Lemar Obika (born 4 April 1978 in Tottenham, London), simply known as Lemar, is a British R&B singer who has had a run of chart success in the UK since appearing on Fame Academy on BBC Television. Along with Girls Aloud and Will Young, he is one of the most enduringly successful British acts to have launched a career through reality TV.

Fame Academy

Lemar Obika was born to Nigerian parents on 4 April 1978 in London, and grew listening to soul and R&B and used to sing at home with his brother pretending to be The Jacksons. He was eighteen when he had his first concert at the Junior Jam at the Temple in Tottenham supporting Usher. He gave up an opportunity to study pharmacy at the Cardiff University to pursue a musical career. Lemar had some success in his musical career supporting Destiny's Child and achieving a record deal. Folowing this, he released his debut single "Got Me Saying Ooh", which did not chart in the UK top 75. When the record deal fell through due to restructuring at the label he was signed to, he had to eventually take a job working as an accounts manager at the NatWest Bank.

Lemar saw an advertisement for Fame Academy in 2002, a combination of a talent quest and reality television show and decided to put his name forward. He made the finals of the show winning plaudits for his version of "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green and singing a duet with Lionel Richie on "Easy Like Sunday Morning". While he ended up finishing third in the show, he caught the eye of veteran English R&B singer Beverley Knight who invited him to sing a duet with her during her concert at the Hammersmith Apollo. Sony Music was so impressed with his potential that they signed him to a five record deal worth £1 million.

Recorded Career

Lemar's second single "Dance With U" reached number 2 on the UK singles charts in early 2003. His first album Dedicated was released late in 2003 with additional singles "50/50" and "Another Day" also achieving chart success in the UK. Lemar won a Brit Award for Best Urban Act in the 2004 Brit Awards. Following the success of the album, he commenced his first headlining tour of the UK featuring an appearance at Party in the Park in Birmingham. He has also done work with Prince Charles's the Prince's Trust and appeared on Band Aid 20's Do They Know It's Christmas.

In February 2006 he won a second Brit Award for Best Urban Act.

September 4th 2006 saw Lemar return with his eighth single titled "It's Not That Easy", which became his sixth UK top 10 hit. On September 11th 2006, he released his new album The Truth About Love, which saw guest appearances from Styles P from The L.O.X., Mica Paris and Joss Stone. The album became Lemar's highest charting album to date, peaking at number three in the UK albums chart, outpeaking Time To Grow (number eight) and Dedicated (number sixteen).

Lemar Official Website