood, and Matte Babel makes a cameo.
The part people copy is the party section: warm light, crystal chandeliers, wood panels, and friends raising metal cups and shot glasses around a handheld camera. Guides place it from roughly 1:28 to 3:52 in the official upload, with the wave that almost every remake keeps at around 2:58.
The “where she at” gesture
On a chorus line, Drake lifts a small glass toward the camera, waves with an open hand, then holds a flat hand above his eyes and looks around the room, as if searching for someone who is not there. According to Songfacts, as cited by Opusly, the line is a jab connected to the A$AP Rocky feud.
The gesture spread beyond the video in July 2026. During the World Cup, Drake did it in the stands in Toronto after Cristiano Ronaldo scored for Portugal against Croatia. On July 6, Ronaldo did it himself while entering the stadium in Arlington, Texas, before Portugal played Spain.
Timeline
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| May 15, 2026 | Iceman and the official “Burning Bridges” video are released |
| July 2026 | Drake does the gesture at a World Cup match; Ronaldo repeats it on July 6 |
| Early September 2026 | Higgsfield launches Genjutsu, a tool that swaps people in a clip while keeping the motion, camera and room |
| September 14, 2026 | A walkthrough is posted that later passes 1.2 million views, per Top5Apps |
| September 19, 2026 | Earliest dated self-insert found: a Threads post by @chrisfirstt, made with Genjutsu |
| Late September 2026 | Versions with Shrek and Fiona, Walter White, the Avengers and Taylor Swift circulate on TikTok and Threads |
The September 19 post is the earliest example the guides found, which is different from the confirmed origin. Who made the Shrek version, and which clip pushed the trend mainstream, is not confirmed.
Notable versions
- Self-inserts: people replace Drake with themselves, keeping the cup, the wave and the gesture.
- Shrek and Fiona: Shrek in Drake's spot with Fiona behind him, rendered as 3D film characters lit by the room.
- The “Dundies afterparty”: an office-party remake with a man in a dark suit holding a silver cup, a reference to The Office.
- Pets: animals standing upright with the cup in a paw.
A top comment on the official video reads “The AI videos brought me here lol”, as quoted by EAST.IM.
Drake, AI and rights
The official video is marked “© 2026 OVO, under exclusive license to Republic Records”. Drake's music has a history with AI: in 2023 Universal Music Group had the fake Drake and The Weeknd track “Heart on My Sleeve” removed from streaming services, and in 2024 Drake took down “Taylor Made Freestyle” after Tupac Shakur's estate objected to its AI voice.
We found no public statement from Drake or his label about these AI video remakes. If you make one, use your own face or people who agreed, and turn on the AI-generated label when you post.
Make your own
FAQ
Did Drake make the AI videos?
No. They are made by fans with AI video tools. We found no public statement from Drake or his label about them.
Who started the Drake Burning Bridges AI trend?
Not confirmed. The earliest dated example guides found is a Threads post from September 19, 2026 by @chrisfirstt, made with Higgsfield Genjutsu.
Where was the party scene filmed?
In a private dining room at Sotto Sotto, an Italian restaurant in Toronto's Yorkville neighbourhood. The video was directed by Theo Skudra.
What does “where she at” mean in the trend?
It is the name for the hand-over-the-eyes gesture from the chorus, where Drake scans the room as if looking for someone.
Which part of the video do people use?
The party section, from roughly 1:28 to 3:52. Most remakes trim 8–20 seconds around the wave at about 2:58.
Unofficial, independent guide. Not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Drake, OVO Sound, Republic Records or any AI tool mentioned here. We do not host the music video, the song or any copyrighted footage.