Ovy on the Drums

Daniel Echavarría Oviedo was born in Medellín, Colombia in 1991.^[1][8] As a child he enjoyed listening to Bob Marley, Modern Talking, The Pet Shop Boys, and the salsa that he heard played at parties.^[9] As a teenager, he worked selling chicken and party supplies in a market square in Medellín; he attributed learning the value of hard work to this experience as he would wake up at 3:00am and finish work at 5:00pm.^[10] A friend of his cousin introduced Echavarría to beat-making and audio production using FL Studio, a software he has continued using ever since.^[1][9] Echavarría attended school at the Institución Educativa La Salle de Campoamor in Medellín.^[10] As a student, he described himself as "dress[ing] as a reggaeton artist" while singing and making videos in Windows Movie Maker.^[10] Music became a way for him to channel his restlessness and hyperactivity.^[10] Echavarría describes his parents as "the first people who believed in [him] as a musician", giving him a computer and some equipment to make music with.^[11] Echavarría briefly played football as a left back for the Itagüí based Águilas Doradas while they were a Colombian second division, or 'Categoría Primera B', team.^[12][10]

Echavarría sold his early beats at $5 each, before gradually building connections in the music scene and becoming acquainted with local producers and industry professionals.^[1] Echavarría's breakthrough opportunity came as a DJ for Karol G, via an introduction from producers La Compañía, on a tour of Colombian universities.^[1] Echavarría went on to work with Giraldo on the production of her debut album Unstoppable, released in 2017.^[13]

Echavarría worked on Karol G's 2019 song "Tusa", featuring Nicki Minaj, which received nominations for two Latin Grammy Awards in the categories of Record of the Year and Song of the Year. "Tusa" was the lead single for Giraldo's third studio album KG0516 (2021).^[14] The track went on to surpass one billion Spotify streams in April 2021.^[15]

In 2020, Argentine singer Paulo Londra named Echavarría as a defendant, alongside Big Ligas LLC, Cristian Andrés Salazar, Ritholz Levy Fields LLP, Matthew Greenberg, and Stephanie Chopurian, in a civil case in the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Miami-Dade county, Florida described as a "complex business dispute".^[16] The case involved a dispute concerning the rights to Londra's releases and gained public attention.^[17] The case was settled on amicable terms in November 2021.^[17]

In 2022, Echavarría received nominations at the 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards in the categories of Best Urban Song for "Mamiii", Record and Song of the Year for "Provenza", and Album of the Year for Sebastián Yatra's album Dharma.^[18] In the same year, Billboard listed Echavarría at number three on the end of year list of 'Hot Latin Songs Producer of the Year', and at number 21 on the Hot 100 Producer of the Year list.^[18] He also received a nomination for Producer of the Year at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards.^[18] In the same year, Echavarría signed a partnership with record label Warner Music Latina.^[7]

In 2023, he took part in Spotify's Radar program to support emerging artists in developing a global platform, recording singles with Junior Zamora, Valentina Rico, and Loyal Lobos.^[19] In March 2023, Echavarría appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time as a co-lead artist, with Karol G's "Cairo" debuting at number 83.^[18]

In November 2024, his song "Mírame", with fellow Colombian singer-songwriter Blessd, reached the number one position on the Billboard Latin Rhythm Airplay chart, becoming Echavarría's first number one song as an artist on a Billboard chart.^[20]