OVY ON THE DRUMSthe Colombian producer behind the greatest successes of Karol G, has become a driving force of Latin music. Raised among the difficulties of commune 13 of Medellín, today is among the great pop architects, shaping a new sound with global ambition.
From the streets of Medellín to global waves
Today, Ovy on the Drums is recognized as the prolific creator of many of the Latin successes that lead the lists, although their life could have taken a very different course. “I wanted to be a footballer,” Efe told EFE during an interview in Spain. Today enjoys the success of “La Plena”, along with W Sound and Beéle: “The biggest song in Spanish right now, even more than Bad Bunny,” he said enthusiastically.
Born as Daniel Echevarría Oviedo In 1991, OVY grew in the difficult environment of commune 13, a Medellín area before synonym for violence. “The opportunities were scarce,” he recalled, “but also depends on how you visualize your path.” While many around them took the easiest route, he felt the impulse to do the opposite: “He wanted to get ahead, advance and work.” In those hard beginnings, he had few reasons to believe that one day a global audience would dance to the rhythm of his productions.
To survive, the young Daniel worked in a local market place, getting up at 4 in the morning and working until the afternoon. “Loading packages was an honest job, and taught me that one has to become someone,” he told Efe, adding that physical exhaustion drove him to dream beyond Medellín. Destiny intervened when, through a cousin, he discovered a musical production software. He began experimenting with rhythms, layers and melodies with an innate sense of balance. “I didn’t even like studying,” he confessed with a laugh, “but with music I found my vocation. I realized that I started late, but it was what I should do.”
That intuition, he believes, molded his creative identity. “I feel that I have a special connection to music, and that’s how I created a very unique sound,” he said. “That’s why I sometimes work with an artist and nothing happens, and other times … huge things happen.” His history demonstrates it. Although he has collaborated with many emerging promises, it was his work with Karol G that catapulted him to the top of Latin producers.
The alliance with Karol G and the global jump
Any conversation about OVY’s meteoric ascent inevitably leads to Karol gthe Colombian pop-urban phenomenon. His association remembers the synergy that united the famous producer Max Martin with 90’s pop icons such as Britney Spears or Backstreet Boys. Ovy was key in the successful album Tomorrow will be pretty of Karol G, which earned him two Latin Grammy. But his true breakdown came with “Cob”, Together with the American rapper Nicki Minaja single that dominated digital radios and platforms throughout the world.
In his talk with Efe, Ovy revealed that “Tusa” is almost lost in oblivion. “Nicki (Minaj) did not see it clear at first,” he explained, “and we had that song saved more than a year.” But something in those melancholic violins and that addictive reggaeton rhythm told him it was a success. “I felt it was great, maybe not a world anthem, but something special.” His intuition was correct: “Tusa” became the First Spanish song by a female artist to enter the top 10 of the USA.. He validated the instinct that Ovy considers essential in his process: a mixture of heart, technical skill and willingness to experiment.
Ovy’s success does not end with Karol G. has produced for big names such as Anuel AA, Becky G, Myke Towers and the Argentine Paulo Londra. About Myke Towers, he commented with admiration: “He is an artist. I like so much what makes me sorry to give him suggestions.” When asked if you look like a Max Martin or a Jack Antonoff in the Latin world, Ovy dodged the comparison: “It’s a lot of responsibility,” he said. “I had never thought like that.” Maybe it’s humility that keeps it with your feet on the ground, but the industry recognizes its Visionary influence In modern Latin pop.
Ambitions of success and creative freedom
Visit in Spain to attend the event Superlatino 2025 of masters – and supervise a collaboration with the Venezuelan singer Micro TDH In “Guao Guao” – Ovy On The Drums seems ready for another hits. “I say that music saved my life,” he told Efe, describing how to work until dawn in songs is much more rewarding than a shift carrying fruits at 4 am the mixture of fame and success has transformed it. He learned to handle public contracts and appearances. That young man whose passion was football, found another.
OVY states that the greatest pleasure is in produce a specific sound stylenot in fame. It refers to a characteristic that makes their productions stand out. That essence helped “Tusa” go viral. Although it is modest about its achievements, it is clear that it has been part of many international successes.
Ovy believes that there is still much to explore combining Latino Pop, reggaeton and global influences. “When an artist has an open mind and is not afraid, that is where magic occurs,” he said, hinting future collaborations that could go beyond the usual tropes of the reggaeton. It is a molded perspective for its trip from the margins of Medellín to the center of world music. The “boy in the commune 13”, which previously loaded packages, now loads golden statuettes and gold records.
Also read: Karol G’s triumphant trip, the Colombian star, is revealed in a Netflix movie
Although football once called it, Ovy on the Drums discovered a deeper vocation that drives it every day. Its history shows that the vibrant rhythms of the Latin world can conquer international scenarios without losing its authenticity. As he says: “I never set out to be in this position, but I look good. The music was always there, waiting for me to reach it.” And what if he reached it: turned adversity into art, and local rhythms into universal hymnsfrom Bogotá to Barcelona.
