Omar Courtz

Early life in Carolina

Joshua Omar Medina Cortés, known professionally as Omar Courtz and sometimes as Ousi, was born on October 11, 1997, in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the coastal municipality just east of San Juan. During his adolescence he worked at a clothing store called Change, a shop that had become a popular stop for reggaeton stars. There he saw Farruko, Anuel AA and Ozuna come through the doors — the performers he has repeatedly named as his biggest inspirations — years before his own music placed him in rooms with those same artists.

Courtz's first recording, the SoundCloud track “Volvemos Otra Vez,” surfaced in 2017 and quickly won local traction, giving him a foothold before any label deal arrived. He kept releasing music while pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering at university, where he had also been recruited to compete in track and field. He has described that athletic background as training in practice and incremental improvement, habits he carries into songwriting sessions and studio craft. Alongside singing, he frequently co-produces his own music, mixing genres and hunting for new production styles rather than settling into one lane.

Quarantine breakout and Mr. 305

In 2020, while the COVID-19 quarantine shut down shows, Courtz reached a broader audience with the single “En Su Nota.” Billboard later cited the track as the release that defined him — versatile and innovative, backed by distinct deep vocals — and as the moment reggaetón listeners began paying serious attention. That rise, combined with the four-track EP Invierno, led to a recording deal with Mr. 305 Records, the label founded by Cuban-American star Pitbull, whose own catalog shares Courtz's party-ready, melody-forward instincts.

The Mr. 305 era opened with a significant co-sign: “Ten Cuidado,” his 2021 collaboration with Pitbull, Farruko, El Alfa and IAmChino, entered Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart that year. Courtz moved easily between camps from there, recording with emerging Puerto Rican voices such as Dei V, Young Miko and paopao while attracting interest from established acts including Natti Natasha, Lenny Tavárez and Justin Quiles. In March 2023 he stepped into “En Bajita” with Quiles and Natti Natasha; Remezcla reported that Quiles had wanted to work with both artists and called the studio sessions a meeting of talents pushing the genre forward.

Collaborations and industry recognition

Rolling Stone profiled Courtz in June 2023 under a headline about the clothing clerk now collaborating with reggaeton's biggest stars. The piece documented how Daddy Yankee recruited him for “Beachy” and how Wisin y Yandel, legends he had watched from the stands as a child, became regular writing partners. Courtz recounted recognizing the shop's famous customers in his new life as a collaborator — “I used to be your attendant at that store” — and described a career that unfolded organically, with each release pushing his production ambitions higher.

Bad Bunny, interviewed for the same feature, said he likes Courtz a lot, called him “very versatile” across trap, R&B, hip-hop and reggaeton, and praised his ear for the sticky choruses and vocal tone of urbano's 2000s era. Courtz said the compliment matters because Bad Bunny keeps releasing the music he loves without outside pressure, and that seeing that independence rewarded motivates him to protect his own artistic choices as his profile grows.

Recognition from the wider industry followed. In May 2023 Billboard featured Courtz in its On the Radar Latin roundup of emerging artists, spotlighting “En Su Nota” as his calling card. Two months later, TikTok named him one of six acts in the debut class of Elevate, a program offering early access to features and amplification from TikTok's official accounts; Variety reported the cohort would run through October, with content, release updates and live performances planned in hometowns spanning the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Stage, albums and certifications

Courtz's 2023 schedule also carried him onto major stages, and he ended the year with a homecoming. In August, El Vocero reported that he had announced Ousi Fest in San Juan, set for November 22 at the Plaza de la Independencia, the esplanade between Hiram Bithorn Stadium and the Coliseo Roberto Clemente. The newspaper described it as his first concert in Puerto Rico and as the closing night of a tour across the United States and the island, produced by Eric Duars for Duars Live with tickets sold through PRTicket.com.

His debut studio album, Primera musa, arrived in 2024 on Mr. 305 Records and Rimas, gathering the singles and collaborations that had defined his rise. A second album, Por Si Mañana No Estoy, followed in 2026 on the same labels; both projects now anchor his official site, which also lists tour dates and merchandise. The discography between them spans club tracks, collaborations and the melodic, vocal-forward records that have become his signature.

Certifications and charts have kept pace with the albums. The RIAA's Gold & Platinum database lists Primera musa among Courtz's certified titles and shows Latin-level awards for a run of singles, including “Ten Cuidado,” “Amandita” and “Luces de Colores,” plus higher multi-Platinum tiers on collaborative releases. In 2026, “Koko” climbed Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100, debuting in April and reaching No. 4 for the chart dated September 19, 2026.

Artistry and ongoing career

Courtz's instrument is a notably deep baritone that he bends across reggaeton, Latin trap and R&B, a flexibility Billboard and Bad Bunny have both highlighted in print. He has said he looks for new sounds and combinations rather than repeating formulas, and he keeps a hand on production so each record reflects the arrangement he hears in his head. That approach has made him a reliable collaborator for artists seeking a melodic anchor without giving up rhythmic bite.

On the awards front, he received a 2024 Premio Lo Nuestro nomination for New Artist Male, listed in Billboard's complete nominees rundown, and Primera musa was named a finalist for Top Latin Rhythm Album of the Year at the 2025 Billboard Latin Music Awards. He continues to record for Mr. 305 and Rimas, perform live and develop new material, with his official channels currently centred on Primera Musa and Por Si Mañana No Estoy.