OMI has joined the billionaire’s club, at least on YouTube. The video, released in 2015, has reached a significant milestone, and that’s not all. The song is also featured on Shazam’s “Most Searched-for Songs Of All Time” list. That’s a big deal for the artist because well over 200 million use the music app monthly to identify songs that they only know lyrics to and not the name.
That means that his song is one of the most researched in the world right now. The song that took the world by storm in 2014 is ranked number 19 on Shazam’s list of most searched songs.
OMI got his start after being discovered by Clifton Dillon. He was then signed to Oufah, an independent Jamaican label.
The song “Cheerleader” was actually recorded in 2008 but wasn’t released until 2012. The original version of the song did relatively well in Jamaica, Hawaii, and Dubai until it was remixed by German DJ Felix Jaehn and blew up globally.
OMI, whose real name is Omar Samuel Pasley, is currently signed to Ultra Music, a part of Sony Music, and hasn’t released an album since his debut album Me 4 U on October 16, 2015. In 2014, Patrick Moxey, the president of Ultra Music, heard the song and offered to have it remixed as a dance track. At first, the song gained traction in Sweden, where it became a huge hit and was eventually certified five-times platinum.
The song continued to grow in popularity and eventually became well known in France, Italy, and Germany. It also topped the charts in several European countries and in Australia. He created history in the UK in 2015 when his hit became the longest consecutive period any Jamaican artist held the number one position on the chart.
OMI continues to produce music and last week released “Rollercoaster.” On his Instagram, he thanked his fans for their continued support. He said: “Thanks to all my fans for always supporting my music and I hope my records continue to inspire and lift your spirits during these times… I love you all thanks again ??????.”
