Cinematic, colorful and versatile.These are the words that Montreal-based Pop/Soulartist Omayela uses to describe his music. Omayela was born on May 5th 1992 and grew up inthe Montreal-Nord boroughAhuntsic-Cartierville. It was here that the multi-disciplinary artistbegan to develop his many talents and where, years later, his artistic personaOmayelawas born.Omayela is a lover of the arts in almost every capacity, he loves visual mediums such as graphicnovels and manga comics while also appreciating performance-based art forms such as musicand stand-up comedy. Despite being heavily inspired by legendary artists such as Nina Simone,The Beatles,TheWu-Tang-Clan, Biggie and the overall influences of the modern Hip-Hop era, itwas Omayela’s romanticism that influenced his venture into music.
He noticed that his talents were impressing girls from a young age and was set onpursuing his passion in a more concrete form. He began busking around the streets of Montreal,with only his guitar in hand and after years of developing his artistry, released his first single,Mellow, on Spotify in 2017. He has released more than9 singles since then and two albums,2018’sBbband 2020’sBarking Bird, drawing in listenerswith his fresh takes on currentHip-Hop and RnB trends, beautiful arrangements and the vulnerability and hopeless romanticismof his lyrics. His creative process today, while everchanging, often includes freestyling overpre-made beats and then collaborating with friend and fellow musician, Sean Millroy on thelyrics.
The aspect that most resonates with Omayela’s listeners would have to be his authenticityand constant commitment to artistic evolution. Omayela is nothing if not original and continuesto strive to better himself and the Montreal music scene as a whole, pushing the boundaries ofmodern artistry. Omayela is creative above all else, finding ways to incorporate distinct themes,concepts and a slew of artistic mediums into his releases, setting him apart from his peers anddrawing people into his universe.The artist’s distinct mumbling style best describes his vocalsignature, setting him apart and ensuring fans and new listeners alike know who he is from thefirst note but any of his songs. Furthermore, Omayela’s foray into horror and romance drivendream worlds (of his own creation), further aided in the creation of his distinct brand.While themusic speaks for itself, to be an Omayela fan is to be so much more than a listener. It is toengage with the entirety of the creative entity that is, Omayela. Step into his universe, you won’tregret it.
What’s next?
Omayela is currently working on a project entitled NotAll Monsters Do MonstrousThingswhich is set to be released in early 2022. It includes some of the best songs he’s written thus farand is set in a horror-esque universe, covering themes inspired by urban legends, true crime andmore...
