Michael O. honors his roots through his music, making avenues for the African Diaspora to connect, and for people of all nationalities to tap into their ancestral lineage. Regardless of his listener’s background, they are taken back to their roots through his music.

He comes from beginnings as vibrant and eclectic as his music. Born on January 8th, 1990 in New York City before being raised in Portland, Maine, Michael came up within a fusion of American, African American, and Nigerian culture. Today, this upbringing informs his multifaceted, accessible music.

Michael was accepted to Dartmouth in 2008, where he double majored in Global Health and History. There, he joined a cappella singing group, The Dartmouth Aires. With the Aires, Michael received an international spotlight as they finished in second place on NBC’s The Sing-Off. Greeting over 6.5 million weekly viewers, Michael amazed audiences with his powerhouse vocals and incredible showmanship. Judges Ben Folds (Ben Folds Five) and Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men) notably lauded Michael as “timeless” and “a freaking superstar.”

Hot off The Sing-Off, Michael moved to Los Angeles to release his debut EP, In the Beginning. Within 24 hours of its release, In the Beginning hit the iTunes R&B chart’s Top 5. It remained Northern New England’s best-selling EP throughout 2013. 

In 2015, Michael made his silver screen debut in Pitch Perfect 2. He appeared as the lead singer of The Singboks, soloing “Anywhere You Want It”. He was also featured on its American Music Award-winning soundtrack. The film and soundtrack alike were widely acclaimed, topping the charts in May of 2015.

Since, Michael has made a splash worldwide. Acknowledging his roots as an indomitable and inspiring R&B and pop artist, Michael inspires with new Afrobeat influences that call back to his upbringing. In 2017, Michael began his dive into West African-influenced music, winning a HAPA Award for Best Upcoming Artist for his hit record, “Your Way”.

Michael has since released several other singles, like “Umbrella” and “See Stars”. In 2021, Michael released two remixes of the sweetly sexy “Umbrella”; the first performed in French, and the second featuring Kenyan tour de force, Naiboi. He is also featured on tracks with such acclaimed artists as Flex Cop (One Love Records), Option4 (Nurvous Records), and Gladiator (Fool’s Gold Records).

Michael has performed throughout the world, including at sold-out shows at Merill Auditorium, The Lincoln Center, Caesar’s Palace, and for President Obama at the White House. In 2019, he was the first Nigerian to perform solo at Carnegie Hall and won the Performance Arts Fellow by the Maine Arts Commission in 2020.