Producer: Felix Jaehn
Label: Oufah/Columbia
Released: May 2014
Jamaican singer OMI released “Cheerleader,” a cheery and simple love song backed by a classically staccato reggae rhythm, all the way back in 2012. And then nothing really happened. The song wasn’t released outside of OMI’s native Jamaica and didn’t even do much there. Then, two years later it received a remix and a rocket ship-sized boost from German producer Felix Jaehn.
The remix toned down the song’s original reggae swing and replaced it with a more dancehall, club-ready tempo. Out went rhythm guitar and in came the thumping bass line that lets people know they are listening to a dancehall record. In the wake of the remake, the song became an international smash, reaching No. 1 in many countries and currently sitting at No. 4 here in the U.S. So yeah, hand us and everyone else a big fat late pass on this one.