Born and raised on the beautiful island of Anguilla, in the British Caribbean, Omari Banks found his musical calling at the tender age of five when he first took the stage in Milan, Italy to sing alongside his father Bankie Banx. This musical experience touched his heart, and a star was born.
Omari went on to win multiple talent shows, but later as a teenager turned his attention to the sport of Cricket, where he excelled locally, regionally, and ultimately on the world stage as the first Anguillian to play Test Cricket for the West Indies in 2003, as well as being one of the three persons to be nominated for World Young Player of the Year by the prestigious Wisden Cricket Magazine.
Inspired by the 50th anniversary of carnival celebrations in Anguilla, African Identity is a vibrant fusion of soca and Afrobeat that pays homage to the island's rich cultural heritage and its deep-rooted connections to African ancestry. Omari Banks, who produced and wrote the song, drew from his childhood memories and the music that shaped his upbringing in Anguilla.
With a lifetime of experiences and life lessons Omari immersed himself in songwriting and perfecting his musicianship. He dedicated himself to his music and created his debut album, Move On recorded in Kingston Jamaica and Houston Texas which charted #4 on the top ten reggae albums of 2015 in the popular and prestigious German Riddim Magazine. His debut single and video Unafraid was the Number #1 Song of 2013, on Caribbean regional TV station Tempo. Omari toured Europe with the Grammy Winning group, Morgan Heritage, on their Grammy Winning Album Tour Strictly Roots. Omari has toured consistently doing both festivals and clubs in the US and the Caribbean including South by Southwest (SXSW 2016) and the St Kitts Music Festival (2019) and continues to tour the US since 2021.
To date Omari has collaborated on songs with Peetah Morgan and Duane Stephenson; and on his upcoming album Omari has a number of collaborations with international recording Artistes. With a simple musical mission to spread messages of love, consciousness and inspiration, his assimilation of styles gives a unique touch to his brand of music. Omari has to date released albums such as Move On, Move On Deluxe Edition, Sunlight and in early 2025 will release his third studio album.
Live in the UK
30th August – Artum, Birmingham
5th September – Attic Bar, Bristol
6th September – Colours Hoxton, London
“I want to use the gifts I’ve been blessed with to have a positive influence on people and touch lives with the stories and talk about what’s really going on.” Omari Banks
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