He formed a group called The Beaters with friends Selby  Ntuli and Saitana Ndimande in the 60s and attracted the attention of Sipho Mabuse who joined the group as drummer. They later changed the band’s name to Harari after touring Rhodesia – Harare (Zimbabwe). Om Elec Khaoli went on to form his own band called Umoja in the 80s and during the same period he established himself as a multi-platinum selling solo artist/ producer/ composure bassist who has been a powerhouse in the field of music and performing arts industry for more than 50 years. He continued in his God given talent of producing timeless music and his legacy and mastery of his craft can be heard and enjoyed on his Vinyls, CDs and Digital platforms. He is one of South Africa’s most consistently innovative pop artist. He has built a career on ubiquitous rock, pop and soul hits with the ground-breaking bands like The Beaters, Harari and Umoja as mentioned above. But Khaoli’s seemingly endless fountain of music continued outside these ensembles where he usually played bass and contributed in song-writing and vocals. Om Elec Khaoli was the first South African to have a privately black-owned studio. As black artists were not given equal time in the white-owned studios, having his own studio has allowed him to develop in his own way, at his own pace. Hence his productive output during the 80’s and 90’s, releasing 5 LPs with Umoja and 5 solo Albums, along with numerous singles and EPs. The dance-floor appeal of his previous solo works was unmistakable but ‘Say You Love Me’ presented things in a more mellow tenor. And the broad scope of Khaoli’s listening habits shines through. He loves classical music and the harmonious, grand developments of the title track reflect that interest. Many of his songs made their way into the mainstream and onto dance floors across Southern African region. It is not surprising that in 2014, Om Elec Khaoli, together with other legends like Johnny Clegg, Dr Thomas Chauke, Khaya Mahangu, Blondie Makhene and the late Harari band member Masike ‘Funky’ Mohapi, were awarded the South African Music Heroes Awards.