He has begun to regularly perform in Cuba. He tells the Cubamusic.com's audience about his career and his impressions after making that dream come true.
He is a singer, composer, instrumentalist, producer... and even a cook. Omar Hernández, or just Omi, is a Cuban who has, for the most part, lived in the USA and who always wished to share his art with the Cuban audience.
Available at:
Cubamusic.com
iTunesFor some time now, he has made popular various of his duet and solo songs in the Cuban streets and media, with high popularity rates which have consolidated him within Cuba's music context. Some of these tracks are included in his first official CD release, launched by Cubamusic.com and with an overwhelming success: his mini album "Removiendo el piso".
He had already performed some times in Cuba, especially invited by friends like Descemer Bueno, but he never had the chance to have a regular performance space of his own, like he does now. That is how he starts to combine his performances in Miami with his regular space in Havana: every other Tuesday at the renowned restaurant-bar Shangri-LA (42 and 21, Playa).
"Performing in Cuba was always one of my dreams, because I live outside the Island, but I am Cuban though, and I feel very attached to the Cuban audience. At the present, Cuban music is in a good moment, I feel like home and this is the perfect place to undertake new ideas and projects."
Omi studied piano in the School of Music Manuel Saumell at Havana, but he confesses that he was first attracted by the drums. His passion for music is in his genes. His father, Omar Hernández, was the bassist of the renowned band Afrocuba, his mother, María Leonor Fernández, also studied music and his uncle, Miguel Ángel Bárzagas, has been, for many years, Silvio Rodríguez's sound engineer.
How do you want to be considered by the audience?"I would like to be considered as an artist who is not afraid of taking risks or experiencing new things. I do not want to be labeled or framed in only one genre, but I would like them to consider the best of me, instead."
Few people know about your close artistic tie with Descemer Bueno, beyond the duets you have performed together. What does Descemer mean in your artistic career?"Descemer is a great friend, and thanks to him songs like Ella and 14 de febrero have become popular in Cuba. Descemer motivated me to sing because I was more about production management. I was behind the stage and he encouraged me to compose in Spanish and to interpret my own songs. I think he is the best Spanish-speaking composer of our time."
"Soon, I am going to release with Descemer a remix of Removiendo el piso, with a more urban influence and a video clip. I am also working in another song entitled Camarera, featuring Gente D' Zona."
You composed Sábanas Blancas, a duet with Leoni Torres that has crushingly succeeded. What is the cause of such success?"It is, definitively, the most listened song in my repertoire, so far. I think that Leoni and his fans contributed to it. Likewise, featuring other artists has helped me. As any other new artist, featuring represents a walking stick, a support. Besides, I have always liked to collaborate with other singers and producers because there is mutual feedback, and new ideas emerge from that process."
"The audience has embraced the song, but I did not anticipate such success. I do not compose pretending to write the "Bailando" of Omi's career. It is just about composing something you like and enjoy in that moment. Both singing and composing are very amazing things and both fill me up."
Would you like to continue featuring? Do you have other artists in mind?"Of course, soon I am going to release a song with Qva Libre entitled "Hula Hula" with a video clip. I am going to do a featuring with El Chacal for his next CD in a song entitled Miedo. Besides, we are planning to do a remix of "Removiendo el piso", this time with El Chacal and Gente D' Zona's Randy Malcom. I would like to make duets with Diván and Leoni in songs composed by them."
Just before finishing he thanked us for our patience. We had to wait for hours in order to chat with him because he was in his first sound rehearsal at Shangri LA.
He is used to frequently visit Cuba, but this time the emotions were different. He would open his own performance space in his country of birth, especially for a demanding and expert audience. We he began to sing, the excellence and warmth of his voice left everyone excited. Omi's talent has many surprises to be revealed yet.
