Billboard chart topping Ollie Gabriel Known As “The Wizard of OG” Returns To His Southern Roots With New Track ‘Country Boy’

Ollie Gabriel is no stranger to the limelight, he has placed music in a ton of major TV shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, Ray Donovan, and Shameless to name a few. However his big break as a solo artist came with “Running Man“ a pop-soul anthem that reached the top ten in Europe and amassed over 50 million streams, followed by the US Billboard-charting R&B hit “Something New” and a dance success in Australia with “All of Us”. After traveling the world as an artist and living on the west coast making music, Gabriel has come full circle, declaring,“Country music is me. It’s time I show the world my roots. Nashville has brought me back home.”

Ollie‘s journey is anything but ordinary. Joining the Army just three weeks before 9/11, he signed a record deal while still on active duty. Behind the scenes, he placed music in tons of major TV shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Ray Donovan, and Shameless to name only a few. However His big break as a solo artist came with “Running Man,” a pop-soul anthem that reached the top ten in Europe and amassed over 50 million streams, followed by the US Billboard-charting R&B hit “Something New” and a dance success in Australia with “All of Us.” After traveling the world as an artist and living on the west coast making music, he has come full circle, declaring, “Country music is me. It’s time I show the world my roots. Nashville has brought me back home.”

Country Boy is an ode to my hometown roots of Southwest Louisiana. It’s saying that no matter where I travel to in the world, or how successful I become, I’ll always be that country boy who values the simple things and knows how to have a real good time. I grew up in such a rich culture and being country was celebrated. I lived in LA for 18yrs and although it will always hold a very special place in my heart, there is a good feeling about that southern country living that can’t be replaced.

Yea, I live to make musical gumbos. For me, I was influenced by so much music growing up. Country, classic rock, gangsta rap, gospel, jazz, rnb soul, blues, metal, then there was the regional music of zydeco and Cajun music. I truly believe music to be a universal language, so as a creator, I love to speak to as many people as possible, in the musical language they are familiar with. One thing I know is that we all have a Soul, so I put my soul into whatever I’m singing no matter the genre classification. That’s the common ground. Intention and soul.  When I’m successful at that, the music brings many diverse people together to have a great time, and that’s the world I want to live in.

The older and more successful I’ve become, the more I realize that the key to my own happiness is simplification. That’s made me appreciate my roots so much because it’s a simple life for a lot of people and yet it’s so full of love, family, fun, and laughter. So when I moved to Nashville two years ago, it was like me reclaiming that genuine simplicity that raised me.

I actually didn’t start placing music on TV until years after I had left a record deal. I was unaware of that side of the business for a long time. I was working a day job as a sales closer for a small digital marketing agency, and one day the other closer in my office shows me a check for 8k from Fox Sports. He explained he was making these music beds for years, and broke it down to me. After that day I immediately started to educate myself and build my own catalog of music. I went on to do numerous licensing deals and have been placed in a lot of big shows. That conversation changed my life.

It was very surreal, but in a way, it was kind of expected. I was always really sure that I was going to be a big star. Since a kid I had delusional  optimism haha. I had no idea how but I kept believing and taking the leaps of faith. When I was stationed in Sacramento,

I was a full-time soldier and when I was off base I was recording and trying to make connections to push my music.  When the army finally gave me the paperwork that allowed me to move to LA and sign the deal, it felt like destiny.

My favorite artist of all time, I’d say it’s gotta be James Brown. He was the inspiration for my other favorite artist Michael Jackson, and he was just such an original. He not only invented a new funky style of music, but his passion and soul behind his voice has always captivated me. Beyond that he inspired me because of his business savvy, work ethic, and his heart for elevating people with love and pride.

My message ultimately is that we all have something unique and special inside us that the world needs. I want my music to inspire people to go for their dreams and most importantly trust that Life and God are working for them and never against them. I want people to see me and see their own genius and greatness reflected back.

Well I think,Fame and Money for the sake of itself is pointless. Over the years I’ve had people who have helped or inspired me to change my internal stories and mindset. One idea can forever change a person’s future for the better or worse. For that reason, I see music as possibly one of the greatest tools we have to make the world a better or a worse place for everyone. I feel it’s the duty of anybody with a microphone who can spread ideas to help elevate the less fortunate and inspire others to reach their own potential.

What’s wild is I didn’t even know about the organization Hope to Walk when I started that journey. I had no plans of making a book or doing anything charitable. It was a spiritual and life reset for me, I was in the final stages of a divorce and I had just moved to Nashville to start over. So I felt I needed to clear my mind, so I took a really really long walk.  635 miles over 35 days, it was the greatest gift I’ve ever given myself. Forever changed me. It’s like the Rumi quote, “as you walk, the way will appear” …as I walked and cleansed my spirit and mind with nature and gratitude every day, I started having these wild epiphanies and one day about 100 miles from finishing I had this wash of gratitude for the blessing of mobility, I had an overwhelming feeling that I wanted to help people who couldn’t walk. After I got back to the states, I told a few friends about my vision and Connected with Hope to Walk, which provides low-cost prosthetics to people who can’t afford them. I took the content that I had from it and made a charitable mixed-media coffee table book that raised enough money for 20 amputees in Guatemala to receive legs.

2025 is going to be such an amazing year. I’m most excited about the launch of my new entertainment venture. I’m the CEO of an amazing concert and event venue in the heart of Nashville. Aura Lounge is a 10,000 sq ft event space and creative hub and we will host live ticketed concerts, and conferences, as well as bring the community together with wellness and epic entertainment programming. Being an artist and having my own venue space to rock out is a dream come true, so i’m excited to perform there, alongside incredible talent in Nashville and beyond. Overall, I’m excited to continue sharing all the many sides of myself with the world, and hopefully inspire many more people to believe in their own unique magic.