(OPINION) Viral musician Oliver Anthony shared how God radically changed his life and read the Scripture passages that have guided him amid his rapid climb to fame in a recent interview on the “Joe Rogan Experience” podcast.
Anthony, who found overnight success with his song “Rich Men North Of Richmond,” told host Joe Rogan in an Aug. 30 episode that a month before he shot to fame, he’d given his life to the Lord, changing the entire trajectory of his life.
The 31-year-old, whose breakout song is enjoying its second week atop the Billboard Hot 100 albums chart, said his first-ever paid gig was at a North Carolina farmer’s market just a few weeks ago, where Jamey Johnson even showed up to sing “In Color.”
“I was just so at peace being up there; it just felt like that’s where I was supposed to be. And with all of this, it has been [that way]. There’s no way that Chris from six months ago could handle what’s gone on the last two weeks, but I feel so empowered from all of it,” he said.
“I’m telling you, like, again, I’m not anybody special, and I’m certainly not here to preach to anybody … but coming from somebody who was just in a really [expletive] up place, and I used that word with discretion, but it just describes where I was. That guy found a lot of peace from [the Bible].”
The Farmville, Virginia, native said he grew up in the church and was exposed to religion from a young age but was turned off by the “politics and theatrics” he saw in religion, in general.
Anthony, born Christopher Anthony Lunsford, also opened up about his mental health struggles, revealing he once felt suicide was “eventually going to be my only way out.”
His physical health began to suffer from symptoms due to anxiety and depression, and he had shooting pains in his jaw and throughout his body and ended up in the ER, feeling like he was “going to die.”
In the midst of his struggles, the songwriter had an encounter with God in his truck and promised to change his ways.
“I just felt hopeless, like almost the way a child feels hopeless when you can’t find your parent or something. Like a 4-year-old who can’t find his parents, I didn’t have anything left in me.
I don’t know, I just decided right then and there, I know I can’t do this anymore, but I know there are things I need to do. I just told God, let me do it and I’ll give all this [expletive] up. I’ll give up the weed, and I’ll quit getting drunk, and I’ll quit being so angry about things … and I’ll start over again and make Him the focus and not me.”
Once he had a relationship with God, Anthony said his entire outlook changed: “I quit worrying about me, and I started worrying about what it is that I was supposed to do,” he said.
“It talks in the Bible about being a servant … I gave up my desire and my will and whatever it is that I want to do. It’s about trying to use what I have as a tool.”
“We all sin, and we all do stupid things; we’re all just people. Nobody’s special or righteous. People sometimes act like they’re special and righteous, but we’re all just the same thing … we all serve some master whether we realize it or not, so why not let it be the Master that is above all.”
