As the first first cowboy over the hill — his words not ours — it’s Omi’s job to inform his Jamaican brethren whether uncharted terrains appear to be safe or otherwise. Before that inevitable head-scratching commences, the 31-year-old singer, born Omar Pasley, is referring to music in his chat with The Hindu . You see, usually a musical export from the Caribbean island brings with them their people’s music: reggae, dancehall, dub. It’s rare to hear bubblegum Americana pop from a Jamaican artiste. “It’s a chance you take when you try to be different or try to introduce something new,” says Pasley. “There’s always that risk of a colossal failure or a major success. The musician blasted onto everyone’s radar in 2015 with the single ‘Cheerleader’ and then released one album, Me 4 U in the same year. Since then, it’s been radio silence from him … that is until now. “I have been spending a lot of time with family, and also honing my craft,” he explains.
Growing up in Jamaica, Pasley first started recording music when he was 16 in a friend’s bedroom: “It was more like an underground [thing] , wasn’t anything professional. But it was still my voice being played back to me.” It was impossible not to be influenced by the island’s musical traditions which has been with folks since they’re born. But the singer believes that people all over the world are singing about the same things. “The topics never really change if you notice,” he points out, “We’re not singing about anything that somebody else has not sung about.” Instead, it’s about individual articulation that counts, after all, even an off-key note though undesirable, has the power to resonate with people. “That’s the goal to connect with people and relate to them,” says the musician. “That’s what I’m reaching for.”
At first blush, his music might seem frothy and feel-good, but it comes from place where Pasley wants to uplift spirits. He’s currently working on his sophomore untitled album which he promises will reveal the progress he’s made over the last three years. And yes, it also will focus on love and relationships in that same vibrant tropical tingle-inducing flavour.
Omi will perform this evening at Kitty Su, Andheri East. Visit bookmyshow.com for details.
