How a tongue-in-cheek name conquered the global Billboard charts
In short: In the mid-1990s, a New Zealand duo turned a joke about poverty into a global phenomenon. Using a name that mocked the economic status of Auckland's Ōtara suburb, OMC achieved what no other New Zealand artist had done before: reaching number one on a Billboard chart.
The group known as OMC, or Otara Millionaires Club, began as a project by Phil Fuemana in 1992. While the name was a playful nod to the economic struggles of the Ōtara suburb in Auckland, the music was anything but a joke. Following a split in the original group, vocalist Pauly Fuemana formed a successful partnership with producer Alan Jansson. While Pauly was the public face and performer, Jansson was the architect behind the scenes, co-writing the tracks and managing the studio production.
Their breakout success arrived with the 1995 single "How Bizarre," which featured the distinctive vocals of Sina Saipaia, credited as Zina. The track became an immediate sensation, reaching number one in New Zealand and staying there for three weeks. Its momentum carried it across the globe, hitting the top of the charts in Australia and various European nations. In the United States, the song achieved a historic milestone by peaking at number one on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 in August 1997, making OMC the first New Zealand artist to top a Billboard chart.
Despite their massive success, the partnership was not without friction. By 1998, Fuemana and Jansson entered a legal dispute over royalties. The conflict was eventually settled through arbitration, resulting in Fuemana paying a sum to Jansson and Jansson relinquishing all claims to the OMC name and ongoing royalties. The group's legacy remains significant; between 1995 and 2000, their worldwide sales are estimated to have reached between three and four million records.
The era of the duo ended with the passing of its members. Phil Fuemana died of a heart attack on 28 February 2005. Pauly Fuemana passed away on 31 January 2010, at age 40, following a long battle with progressive demyelinating polyneuropathy, an autoimmune disorder.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: OMC (band)
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