Oliver Anthony is slowly making moves to join the music industry.
The viral country music outsider has signed a deal with booking agency UTA for exclusive worldwide representation in all areas, according to Billboard.
“We’re honored to represent such an authentic artist, and excited to put together a global strategy to bring Oliver Anthony and his music to the people,” UTA co-head of Nashville Jeffrey Hasson and music agent Curt Motley said in a statement to the magazine.
UTA’s client roster includes Brittney Spencer, Megan Moroney, Parmalee, Elvie Shane, Ian Munsick and Jamey Johnson, who recently performed with the “Rich Men North of Richmond” singer in Nashville.
Anthony is set to perform twice at the Louder Than Life Festival, which started Thursday and continues through Sept. 24 at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Ky. From there, he heads to Smokies Stadium in Sevier County, Tenn., for a sold-out show on Sept. 28.
On Sept. 29, he’s set to play a sold-out show at the Knoxville Convention Center, which he booked after getting into a beef with the owners of Cotton Eyed Joe. Originally, he was scheduled to perform at the Knoxville club on Sept. 27, but he publicly took issue with the tickets priced at $99 and $199 for a meet and greet session and he vowed to keep his ticket prices to $25.
Last month, Anthony’s viral song “Rich Men North of Richmond” became a surprise No. 1 hit on Billboard’s all genre Hot 100 chart for two weeks, beating out singles by country favorites Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen.
The song has also become a bit of a political football, with right-wingers embracing the single. It was even played at last month’s Republican presidential debate, much to Anthony’s chagrin.
“I wrote that song about those people,” he said, referring to the candidates featured in the debate. “It’s aggravating seeing people on conservative news trying to identify with me like I’m one of them.”