Oliver Anthony Illustrates The Bitter Pain Of Divorce In New Single “Scornful Woman”

Oliver Anthony is back.

Christopher Anthony Lunsford, who performs under the name Oliver Anthony as a tribute to his grandfather, rose to fame virtually overnight in August 2023 with his viral song “Rich Men North of Richmond.” The song immediately struck a cultural nerve and exploded online after it was uploaded to YouTube channel, sparking a massive political conversation and, well… argument.

Despite Oliver explicitly saying the song was meant to condemn politicians on both side of the aisle, Conservative fans embraced him as a hero, Liberals called him a phony plant… but it was clear that the raw emotion and unfiltered lyrics about economic struggle, working-class frustration, and government overreach, hit home for many, and it quickly amassed millions of views. Within days it topped streaming charts and Oliver became the first artists ever to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart without ever having a song chart before.

Every label in town was knocking on his door, Jamey Johnson reached out to him, Joe Rogan and Jordan Peterson did podcasts with him… a star was born.

Except, Oliver wasn’t particularly interested in any of that… he turned down multi-million dollar record deals, released a few more songs with minimal production, he played some shows here and there, and in 2024, he released his debut album, Hymnal Of A Troubled Man’s Mind, with production from the great Dave Cobb.

However, the album failed to really generate the kind of buzz that “Rich Men” generated, and only reached No. 13 on Billboard‘s Heatseekers chart. Oliver later announced that he would be leaving the conventional “music industry” (that he was never really a part of) to focus on a “traveling ministry” form of music. He also announced his Rural Revival Project, which aims to bring live music, entertainment, and workshops to small towns around the country.

But today, Oliver Anthony is back with a brand new single, one that has already earned the praise of folks like Joe Rogan and Jocko Willink. Titled “Scornful Woman,” it paints the picture of a man who is suffering through what appears to be a divorce, but the final verse alludes to fame and fortune, and how she can have all the money… he’s rather go back to being broke. Not exactly the most relatable line to the common man, so it’s unclear if this is inspired by Oliver’s own personal life or if he is just telling a story. Either way, the raw emotion is sure to hit home for a number of divorced men, and with Oliver’s gritty rasp, you can really feel the heartache. Plus, that fiddle RIPS.

Oliver says the song was recorded during the middle of a snowstorm when the power went out, but they were able to pick up a generator and make it happen. It’s almost as if Mother Nature was the scornful woman that night: 

“My house got hit with one of the worst snowstorms in years the night before we were supposed to record. We managed to haul the entire band and all our gear up the mountain using side by sides. Not long after we settled in, the ice started and the power went out. Lowes in Bluefield ended up having one generator left… and that evening we recorded this.”

Check it out:

Oliver Anthony 2025 Tour Dates

Oliver Anthony will be performing a handful of shows this year as well as a number of European dates:

Jun 19, 2025 – Jun 21, 2025
State Fair of West Virginia – Wild Trails Festival
Lewisburg, WV

Jun 20, 2025
Veterans Memorial Park – Clarksburg Amphitheater
Clarksburg, WV

Jul 11, 2025
The Grizzly Rose
Denver, CO

Jul 17, 2025
Old Saloon
Emigrant, MT

Jul 18, 2025 – Jul 20, 2025
Under the Big Sky Festival
Big Mtn Ranch – Whitefish, MT

Jul 20, 2025
Knitting Factory
Boise, ID

Jul 23, 2025
Temple Theatre
Tacoma, WA

Jul 24, 2025
McDonald Theatre
Eugene, OR

Jul 26, 2025
Quarry Park Amphitheater
Rocklin, CA

Jul 29, 2025
Fox Theater
Bakersfield, CA

Jul 31, 2025
The Van Buren
Phoenix, AZ

Aug 1, 2025
OC Fair at Pacific Amphitheatre
Costa Mesa, CA

Aug 9, 2025
Missouri State Fair Grandstand
Sedalia, MO

Aug 16, 2025
Vermont State Fair – Paramount Theatre
Rutland, VT

Sep 6, 2025
Clay County Fair Grandstand
Spencer, IA

Sep 11, 2025
The National Stadium
Dublin, Ireland

Sep 12, 2025
Nerve Centre
Derry, N. Ireland

Sep 14, 2025
Academy 1
Manchester, UK

Sep 15, 2025
O2 Academy Glasgow
Glasgow, UK

Sep 17, 2025
O2 Institute
Birmingham, UK

Sep 18, 2025
O2 Kentish Town Forum
London, England

Sep 19, 2025
O2 Academy 1
Bristol, UK

Sep 21, 2025
Plaza
Zürich, Switzerland

Sep 22, 2025
Im Wizemann
Stuttgart, Germany

Sep 23, 2025
Gloria Theater
Cologne, Germany

Sep 24, 2025
Melkweg Max
Amsterdam, Netherlands

Columbia Theater
Berlin, Germany

Sep 27, 2025
Gruenspan
Hamburg, Germany

Sep 29, 2025
Vega
Copenhagen, Denmark

Sep 30, 2025
Trädgarn
Gothenburg, Sweden

Oct 1, 2025
Rockefeller Music Hall
Oslo, Norway

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 The post Oliver Anthony Illustrates The Bitter Pain Of Divorce In New Single “Scornful Woman” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.