Ossie O

• country:Guyana
• region:Caribbean
• style(s):Reggae
• label:Kross Kolor Records
• gender:male
• instrumentation:vocal
• artist posted by:Caribbean Export Development Agency

Known for his unique voice that always catches the ladies, Ossie Oth'neil Nedd was born on the 9th of May in Ann's Grove, a village found in the country side area of Guyana, on the East Coast of Demerara. His mother has often described him as "singing ever since he was in her belly" and his main influence as a young boy was Michael Jackson. He performed for the first time on stage at age 11 at the St. Roses High school when he rendered the Whitney Houston classic; "I believe the children are our future" and received a standing ovation. He also won in an elocution contest on that very stage, one week later, against the entire school. From that moment, his love for poetry and song writing began.

Years later, while at the University of Guyana, he performed at an annual music feature, Talent Festival, (Talfest) in 1998, singing the Indian hit song 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai' along with an East Indian female friend and was hailed on campus as a cultural icon and by news paper editorials in Chronicle and Stabroek as playing a significant part in mending ethnic groups together.
In 2001, the TAA, Theatre Arts Awards, nominated Ossie O for the Best Male Singer Award for the song "Hooked on your love", his first recorded song, of which he won. He later won a competition, "R N B Flava', with the identical song which he said he penned as a ballad for his first love.

In 2003, Ossie O got the opportunity to serenade Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child and once again hit the news papers and in the year 2005, he penned the Jingle lyrics for the now famous Guyanese Timeka Marshall who won the GT&T Jingle Competition, the first competition of its kind. He is one of the many artistes signed to the Kross Kolor Label and has recorded a few songs that bring out his versatility.

Being a well rounded musician, Ossie. O also plays the acoustic guitar (which has become his trade mark), the recorder, piano, harmonica and drums. In his leisure time, the singer who is also artistically inclined, sketches portraits and cartoons. He is also a music teacher by profession and has often described teaching as the best job in the world.