Oliver Anthony shared a snippet of an unreleased new song that describes the tension between the allure of fame and the pressures of the music industry, contrasted with the importance of staying true to one’s roots and personal values.
The 31-year-old viral hitmaker, whose real name Christopher Anthony Lunsford, took to his TikTok account on Saturday morning (Aug. 26) to share the exciting new music teaser with his 2 million followers.
“New song I’m working on,” Anthony captioned the 1 minute 15 second clip.
Listen To Oliver Anthony’s Unreleased New Song Below
The lyrics offer a powerful reflection on authenticity in the face of success and expectations.
“Well they called me a one hit wonder/ a flash in the pan/ better signed on the line while you still can/ we’ll give you four tour buses and a five-piece band/ they’ll be shouting your name all over the land/ but that ain’t me/ it ain’t what I am,” he sings on the first verse of the unreleased tune.
Navigating Fame And Staying Grounded
Presumably self-penned, the song paints the picture of someone navigating the allure of fame and fortune while attempting to remain grounded and staying true to his family, friends and personal values.
“I’m just the son of a son of a free living man/ and I still got a roof up over my head/ a good-hearted woman laying in my bed/ some damn good fellas that call me a friend/ an old double barrel that my granddad did,” he continues to sing.
The lyrics also carry a sense of resilience and faith, with the lines “and if it’s the Lord’s will then I will/ but if it ain’t then I won’t” conveying a willingness to accept whatever the future holds for the fast-rising singer/songwriter.
With this unreleased new song, Oliver Anthony vows to remain true to himself and not let his newfound fame change who he is.
He Vows To Remain True To His Roots Despite Newfound Fame
On the heels of the success of “Rich Men North Of Richmond,” Oliver Anthony took to social media and shared a video message with fans on August 25 that finds the Virginia native breaking down in tears while discussing current state of the world, misinterpretations of his viral single “Rich Men North Of Richmond,” politics and the “dirty” music industry.
In the clip, Anthony doubles down and assures fans that he won’t allow his success to change him in any way.
“I’m living in the present and I just have to have the discernment to make the right decisions from here on out because I think about that guy who was sitting here a few weeks ago talking to you, and the most important thing to me is not leaving him behind,” he explains. “I don’t want to go on some roller coaster ride and come off a different person if there is anything for me to address at all with you, it’s that.”
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Oliver Anthony also shared that he is grateful that people are gravitating towards his other songs since “Rich Men North Of Richmond” catapulted into the spotlight.
“It’s cool seeing some of my other music come out. People are, I guess, starting to appreciate and understand what it is I’m really trying to say. It’s hard to get a message out about your political ideology or your belief about the world in three minutes and some change.
What Does The Future Look Like For Oliver Anthony?
While Oliver Anthony is unsure what the future of his musical career will look like or how many shows/tours he will embark on, he does vow to “stay true” to his word by writing and recording “authentic music that represents people and not politics.”
He also promised that there’s “a lot more to come” in the clip and it’s safe to say that the unreleased new song teaser is just a taste of what he’s “excited” to release in the near future.
First-Ever No. 1 Hit With “Rich Men North Of Richmond”
The unreleased new song teasers came after the viral success of “Rich Men North Of Richmond,” which has also become his first-ever No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
The viral hitmaker has become the first artist in history to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with no prior chart history “in any form,” according to a report from Billboard.
This achievement makes Oliver Anthony the first unsigned artist since 1994 to be No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The last unsigned artist to earn a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 was Lisa Loeb with her single, “Stay (I Missed You),” which was released in 1994 via RCA Records.
Launched A Website
Additionally, Oliver Anthony launched his official website on Friday afternoon (Aug. 25). The website features a full list of his upcoming tour dates, where to find his music, and will soon include a storefront to buy his merchandise.
After launching the website, it crashed due to the influx of traffic from his fans eagerly seeking out his merchandise, tour dates and music. Visit his official website HERE.
