Let's Talk About Omar Apollo

Cover photo—Jacket by Sies Marjan, top by Bode, jewelry is talent's own

Now, the script has been flipped, and Omar is able to fully support his parents with his music career. It's any first-generation brown kid's dream—not to mention Omar gets to do so by doing what he loves—but even still, Omar is perpetually chill. 

He got his start by working at Guitar Center and teaching himself how to play, make beats, and sing. The music at hand is unquestionably soulful and funky, psychedelic-infused, and typically about love. On stage, he's energetic and otherworldly, and he's built a fanbase that adores him because of how relatable and magnetic he is. When I pull up to Brooklyn Steel to interview Omar, these fans are lined up around the block just to attend his meet and greet, and I notice that they're mostly Gen Z, mostly POC, and above all, bright-eyed and eager to see their favorite performer up close. Omar captures a youthful energy that is hard to encapsulate, but in this age of immediacy, young music lovers are looking for authenticity more than anything—and, oh, Omar's got it. 

Read our interview with the singer below.

How was the shoot? I caught a vibe that you don’t love being photographed, I was like feeling your anxiety. 

No, I mean, I like it when I get them back and stuff. Just like during it is awful. I don't know what I look like or if I'm going to look bad. So that's why…

So, lets talk about being Mexican. Growing up Mexican, first generation, in a place like Indiana where you're just surrounded by white people, what was that like? Did you experience any racism or bullying?

In school, yeah. But not like, who I hung out with. You just have to like find your own tribe in the city over here. I had tons and tons of it when I was young. Even from teachers. Like teachers would tell me I can not speak Spanish in the United States. “Go to Mexico,” or something. I think Spanish is a nice language. At work it would be like they would see me personally like some brown kid, like first day of school type shit. Like, yeah. It's like you're not a drug dealer are you? Or some shit.

Did that affect your personal life or your music in any way?

Yeah, it just does not make sense to me. Like why would you do that to people, you know?

The song of yours that really got me was "Frio." That's my favorite song of yours. Have you noticed any differences in your process when you're writing in Spanish versus English?

Yeah. It just allows you to say different things, which is cool. Different sayings and stuff are different in Spanish than they are in English, sometimes it's like, what are you saying? And I'm like, it's not going to translate well. It makes sense in Spanish.

Is there like a specific moment that you realized you were blowing up? Like a specific event or does it feel like you blew up very suddenly or is it kind of like, okay, finally.

Yeah it’s, I don’t know. Probably the Metro show, like a year ago. It was like my first kind of big at night show, like 1200 people. My parents were there. I was like, “Okay, this seems steady.”

Left—Jacket by Bode, tank top and jewelry: talent's own

Right—Coat by Coach, top by Linder

Are you constantly working on music? Like on the bus and stuff?

Yeah, all the time.

I like to ask people what they listened to when they were a kid, like when you were eight. What were your go-to’s then?

R&B. Yeah and Alicia Keys, Keyshia Cole.

What type of media were you consuming when you were a kid? Like, what was your thing?

Like definitely Nickelodeon, Disney Channel. My brother watched a lot of cartoons outside of that. Now it is way more animated stuff, but back then it was more like real life. I loved watching like real life relationships that related more to people acting than cartoons, but now I'm like all about cartoons.

Do you make your own beats or anything? Or is it mostly guitar based?

At first it was just guitar, bass, drums. Pretty Motown. I make beats now, yeah, I do everything.

You've been collaborating with a lot of people. What is that process like? 

You just got to be friends with the person. That's all it takes. For now, it is friends. Sometimes you get lucky, like a personal friendship that turns into a studio relationship.

You've been traveling so much. What is the favorite place you've been?

London is always really cool to me. Other parts of the UK, which we got a month in, that was different, that was cool. I had just watched Trainspotting. So I was in that vibe.

What is the biggest thing you've learned throughout the past year? 

Call your friends and family. Keep up with them. Make time. Dude, I talk to my parents all the time. At first, they were like super worried and now they kind of see like how it is. So they are a lot more chill.

Is there any like weird, obscure, references that people would be surprised to know about your music? Like any random influences or inspirations? 

My music is really influenced. I will hear something and make five songs, like from hearing that one song. Like "Lover's Rock" by Sade. When I heard that for the first time I remember I made like six, seven songs. Either it was a drum sound or the tempo or the way the kick was hitting with the bass or the way the bass was like the melody instead of the background. Don't know, shit like that.

What is the biggest/main thing you've noticed about your fan base?

I noticed that they become super close friends with each other. They come to the show, become best friends. They keep in contact, they become so tight.

And how do you use the internet to interact with your fans?

I will just be talking to them. Just like they kind of get my personality. They just kind of know that I am never serious, I will say some funny ass shit. They will be like, "You're a weirdo." Then they will like go along with it. 

Do you ever plan the moves you do on stage? 

I am pretty meditated. I'll just be going up there doing whatever. But yeah, I grew up dancing at first. I started dancing when I was pretty young. Like Mexican folk dancing. I just did that, then I got into like hip-hop. 

How important are the people you surround yourself with? Cause like I've noticed you have like a good like crew, a good posse that yeah, travels with you. 

They are all my best friends. I don't know. It just kind of, we just kind of linked up. Just kind of happened and it was not like forced or anything. Everyone has their talent, so it was kinda just a, “Hey, come on” type of thing. 

I've noticed you've kind of been stepping up your visuals. I know you're working with Aidan Cullen, how do you kind of go about that? Is it becoming more important to you? 

Now it is super important, when I have way more time on my hands. Yeah, I'm not like rushed or anything, so now I'm going to have it be like conceptual things from now on. Before it was just like all cool videos. Now it can be more concept based, more intimate. 

Could you see yourself going a Tyler, the Creator route and kind of branching out into different clothing opportunities or like, different branded stuff?

That is cool. I really want to do like more hiking stuff. I am from Indiana so hiking is not a thing. Walks are a thing, but hiking is not a thing. I'm just obsessed with that right now. I love going on hikes and hanging out and wearing tactical stuff. I'd love to like make a trail shoe or something. Hiking merch. 

Are you working on stuff right now? Like any big projects? 

Yeah, an album debut. You can expect a lot of good music. More manic this time. More personal.