Stay With Me - Kevin "K.O." Olusola

Youtube sensation, Kevin “K.O.” Olusola is hitting people with an all new sound and making waves all over the world! A master at playing both saxophone and cello, Kevin combines jazz, classical, and hip-hop influences with his own beatboxing skill to create his own style of music.

Kevin is not a newcomer to the music industry. At 12 years old, he was both the principal saxophonist and the youngest musician to ever be a part of the United States Wind Band, a professionally touring band of the best high school students in the nation. By 15, he was honored as the Principal Cellist of the Kentucky All-State Orchestra. The same year, he attended the Kentucky Governor’s School of the Arts; he is still the only student in its history to be accepted in two subjects (both cello and saxophone), and at the conclusion of the program he won the David X. Thurmond Director’s Prize for the Best Young Artist in the State of Kentucky. Besides performing for the governor of Kentucky on his inauguration day, Kevin made several national radio and television appearances, including “From the Top” on NPR and NBC’s “Today” Show. In 2006 (as a 17-year-old), he has already performed at Carnegie Hall twice– on two different instruments.

In early 2009, he was named runner-up in the “Celebrate an Collaborate with Yo-Yo Ma” International Competition, coming in second place of over 400 submissions, 90% by professional musicians and composers, for his submission of a hip-hop cello/beatbox rendition of Dona Nobis Pacem. As a cellist who can simultaneously beatbox, Kevin has also recently had several notable performance opportunities, opening for Drake, KRS-One, N.E.R.D./Pharell and Wale. and performing for United States Embassy officials as part of a collaboration with Beijing Contemporary Dance Theater and the Beijing New Music Ensemble to celebrate President Obama’s first official trip to China.

Now Kevin is back, and ready to take his sound straight to the top. After offers from all over the country, to universities leaping to the chance to get him to join their music programs, Kevin is ready to embark an an all new adventure he’s never done: turning his musical passions into a full-fledged career and production. By combining his eclectic skills as a musician and his hip-hop roots, he will be releasing a series of mixtapes featuring notable mainstream acts you hear on your radio. Be prepared for that one-two punch Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.