Blessing Offor’s voice is everywhere. You’ve heard it on TV, on streaming playlists, maybe even soundtracking your own personal “brighter days.” But behind the music is a story that doesn’t fit neatly into a box. It’s not tidy. It’s not safe. And that, he says, is exactly the point.
His breakout hit “Brighter Days” became an anthem for anyone holding onto hope, but the past few years have been about more than just success. Offor has released more music, earned award nominations and collaborated with major artists including Dolly Parton. But ask him what stands out the most, and he won’t talk about the numbers. He’ll tell you about the stories.
“The most amazing part has been hearing from people about how my music has impacted their lives,” Offor says. “People say, ‘Thank you for saying what people don’t say. Thank you for touching subject matter that, for some reason, people don’t want to grapple with.’ That’s my heart—making music that’s real, authentic, uncomfortable.”
That approach has helped his music break outside of traditional “Christian” spaces. While many faith-based artists find themselves boxed into a specific industry niche, Offor has never been interested in playing by those rules. “I don’t want my music to only be comfortable in Christian spaces,” he says. “I feel happiest and most in my calling when my music is outside of Christian spaces. A little bit of light in a dark place is the most impactful thing. A little bit of salt in a bland meal is the point.”
When asked if he considers himself a “Christian artist,” he hesitates. Not because he isn’t a person of faith but because he doesn’t think the label really says anything meaningful. “I consider myself an artist who has a faith,” he explains. “But what does ‘Christian artist’ even mean? We don’t say ‘Christian plumber.’ You’re either a plumber or you’re not. Can you make good music or not?”
His perspective is shaped by his upbringing. Born in Nigeria, raised in Connecticut and having spent time in New York before landing in Nashville, he’s never lived in a cultural bubble. In Brooklyn, where he spent years, going to church wasn’t a social expectation. “You didn’t get points for going to church,” he says. “I went because I needed it and wanted it. And I don’t want my music to get social points just because it’s Christian. I want it to be good music first and foremost.”
That relentless pursuit of authenticity is at the core of his latest single, “Lift Me Up.” The song is raw, unfiltered and vulnerable. “I wrote this song so I could say the uncomfortable things in the hopes that other people would feel seen,” he explains. “The opening line says, ‘Sometimes I feel like I just keep pretending, and I’m slowly going out of my mind.’ That’s a real feeling. I think we all do it—we try to mirror what people expect of us and lose ourselves in the process.”
For Offor, music isn’t about crafting a radio-friendly hit. It’s about telling the truth even when that truth is hard to say. “The point of art isn’t to make us safe,” he says. “It’s to make us feel known. And sometimes being known isn’t safe.”
That mindset has led to some unexpected collaborations, including one with country music legend Dolly Parton. Even Offor admits it was surreal. “No one woke up with ‘Blessing does a feature with Dolly Parton’ on their bingo card,” he laughs. “She wrote us a letter saying, ‘I love this song. I won’t forget it. This is one of the finest songs I’ve heard in a long time.’ Then she asked, ‘Would it be a terrible bother if I sang verse two?’ And we were like, ‘I don’t know, Dolly. We’ll get back to you.'” He grins. “Of course we said yes.”
Offor loves collaboration but he’s not interested in making music that feels predictable. “I want to work with people you wouldn’t expect,” he says. “That’s what makes interesting art.”
His music is about connection. Not just between Christian and mainstream audiences but between people who might not otherwise cross paths. “I think we are called to be in the world, not to escape it. If you make a point to engage with the world, it actually sharpens your art. It makes it better.” For Offor, that might just be the most important thing music can do.
