Viral country singer Oliver Anthony is urging Americans to return to their roots and reject false idols.
“I’m here to remind you that we don’t need our false idols,” Anthony, born Christopher Anthony Lunsford, declared during a speech at the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in London.
“We should stop relying on politicians who prioritize money to govern our cities and states. Instead, we must seek out true leaders everywhere and empower them,” Anthony stated.
COUNTRY SENSATION OLIVER ANTHONY LEAVING INDUSTRY ONE YEAR AFTER METEORIC RISE TO START TRAVELING MINISTRY
(Oliver Anthony/Instagram)
Anthony, whose 2023 hit song, “Rich Men North of Richmond,” topped the Billboard Hot 100, criticized modern American society.
“Our current society is comfortable and convenient but lacks resilience, often supported by these self-proclaimed nobodies,” he asserted. “In today’s world, we tend to idolize superficial individuals in society like self-centered celebrities, spineless politicians, clickbait, and social media influencers.”
Anthony mentioned, “It seems to me that these individuals live in comfort while many of our true heroes are mistreated without receiving proper recognition.”
Anthony, who announced in an Oct. 29, 2024 YouTube video that he was leaving the music industry to focus on a “traveling ministry,” also expressed concerns about the impact of social media and the digital age on society.
“The concerning issue is the lack of control we have over these systems. Unknowingly, we are being programmed, and our culture is being commercialized,” Anthony criticized. “As we spend more time on digital platforms, our culture becomes more commodified, our psychology becomes more tribal, and we become more vulnerable.”
OLIVER ANTHONY STAYING TRUE TO HIMSELF AS HE GRAPPLES WITH STUNNING RISE TO FAME, FRIEND SAYSÂ Â
Christopher Anthony Lunsford, who goes by the stage name Oliver Anthony, warms up next to a loading dock behind the buildings lining Main Street before a surprise performance at the Rock the Block street festival on August 26, 2023 in Farmville, Virginia. (Getty Images)
As a self-proclaimed “nobody,” the 32-year-old voiced his concerns about America’s screen addiction.
“We are currently immersed in a digitally-driven era,” he stated. “By the age of 30, the average American teenager will have spent around 30,000 hours on social media. The average American spends six to nine hours daily on various devices.”
What gives him hope is what he witnessed in western North Carolina in 2024 as locals responded to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene.
“I met volunteer veterans with cadaver dogs who retrieved 15 bodies from a single debris pile near the KOA campground in Swannanoa,” Anthony recounted. “The official count was much higher than the governor’s reported 28. A reefer truck sat full of bodies for two days due to overflowing morgues.”
He found hope for the country’s future in the resilience and unity of the volunteers.
“Volunteers were tirelessly working 16-hour shifts, transporting supplies using various methods, from horses to helicopters. It was humanity in action right before my eyes,” Anthony described. “That experience in North Carolina changed everything for me. It was people supporting people.”
Anthony’s new mission, The Rural Revival Project, focuses on bringing revival to rural America by revitalizing forgotten towns and communities.
FARMVILLE, VIRGINIA – AUGUST 26: Christopher Anthony Lunsford (2nd left), who goes by the stage name Oliver Anthony, warms up with his guitarist Joey Davis (1st left) as friends and family sit nearby next to a loading dock behind the buildings lining Main Street before a surprise performance at the Rock the Block street festival on August 26, 2023 in Farmville, Virginia. Â (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)
“Do not worry about evil individuals or envy wrongdoers, for they will soon wither away,” Anthony reassured.
“Trust in the Lord, do good, dwell in safety, take delight in the Lord, and your desires will be granted. Join me on April 5th in Spruce Pine, North Carolina for our first official gathering. Reviving rural America is my life’s purpose, one community at a time.”
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