Singer of beloved ‘Cheerleader’ song is doing something very different 10 years on from hit track

OMI has revealed he's doing something very different from music a decade after his hit track.

If you dare to cast your mind back to the feel-good summer of 2015, you'll probably remember how 'Cheerleader' was everywhere you went.

The inescapable hit bop has been lauded by critics as a quintessential controversy-free pop song, all while shaken and stirred with a tropical flavor that you can't help but sing along and tap a toe to.

It gripped the top of the charts worldwide, from the UK and across Europe to the US, and it was officially crowned the well-deserved title of 'Song of the Summer' by Billboard.

Yet the man behind the music, Jamaican singer, OMI, born Omar Samuel Pasley, has been notably absent after dropping his debut album, 'Me 4 U', that same year.

We've had little indication if the singer-songwriter has another summer anthem hidden up his sleeves... until now.

Speaking to UNILAD, OMI revealed he's been rather busy, what with the star finally popping the question to his real 'cheerleader' - just as the lyrics to his song said he would do - and going on to have a baby.

Yet while OMI still turns to the studio, he revealed he has another secret creative outlet that many fans don't know about him.

The 38-year-old said: "There's quite a lot of things that fans don't know, and I'm opening a little bit more, especially on social media.

"[But] what people don't know about me is that I'm into building and architectural design and all of that so I'm between Jamaica and the US because I have building projects."

"Along with music, I'm a builder," he continued. "I'm very busy and then factoring in family life, it's kind of crazy."

On his 10-year hiatus, he explained he wanted to focus on 'other facets of my talent and capabilities'.

Yet we won't be starved of any further OMI hits, the artist said, as he's already working on new music - so watch this space.

As for 'Cheerleader', OMI said he never expected the song to go as viral as it did.

"I don't think any musician would expect that," he continued. "I know we always dream big but it's safe to say that the success of Cheerleader surpassed my expectations, if I'm honest."

The hit saw OMI decorated with accolades, multiple platinums, surpassing 2.1 billion streams, and breaking chart records as the first song by a Jamaican artist to dominate the UK singles chart.

"It's surreal, surreal," he continued, before adding he's 'so grateful' for the opportunities it presented him.

"I think one of the reasons why it connects with so many people is because it's very simple language, it's a simple topic and it's very light-hearted while also being deep and meaningful.

"It just amazes me to see the four corners of the Earth that this song has reached."

OMI said he draws influence into his music from his family and homeland, with hopes of achieving a similar iconic status to Bob Marley.

"My first influence is Jamaica," he said. "I'm from the land where music is quite essential to the culture."

The second influence is his father, who he said was a singer-songwriter before he passed away when Omar was young.

"He was a major influence in my life," he said as he said he simply wants to 'carry on that legacy.'

OMI released his latest single after his major break, 'Poker Face', which climbed to number 21 on the Music Week pop chart.

He says it is 'similar' to Cheerleader but 'takes you back to my roots like with dance mixed with pop'.

He continued: "It's actually a favorite of mine. I used to do this kind of music so it takes me back to 2015 when OMI was fresh out.

"I try not to chase what is trending, I try to do music from the heart, the music that I like and hopefully everyone else will like it, too.

"It's like - back like we never left."

So keep your eyes peeled for OMI's album, which he teased is going to be released along with a 10-year anniversary tour.