Kevin Oluwole Olusola, aka K.O., is a multifaceted American musician born on October 5, 1988. As a singer-songwriter, beatboxer, and cellist, Olusola has made a significant impact in the music industry. He is notably recognized as the beatboxer of the acclaimed a cappella group Pentatonix. Following their triumphant win on NBC’s The Sing-Off in 2011, Pentatonix has released eleven successful albums, selling over 2 million records and garnering an impressive 2 billion views on their YouTube channel.
| Full Name: | Kevin Oluwole Olusola |
| Date Of Birth: | October 5, 1988 |
| Place Of Birth: | Pasadena, California, U.S |
| Nationality: | American |
| Parents: | Oluwole Olusola (Father) Curline Paul (Mother) |
| Spouse | Leigh Weissman |
| Children: | 1 |
| Occupation: | Singer-songwriter beatboxer, cellist, Record producer, Rapper |
| Labels: | Madison Gate, RCA |
| Net Worth: | $8 Million |
Early Life And Education
Kevin Olusola was born in Pasadena, California, to a Nigerian father, Oluwole Olusola, a psychiatrist, and a Grenadian mother, Curline Paul, a nurse. His parents met at Loma Linda University, where his father was pursuing further education after completing medical school in Nigeria and an internship in Trinidad and Tobago.
The family relocated to Hershey, Pennsylvania, and later to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for his father’s residency. Kevin’s early education began at Greater Philadelphia Junior Academy, but his family eventually settled in Owensboro, Kentucky, where he attended Triplett School and later Owensboro Public Schools, accelerating his math education. He later transferred to Phillips Academy Andover for his junior year.
Kevin Olusola credits Phillips Academy Andover with teaching him a strong work ethic, tenacity, and discipline, transforming him from an average student to a high honors student. He was actively involved in community service and Spanish language activities, even studying in Costa Rica.
At Yale University, Olusola initially pursued medicine, then switched to East Asian Studies after a trip to China. He spent time in Beijing, honing his Chinese skills, and held various roles on campus, including Director of Communications for a non-profit. He graduated from Yale in 2011.
Career
Kevin Olusola’s musical talent was discovered at six months old, leading to lessons in piano, cello, and saxophone. He excelled in various music programs, performing at Carnegie Hall and touring Europe. At Yale, he was a principal cellist and explored “celloboxing” in Beijing, combining cello and beatboxing.
He won awards, opened for KRS-One, and performed for Ambassador Jon Huntsman and on Beijing Television. Olusola’s mentor encouraged him to pursue music, and he eventually uploaded celloboxing covers to YouTube, collaborating with artists like KorElement.
After his time in China, Olusola honed his celloboxing skills and recorded “Julie-O”, which went viral on YouTube and Reddit. He was then recruited by Scott Hoying to join Pentatonix, and they won NBC’s The Sing-Off in 2011, landing a recording contract and $200K prize. They released their debut EP, PTX, Volume 1, in 2012, which charted high on Billboard and sold 20,000 copies in its first week. They embarked on a fall tour and released their Christmas EP, PTXmas, in November 2012.
After their 2013 tour, Pentatonix released their second EP, PTX, Vol. II, which debuted at number ten on the Billboard 200. Olusola co-wrote four songs and explored songwriting and production. The group’s Christmas album was re-released with two additional tracks, including “The Little Drummer Boy”, which charted high on Billboard’s Holiday 100 and Hot 100.
Pentatonix signed with RCA Records and released their self-titled album. Olusola released a solo EP, The Renegade EP, which topped classical music charts. Pentatonix won three Grammys for their arrangements and collaborations.
Personal Life
Kevin Olusola, a Seventh-day Adventist, is multilingual, speaking fluent Mandarin Chinese. He married Leigh Weissman, a college admissions consultant, on September 16, 2019, in a vibrant celebration that combined Nigerian and American traditions. The couple, who met in 2017, welcomed their daughter on April 3, 2021.
Kevin Olusola Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Kevin Olusola’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $8 million.