Otis

The world is like a whirlpool full of people with dreams, ambitions, hopes and talents. However, in this whirlpool few ever make it to the vertex where their dreams cross from fantasy to reality, where hopes are realized, where ambitions are no longer ambitions but rather become part of the present, few ever find the right combination to unlock their talents and taste the sweetness of greatness. However there are a few that do. There are those that battle through nights of tear stained pillows and disappointment, keeping hope alive, and finally hit that summit, where dreams become reality and hopes are realized. Malachi Records is proud to present one of those chosen few as they showcase Otis.

Entering the galaxy on March 11, 1973 as the only child born to his mother, Otonte “Otis” Peri-Ockiya found that combination to unlock not just one but several talents that have propelled him through dark times into the limelight, where he can shine bright and share from his numerous talents with the intent to touch the hearts of every listener and invite them to a place where they can drink from the fountains of true life.

In 1987 Otis himself first found the meaning of that true life when he hearkened to the call of his creator to assume a position in God’s army. Born with a natural flair for the artistic, he maintained a strong focus and discipline while soaring with his strengths to achieved a Bachelor’s degree as a Graphic Designer 1997. Singing came so effortlessly to him and with such raw force that he mastered the craft and is able to switch between musical styles with so much ease. He leaned hard towards ministry through music after appreciating the importance of serving his God through music.

Otis, a young man always reaching to touch the sky and feel the ultimate high continued to push forward with his singing as he joined 3 other friends to form an R&B quartet called Numen. His skills as a song writer quickly caught up to his skills as a singer and he was able to deliver with precision and touch so many lives in and around his home area in a positive way. Numen have made countless appearances to churches where they are known to bring a presence through their music. Otis continued to play a leadership role in the quartet. Some of his musical influences include groups like The Commissioned, The Winans, Boyz II Men, Take 6 and singers like Morris Chapman, Fred Hammond and Babyface.

With his zeal to serve being larger than life itself, Otis’ ministry did not stop at just singing but he also served as a missionary between 1995 and 2001. During that time he also worked as a radio announcer and excelled greatly at that. His diverse resume is proof that not only is he multi-talented but he also possesses the courage, faith and open heart to try new things.

One of the most notable traits of this young talent is that he never stops striving to be better in everything that he does. Even though he was holding his position as an RnB voice with Numen, Otis continued to try his skills in other musical genres like rap and reggae. In 2002 he was discovered by E-Trax President, Victor Okon, who took him under his arms and helped nurture his talents. In 2003, E-Trax partnered with Malachi Records and Otis was automatically signed as the first artist of E-Trax/Malachi Records.

From the first track he worked on, he proved to the company that he was more than able to deliver. His striking debut on Malachi/E-Trax is on the masterpiece titled So in Love—a crowd pleasing, pulsating, reggae-touched track in which he blows his heart out to his creator. Otis didn’t stop there but showed his wide range of style from his empathic lyrics and unique singing style in Away My Tears, to his chants in the hook of Bounce, Move, Shake. He displayed yet another angle in Prayer 4 Me doing the hook in his native Ijaw dialect and then returning to the reggae dancehall style in his verse. “We remain impressed with his versatility,” Victor said of Otis. “He’s one of those artists that is every producers dream, because it’s almost as though no matter what kind of beat you put him on, he’d come up with something to make it sound hot.” Otis’ solo track on the album, Hold on features a slow-melodic grooveand goes out to anyone that has ever felt like quitting in that place where they are just ready to throw in the towel, the place where the walls cave in and your options drop down to none – it calls for you to hold on because you are indeed a star in God’s eyes.

To Otis, every human being is born with the potential for the fulfillment of their destiny. We can all achieve greatness in the world, but in order to reach that place, you have to reach deep to the innermost parts of your heart and allow God’s work though you to create that drive that will deliver you to that destination of greatness. “I don’t really consider myself to be unique” he says in his interview, “It is just God that having mercy on me and opening my eyes to the fact that as long as I walk with him on this journey of life, anything is attainable. He has put me at the right place at the right time.”

Malachi Records is definitely proud to have a wonder like Otis on board this project and looks forward to many more hits from him.