He is best known for his guest appearance on Lady Gaga's 2008 single "Just Dance", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, spent over 11 months on the chart, and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Released in KonLive's joint venture with Geffen Records, his debut studio album, Colby O (2008), peaked at number 41 on the Billboard 200.

[11] O'Donis' rise to fame began at age ten, when he became the youngest recording artist ever signed to Motown in order to do a song for a major motion picture soundtrack.

[12] Soon after, he began taking guitar lessons with Johan Oiested, a musician in Carlos Santana's rhythm section.

At age twelve, his father bought him his first production studio, and by the time he had reached fourteen, O'Donis was opening local Florida shows for major recording artists, including Backstreet Boys, Brian McKnight, 98 Degrees, Britney Spears, and Ne-Yo.

[8][13] Shortly after his fifteenth birthday, O'Donis' parents made the decision to relocate to Los Angeles, California, and pursue a recording deal.

At this time, Akon told O'Donis that he was starting his own label, called Konvict Muzik, and asked if he wanted to be a part of it.

In 2010, O'Donis was featured in a song called "What You Waiting For" by Malaysian artist Mizz Nina, which has received extensive airplay in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries.

[19][20] He released singles "Lean",[21] "Turn This Night Around", "Come Back",[22] "State of Mind",[23] and "Kiss Those Lips"[24][25] to promote the album.