Omar Lye-Fook facts for kids

Omar Christopher Lye-Fook (born on October 14, 1968) is a talented English singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known professionally by his first name, Omar. He grew up in Canterbury, Kent, and learned music from a young age.

Omar studied classical music, learning to play the trumpet, piano, and percussion. He also attended two famous music schools: Chetham's School of Music in Manchester and the Guildhall School of Music in London. His most famous song is "There's Nothing Like This". When it was re-released in 1991, it reached number 14 on the UK music charts. In 2022, Omar also appeared in the TV show EastEnders as a character named Avery Baker.

Omar's Music Career

Early Songs and First Album

Omar released his first two songs, "Mr Postman" in 1985 and "You and Me" in 1988. His debut album, also called There's Nothing Like This, came out in 1990. It was first released on his father's record label, Kongo Records. The album reached number 54 on the UK Albums Chart.

Later, Omar signed with a bigger record company called Talkin' Loud. They re-released his first album, and it climbed even higher to number 19 on the UK Albums Chart. In 1992, he released his second album, Music.

Working with Other Artists

Omar then signed with RCA Records. This allowed him to work with many other famous musicians. Some of these included Lamont Dozier, David Frank, Derrick Bramble, Leon Ware, Syreeta, and even Stevie Wonder. In 1996, Omar sang the song "Water to Drink" for a special album. This album, Red Hot + Rio, helped raise money for AIDS research.

Awards and Recognition

In 2003, Omar's song "There's Nothing Like This" was featured on a TV show called Never Mind the Buzzcocks. The host, Mark Lamarr, joked that Omar wasn't very well-known. However, Omar later appeared on the show himself, proving he was indeed recognizable. In 2006, Omar received two awards at the Urban Music Awards. He won Best Neo Soul Act and an Outstanding Achievement Award for his contributions to music.

Acting and Other Projects

Stage and TV Roles

After studying at the Identity Drama School, Omar started acting. In 2009, he made his acting debut in a musical called Been So Long. In 2012, he was given the MBE award for his services to music. This is a special honor in the UK.

From July to August 2015, Omar was part of the house band on the BBC Two comedy show The Javone Prince Show. In June 2017, Omar joined other artists to record a charity song. This song, ""Bridge over Troubled Water"", helped victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Recent Work

In January 2022, Omar sang on a song called "L'été indien" by artist Le Commandant Couche-Tôt. Later in 2022, Omar was cast in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He played the character of Avery Baker.

Omar's Family Life

Omar is sometimes known as Omar Hammer. His birth father's last name is Lye-Fook, and his stepfather's last name is Hammer. Omar comes from a very musical family. He has two brothers and a sister, and they are all musicians. His youngest sister, Samia Lye-Fook, has sung background vocals on some of Omar's songs. Omar became a father to twin daughters in early 2008.

Omar's Music Albums

Here is a list of Omar's studio albums and how they performed on the UK charts:

Omar's Music Singles

Here are some of Omar's single releases and their UK chart performance: