Blessing Offor on Popularity of 'Brighter Days': 'People Connect with What's Real'

The song, which promises hope amid pain, peaked at No. 2 on Billboard's Christian Airplay chart and stayed there for multiple weeks.

"It's humbling, to say the least," Offor told Christian Headlines, referencing its crossover status.

The song's popularity, Offor theorizes, is due to its openness in discussing the hills and valleys of life.

"I think people connect with what's real," he said. "I think the world does so much to be a facade, and at some point, our hearts rebel against that. When someone shows you something real, there's something in you that goes, 'Yeah, yeah, that makes sense.' I hope it's because they hear something they can relate to."

Brighter Days has helped Offor become one of the rising artists in contemporary Christian music. He was nominated for New Artist of the Year at this year's Dove Awards. He will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Oct. 25.

His full-length album debut, My Tribe, is scheduled to be released on Jan. 13.

"Brighter Days is a song that ends in hope. But before you get to hope, you have to be honest about the struggle," Offor said.

Offor's testimony is one of overcoming trial. He was born with glaucoma in his left eye. He lost sight in his right eye during a childhood tragedy.

Legally blind, Offor today is known for his smile, laughter and joy.

"The verses [in Brighter Days] had to properly represent how hard any struggle can be," he said.

The lyrics are honest about life's trials: "If your screams don't make a sound … If your walls are crashing down … If your heart just cries too loud all the time … I know there's gonna be some brighter days … I swear that love will find you in your pain."

"'Ashes fall from burning dreams' is a hard line," he said, quoting the song. "But we've all been there. We all just lost a year and a half or two of life [due to the pandemic], you know what I mean? A lot of people's dreams literally crashed. So if you get to a chorus that says, 'I know there's gonna be some brighter days,' you better have been on a journey to get there. So that song is hopeful. But it's not hopeful without honesty. And I think that's the only way to do it."

Photo courtesy: ©Blue Amber/Dove Awards, used with permission.

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.