Nation singer Oliver Anthony has been within the headlines just lately after his track ‘Rich Men North Of Richmond’ was criticised as a “right-wing anthem” and branded “offensive”.
Within the eight days since its launch, the track has hit Quantity One on the iTunes Nation charts and has racked up over 17million views on YouTube, and has soared to Quantity One on Apple Music’s International Music Charts.
In an announcement, Anthony has stated he gained’t rush into signing a file deal although, and has turned down a number of affords.
“People in the music industry give me blank stares when I brush off 8 million dollar offers,” he wrote on Fb. “I don’t want six tour buses, 15 tractor trailers and a jet. I don’t want to play stadium shows, I don’t want to be in the spotlight.”
It has been troublesome as I flick through the 50,000+ messages and emails I’ve obtained within the final week. The tales that…
Posted by Oliver Anthony Music on Thursday, August 17, 2023
He continued: “I wrote the music I wrote as a result of I used to be struggling with psychological well being and melancholy. These songs have linked with hundreds of thousands of individuals on such a deep degree as a result of they’re being sung by somebody feeling the phrases within the very second they have been being sung. No modifying, no agent, no bullshit.
“Just some idiot and his guitar. The style of music that we should have never gotten away from in the first place.”
Right here’s every thing we all know concerning the singer and why he has been stirring up controversy.
Who’s Oliver Anthony?
Anthony is a former manufacturing unit employee and farmer, who then determined to turn out to be a rustic singer.
“There’s nothing special about me,” he just lately wrote on Fb. “I’m not a great musician, I’m not an excellent particular person. I’ve spent the final 5 years fighting psychological well being and utilizing alcohol to drown it.
“I am sad to see the world in the state it’s in, with everyone fighting with each other. I have spent many nights feeling hopeless, that the greatest country on Earth is quickly fading away.”
Final weekend (August 13), he held his first public live performance for the reason that viral consideration for his track, and appeared to attract an enormous crowd to the North Carolina gig.
In a latest tweet, the singer stated he was “in a state of shock at the outpouring of love I’ve seen in the comments, messages and emails”.
Wealthy Males North of Richmond has been uploaded to all main streaming platforms and can present up there in a number of days.
Im nonetheless in a state of shock on the outpouring of affection I’ve seen within the feedback, messages and emails. I am working to reply to everybody as shortly as attainable. pic.twitter.com/iScaYp9AWQ
— Oliver Anthony (@AintGottaDollar) August 11, 2023
Why is Oliver Anthony controversial?
Upon its launch, ‘Rich Kid North Of Richmond’ has been praised on social media by right-wing media figures together with Dan Bongino and Matt Walsh. Republication consultant Marjorie Taylor Greene, in the meantime, described it as “the anthem of the forgotten Americans who truly support this nation and unfortunately the world”.
That is the anthem of the forgotten Individuals who actually help this nation and sadly the world with their hard-earned tax {dollars} and extremely arduous work.
This track represents my district and the individuals of America I do know and love.
I’ll battle for the forgotten…— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) August 11, 2023
The observe has additionally been criticised for being “fatphobic” and labelled a “right-wing anthem”.
At first pay attention the track could possibly be interpreted as a working class anthem, as he sings of “sellin’ my soul” for “bullshit pay“. He also lambasts politicians and the “rich men north of Richmond” who “simply wanna have complete management“.
The track raises societal issues like homelessness and the nation’s psychological well being disaster, but in addition sees Anthony punch down on the “obese milkin’ welfare“, singing that that “if you’re 5-foot-3 and you’re 300 pounds / Taxes ought not to pay for your bags of fudge rounds.”
Elsewhere, The Guardian so it was “no surprise” that the fitting wing loves it, whereas The Unbiased requested if “Republican anthems have to be as terrible as Oliver Anthony’s viral hit ‘Rich Men North of Richmond?”