Oliver Anthony: ‘Light a Fire No One Can Extinguish’

‘Rich Men North of Richmond’ songwriter Oliver Anthony is shifting his focus from the music industry to ministry.

Musician Oliver Anthony reading a passage from the Bible in between songs at Tootsie's Orchid Lounge Annual Birthday Bash on Sept. 17, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. Jason Kempin/Getty Images

In August 2023, singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony became an overnight sensation with his hit single “Rich Men North of Richmond.” Since the independently released song went No. 1, the Virginia native has toured internationally and played sold-out shows.

After a year spent navigating the music industry, Anthony decided to head in a new direction: to leave the mainstream music business and reconnect with “the family business.” It’s what the 32-year-old artist deemed to be his true “calling.” And to Anthony, it can make more of a positive impact than hit singles and record deals.

Sudden Success

Anthony’s life changed drastically and quickly when his anthemic tune “Rich Men North of Richmond” debuted on the YouTube channel Radiowv. The single, which criticizes today’s political power structures on both sides of the aisle, accumulated more than 184 million views and topped Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. According to Billboard, because of the song’s extraordinary traction, Anthony “became the first artist in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard chart without previously having a song on the charts.”