Leslie Sebastian Charles, known professionally as Billy Ocean, was born on January 21, 1950, in Fyzabad, Trinidad and Tobago. He moved to England at the age of ten, settling in Romford, East London. Ocean's early exposure to music came from his father, a Grenadian musician, and his own participation in choir practice. His musical career began with local bands and session work, eventually leading to the release of his first single under the name Les Charles in 1971.

Adopting the stage name Billy Ocean in 1975, he achieved his first major success with the single "Love Really Hurts Without You" in 1976, which reached number 2 in the UK charts. Ocean's career soared in the 1980s with hits like "Caribbean Queen," "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going," and "Get Outta My Dreams, Get into My Car," earning him international acclaim and a Grammy Award in 1985.

Throughout his career, Ocean has sold over 30 million records worldwide, making him the biggest selling British black artist of all time. He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2020 for his services to music. Ocean continues to perform and record, maintaining a significant presence in the music industry.