Rising Virginia singer Christopher Anthony Lunsford, more widely known by Oliver Anthony, shared his candid thoughts Friday about his recent meteoric ascent in the music world and the political co-opting of his artistry.
Anthony was propelled to stardom after his song “Rich Men North of Richmond” struck a chord with many Americans shooting the song to number one on the billboards, garnering enormous amounts of attention by famous singers and politicians alike.
This acoustic ballad, lamenting the hardships of the working class, resonates with lines like working “overtime hours for bulls–t pay,” addressing high taxation and societal issues such as substance abuse and the suicide epidemic.
An emotional Antony took a moment in a 10 minute YouTube video to clarify his stance, amid a flurry of media attention.
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While many conservative voices and right-leaning media outlets have lauded the song’s genuineness, Anthony scolds: “The one thing that has bothered me is seeing people wrap politics up into this.”
“It’s aggravating seeing people on conservative news try to identify with me like I’m one of them. It’s aggravating seeing certain musicians and politicians act like we’re buddies and act like we’re fighting the same struggle here, like that we’re trying to present the same message,” he said.
The recent Fox News debate saw the song’s mention, with moderator Martha MacCallum questioning Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on its wide resonance.
To this, Anthony wittily responded, “It was funny seeing my song in the presidential debate, because I wrote that song about those people.”
He added, laughing, “It was funny kind of seeing the response to it, like that song has nothing to do with Joe Biden, you know? It’s a lot bigger than Joe Biden. That song is written about the people on that stage and a lot more too, not just them.”
Beyond this, the singer shared his observations about interpretations from both sides of the political spectrum. “I do hate to see that song being weaponized… I see the right trying to characterize me as one of their own and I see the left trying to discredit me,” he said.
He expressed frustration about mischaracterizations from the left, especially regarding his lyrics, which some liberal outlets interpreted as veiled racial insinuations.
Addressing this, Anthony stated, “It references the inefficiencies of the government because of the politicians within it that are engulfed in bribes and extortion,” emphasizing that the song’s core message is about government inadequacies, not partisanship.
The overwhelming response to his song, he noted, wasn’t merely domestic. “This isn’t a Republican and Democrat thing,” he added. “This isn’t even a United States thing. This has been a global response.”
He attributes the unmitigated attention to something beyond himself. “It’s my belief that divine intervention has put me in this position and this point in time to get a message across, and that’s all there is to it. I’m nobody special,” he said.
He did promise to stay true to himself. “I’m going to write produce and distribute authentic music that represents people and not politics,” he said.
In a stirring conclusion, Anthony reaffirmed his commitment to music that truly represents people over politics.
Visibly moved he said, “Something has to be done about it, you know?”
“There’s been too many people [who’ve] died… For us to all sit here and just do the stupid s–t we all do every day that keeps all beat down and divided, that’s what I want to see stop. I’m going to do everything I can to influence that, at all costs,” he continued.
It is so refreshing to see someone stay true to their character and stand on their convictions. Maybe his chastising words to those who want to ride the waves of his movement will spawn some clear thinking about changing the course of our country. One can only hope.
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