Singer Oliver Anthony appeared on “The Joe Rogan Experience” on Wednesday and brought some things that are not often a part of the hugely popular podcast — a Bible and faith.
Speaking of the man he used to be, Anthony referred to the Bible when he said, “That guy found a lot of peace from this book.”
Anthony said he grew up going to church but was eventually turned off by the “theatrics” and “politics” he saw in religion.
Rogan asked Anthony to recount his renewed embrace of faith.
“I went to the ER for everything that was going on,” Anthony said. “I thought I was seriously going to die.” Anthony has previously described his struggles with alcoholism and mental health.
“I just had a breakdown moment. I was just crying. I just felt hopeless, like almost the way a child feels hopeless when … you can’t find your parent or something. … I just didn’t have anything left in me.”
“I just decided right then and there. I was like, I know I can’t do this anymore, but I know … there’s things that I need to do,” Anthony said. He said he vowed to give up drugs and alcohol and curb his anger at life.
He said his new direction was to “make [God] the focus and not me.”
WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers will find offensive.
🔥 Oliver Anthony Shares His Favorite Scripture w/ Joe Rogan & Gets Emotional Explaining How Giving His Heart to God Turned His Life Around
“I feel like God is working inadvertently through certain people to get His point across…It talks in the Bible about being a… pic.twitter.com/G2uFSKpZaQ
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) August 30, 2023
Anthony later picked up his Bible to read from Proverbs 4 as Rogan said, “Preach!”
“My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words,” Anthony read.
“Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Keep your mouth free from perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.”
Discussing the origins of “Rich Men North of Richmond,” the song that propelled Anthony to overnight fame, the singer said that initially it “wasn’t really even in my top five.”
WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers will find offensive.
“It’s an unlikely anthem for insane times”
Joe Rogan and Oliver Anthony discuss the origins of Rich Men North of Richmond. pic.twitter.com/p6pfpJBrOt
— Mythinformed (@MythinformedMKE) August 30, 2023
Rogan chimed in to call the song an “unlikely anthem” for “insane times.”
“I had no idea that that song would react the way it did,” Anthony said in reply.
The podcast can be found in its entirety here.
