Virginia nation singer Oliver Anthony, a former manufacturing unit employee, goes viral due to his track “Wealthy Males North of Richmond,” a scathing story of greed and injustice that’s quickly being embraced and promoted by right-wing pundits.
“I’ve been promoting my soul, working all day/ Time beyond regulation hours for bullsh– pay,” he sings within the track’s opening traces. A video, posted by radiowv, reveals Anthony providing an acoustic efficiency, funneling the ache, frustration and angst of the working class into traces that rage in opposition to grasping wealthy males. The track takes on excessive taxes, abuse of welfare, and egocentric politicians, with lyrics which have resonated mightily with music listeners. Elsewhere, he sings, “Lord, we acquired people on the street, ain’t acquired nothing to eat and the overweight milking welfare/ Nicely God, in case you’re 5-foot-3 and also you’re 300 kilos/ Taxes ought to not pay to your baggage of fudge rounds.”
In a YouTube video posted Aug. 7, Anthony shared that the efficiency video of “Wealthy Males North of Richmond” was his “first track to get on the market that has been recorded on an actual microphone and an actual digital camera, and never simply on my cellular phone.” He additionally famous that he started writing his personal music in earnest in 2021.
“Issues weren’t good for lots of people and in some respects I used to be a type of individuals,” Anthony stated. “I had wasted a number of nights getting excessive and getting drunk and I had form of gotten to some extent in my life the place even issues that I did care about didn’t imply something to me anymore. That is definitely no Dr. Phil episode, however I discovered an outlet on this music. I began importing a few songs.”
He uploaded “Ain’t Gotta Dollar” final 12 months and notes he’s since put out roughly a dozen songs he recorded on his cellular phone, together with “90 Some Chevy” and “Living in the New World.”
Of “Wealthy Males North of Richmond,” he stated it facilities on the issues of the working class, noting, “The common factor I see is regardless of how a lot effort they put into no matter it’s they’re doing, they’ll’t fairly get forward as a result of the greenback’s not price sufficient, they’re being over-taxed. … I need to be a voice for these individuals. And never simply them, however people usually.” He went on so as to add, “So long as you’re above the grime, you’ve acquired a fightin’ likelihood.”
Anthony’s grizzly, acoustic sound and simple songwriting fashion is already drawing stylistic comparisons to artists together with Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers.
Right here, 5 issues to learn about Anthony and “Wealthy Males North of Richmond”:
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A Efficiency Video That is Turn into a Sensation
A efficiency video of “Wealthy Males North of Richmond,” posted by radiowv, has surpassed 2 million views, simply two days after its launch on YouTube. “Wealthy Males From North Richmond” has additionally surged to No. 1 on the iTunes Nation chart, outpacing the previous chart chief, Jason Aldean’s controversial monitor “Attempt That in a Small City.”
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He Has Plans to Begin a Farm
Anthony lives in Farmville, Virginia, simply over an hour outdoors of Richmond. Based on the YouTube channel radiowv, Oliver lives on a chunk of land together with his three canine and has plans to show the property of land right into a small farm with livestock. He additionally counts Hank Williams Jr. as an inspiration.
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There’s Extra The place That Got here From
Although “Wealthy Males” is on the pinnacle of the iTunes chart, it’s not the one track from Oliver that’s gaining traction. His beforehand launched songs together with “Ain’t Gotta Greenback,” “I’ve Bought to Get Sober” and “I Wish to Go Residence” are additionally on the iTunes Nation chart.
Anthony additionally hinted that there’s a full venture on the best way, saying, “There’ll be a number of constructive songs, too, and there already are some — ”90-Some Chevy,’ ‘Ain’t Gotta Greenback’ and ‘Between You and Me’ — there’ll be extra songs like that.”
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He Says He is “Lifeless Middle” Politically
In a video, Anthony mentioned his now-viral track, saying, “It touches base on human trafficking and the atrocities that… I’ll say this, I sit fairly useless middle down the aisle on politics and at all times have. I bear in mind as a child the conservatives wanting warfare and me not understanding that, and I bear in mind a number of the controversies when the left took workplace, and it looks as if either side serve the identical grasp and that grasp just isn’t somebody of any good to the individuals of this nation.
“However I believe one of many worst issues a human can do is reap the benefits of a toddler. I can’t start to conceptualize what has to occur to somebody to ensure that them to assume that’s okay. I believe I drew the road on being quiet after I began to see that turning into normalized and I’ll go away that at that.
“The final a part of the track, it touches on suicide charges and actually on psychological well being and despair. There’s no cause why younger women and men on this nation must be committing suicide. There’s clearly an issue. Folks speak about epidemics on this nation — homelessness and drug use, lack of expert labor and the suicide charges. These aren’t issues, these are signs of a much bigger, common downside. … It’s frequent sense, however we don’t speak about it sufficient.”
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A John Wealthy Connection?
One social media user, entrepreneur Jason Howerton, claimed to have spoken with Oliver, and famous that nation music singer-songwriter and outspoken conservative John Wealthy has supplied to provide Oliver’s album. Billboard has confirmed that Wealthy has made the supply to provide the album.
The video can be gaining traction by numerous media personalities, together with Wealthy, Joe Rogan and Matt Walsh, in addition to Barstool Sports activities and conservative outlet Breitbart posting it on social media.
