Meet Kevin O’Hara | Singer, Actor, & Entertainer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin O’Hara and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, why did you pursue a creative career?
I’ve always had a desire to showcase my talents once I realized that people wanted to hear me sing, see me dance and perform, or see me act. As a child, I was moved to the low country of South Carolina, and there we didn’t have the resources for a child star that the larger cities had. There were no programs that helped prepare me for the phases in my career that I was fortunate to have found favor to do. I’m so grateful to God! Because I didn’t attend a performing arts school, or have access to a conservatory, I’ve had to work harder to fit into the norms of those who already had little to extensive training in their careers. Even when discouraging times came and I just wanted to give up, entertainment was the one thing I just couldn’t seem to shake. Once I came to grips with that, I decided to go all in and make a career of this by pursuing it full-time.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a life-of-the party entertainer who enjoys meeting new people, being creative, and simply having fun. Fearless of any stage, I have appeared in box offices movies, performed as a featured singer for a major cruise line, and I have stage credits ranging from theatre to opera. Admittedly, seeing myself on the big screen in the 2012 debut of Joyful Noise, featuring Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah, notated a high accomplishment in my career. In theatre, it always put a huge smile on my face to see my headshot amongst a cast of other amazing artists and all our pics and bios in the playbill. The one thing we don’t get to do is sit in the theatre and see your performance. As cast in movies however, I can go to the theater or turn on the television and see my contribution to a vision that took many phases to produce a masterpiece, That, to me, is always surreal and exhilarating!

I don’t have the career I have because it was handed to me. I have to work hard at it, and much later than others had their start. One of the most difficult things for me was playing the game. In this industry, you must have tough skin – it is not for the faint at heart. I’ve seen it all, the good and the bad. I’ve learned to adapt, and sometimes, adapting could be extremely different when others want you to compromise your brand. When you’re not building a brand, there is a multitude of flexibility to you, But, when you are building a brand, sometimes, you may have to have sidebars with producers and/or casting directors so you can potentially find a win/win for your brand and the project. Sometimes the outcome is favorable, and other times, it might not be. I had to have those hard conversations when they were needed, and most of them ended in that “win-win”.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Hang out with me, and we will enjoy brunch and cocktails at Weezie’s. It’s off the beaten path, and it’s glass view is serene and peaceful. Next, we would take a nice stroll on the Atlanta Beltline, starting at Madison Yards for a little country-side view before crossing through the Krog Street bridge with the nostalgic graffiti, and then to the part (of the beltline) that is on the stretch to beautiful Piedmont Park. Though the beltline has some of the best eateries Atlanta has to offer, we would go have lunch at Chattahoochee Food Works on the Upper Westside of the city, for even more variety of food, drinks, and indoor/outdoor vibes. Since were in the area, we would stop by Top Golf for a bit of exercise and entertainment, and then to LaParilla, for the best margaritas in the city. By this time, my guest usually likes to take naps, but not me, so we’re headed to the rooftop and the Thompson Hotel in Buckhead called Tesserae -very nice, upscale, and it’s a vibe.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have been supported by people far and wide throughout my career. Name-dropping would cause more trouble than good, once I’ve missed a name. My mother Vicki Halls and my late Grandmother, Ernestine Stevenson have been the backbone in my career. I always want to do them proud. My family and friends believe in me more than I do at times. Without them, I would not have done as much as I have. To all that has been Team Kevin O’Hara, this shoutout is for you!

Website: www.kevinoharalive.net

Instagram: @koharalive

Image Credits
Credit: Aric Thompson (aricthompson.com) – for the Headshot pic of me in the brown t-shirt saying good vibes on it. No other image credits.