Karol G Collaborator Ovy on the Drums Is Just Getting Started

A lot has happened to Ovy on the Drums in recent years. The 33-year-old Colombian producer and songwriter has been nominated for multiple awards for his involvement in hit songs like "Provenza" and "TQG." Having worked behind the scenes with Latin music superstars like Karol G and Peso Pluma, he's now ready to step into the spotlight with his collaborative EP with Myke Towers, Cassette 01.

"The idea with this Cassette is to keep creating a lot more volumes," he tells New Times in his native Spanish. "What an incredible way to start together with Myke Towers, right? And with the collaborations it has — like with Saiko, La Joaqui, Ryan Castro, and Blessd — the truth is, it's a stroke of genius. Everything happening with this project is just the beginning of something very big."

Indeed, it's an interesting concept, allowing Ovy and his production to be at the forefront of the project. With a rising respect for the creativity of producers in the music industry, this is an exciting move for the veteran. With his deep Rolodex of artists, it wasn't too difficult for him to get some big names to hop on the project.

"Ryan, Blessd, Saiko, Joaqui — they are the artists of the new generation, and the truth is, we have mutual respect and admiration for each other," Ovy says.

In what's a seemingly endless well of hits, Ovy says his process is surprisingly simple.

"I create the beat first, and then I join with the artists and composers, and we start building from there, putting together music and stuff. When you have a song, you don't think, Oh, it would be cool to have this here, right? You send that to Ryan Castro or someone like that, and that's how songs are born with good vibes."
Despite having access to some of the world's best recording studios, Ovy often tests music on a device everyone has in reach.

"I listen to a lot of music on my phone," he says. "When a lot of music comes out, more than half of the world will listen to it on their phones. I learned that if it sounds really good here, it sounds good everywhere."

Ovy's hard work in the studio has also earned him some of the biggest accolades in the industry, including a Latin Grammy for "Album of the Year" and an Anglo Grammy for "Best Música Urbana Album" for his work on Karol G's fourth album Mañana Será Bonito.

"I cried — tears came out," he says of the recognition. "I always had been nominated for the last three years, whether it was for "Tusa," "Provenza," or "Mamiii," but we never won. And this time, we won, and it was with an album. That was even more incredible because winning 'Album of the Year' is one of the most important nominations the Academy has. I had always wanted to win a Grammy, but winning three Grammys — two Latin Grammys and one American Grammy — that left me speechless."

One collaboration on Mañana Será Bonito that really sticks out is the one on the track "Tus Gafitas." Ovy and Grammy- and Oscar-winning producer and musician Finneas, best known as Billie Eilish's brother and main collaborator, share production credits on the song. The track also stands out for having a very distinct alternative-rock sound that still fits the sunny, warm aesthetic of the album.
"The truth is it's a song that Karol already had written," Ovy explains. "She had it written and showed it to me. I said, 'Wow, Karol! Incredible!' I loved the song right there, and I made the beat. Finneas had also wanted to work on something with Karol, so as soon as she said she liked it, we sent it to Finneas. I found it incredible because he left the instrumental as I had it. And what he did was add new things to it, and it took it to another level."

The borders between Anglo and Latin music industries are quickly being redrawn, with producers like Pharrell, Murda Beatz, and Foreign Teck jumping to work with Spanish-language acts. Naturally, Ovy has a list of dream collaborators.

"Kanye, Pharrell, and, of course, Dr. Dre. I don't know if Dr. Dre will ever be back to making music, but at least giving him a hug would make me happy. I have him tattooed on my arm."

It's only a matter of time before Ovy finds himself on the other side of that kind of adoration — if he isn't there already. His oversized impact on the Latin music industry doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Cassette 01 might be his latest project, but it's clear that this is only the beginning.