How Bizarre...

Lead singer of the Otara Millionaires Club (OMC), Pauly Fuemana, died today at 40 from a neurological condition. He'll be remembered for the infectious 1995 hip-hop hit, How Bizarre...

Its blend of South Pacific strumming and rap went to No.1 in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Ireland, South Africa and Austria. How Bizarre topped the US airplay charts, was No.2 on the Billboard Top 100, featured in at least one movie soundtrack, and peaked at No.5 in Britain. OMC's album sold 3-4 million copies, making it NZ's biggest-selling record.
Fuemana grew up in the tough Auckland suburb of Otara. Often in trouble, he found a refuge in music, forming OMC in 1993. How Bizarre made him a millionaire, however a natural generosity and a rock'n'roll lifestyle saw the cash slip through his fingers. He bankrupted four years ago.
He said he had no regrets: "I'm from Otara but I got to see Italy, Spain and Germany...to play at the Supper Club in New York and the Whisky-a-Go-Go in LA...it was like a dream come true."
Rags-to-riches-to-bankruptcy: how bizarre...