OMI drops new single to close the year - Doing more writing and less performing
Published:Sunday | December 15, 2019 | 12:00 AMYasmine Peru - Senior Gleaner Writer
Jamaican artiste OMI says that 2019 has been extremely good to him and predicts that 2020 will be even better. The Cheerleader singer is thrilled to be ending the year with the release of yet another single, his fourth from his upcoming sophomore album. Titled I Want You, the song, which is produced by Nat Young and Gian Varela for OMI’s record label, Ultra Music, dropped last Friday.
“This song shows my growth and range,” he told The Gleaner of I Want You, which is described as a bouncy fusion of pop, reggae, and dancehall.
“The label’s primary objective right now is releasing singles as a way of keeping fans engaged, but we are also working on an album, which could be ready for 2020,” he explained.
An accompanying music video is definitely in the works, and that will see OMI taking a break from his intense songwriting sessions to film the visuals.
“Right now, I have been writing a lot, and it’s not just my own songs. I have also been travelling between Jamaica and Florida because I have a very short attention span and get bored easily, so that’s a way for my creative juices to flow,” he said.
Clearly, OMI, who was seen hanging out at Reggae Sumfest in July, has been absorbed with studio work, and this, he says, is one reason for his absence from the stage.
“Of course, I miss being onstage in front of an audience. That’s where the intimacy is, and I connect even more with fans. But for now, the music video will do that,” he pointed out, adding that he likes when fans watch his videos and comment on his youthfulness.
“Watch him nuh, him nuh look a day older than when him just start sing,” he said in his best acting voice.
OMI also revealed that a tour is one of the things in the works for the new year.
With the release of I Want You, OMI is hoping to replicate earlier successes, most recent of which is the triple-platinum status of Jambo, his collaborative single with heavy-hitting Italian artiste Giusy Ferreri. He explained that his multiplatinum-selling, chart-topping single Cheerleader was a big hit in Italy, so it was only a matter of time before he did a song with an Italian act.
“She’s a huge act in Italy. Giusy’s producers contacted my team and made it happen. And the song has done so well. Within three to four days, it had over one million views, and within two weeks, Jambo was certified gold,” he said proudly.