I’ve been a fan of artist Omar Apollo since hearing “Kamikaze” off his hit 2020 album, “Apolonio”, but the singer-songwriter has been releasing music since his first single, “Ugotme”, in 2017. With his fourth upcoming solo album and collaborations with artists like Benny Blanco, Daniel Caesar and Joji (to name a few), his rise to fame is no surprise. It’s also largely due to his versatility — the bilingual singer’s music has been categorized under multiple genres including retro-soul, indie pop, alternative rock and contemporary R&B. Chances are you’ve heard one of his songs before.
Omar Apollo’s story and rise to fame is inspirational. As a first-generation Mexican kid living in white Indiana, he was subject to racism, prejudice, bullying and receiving comments like “You’re not a drug dealer, are you?” His parents motivated him to not be bothered by this and continue to embrace himself and his culture. Apollo always had a love for music, and at age twelve, he began learning to sing and play guitar from YouTube videos. After realizing college was not for him, he began focusing exclusively on his music career. Apollo dropped several singles, including “{}[]” and “Brakelights”, which gained him his initial following. Today, he is an amazing role-model for Chicano kids who are afraid their success will be hindered by their racial background and identity. Apollo is also known for defying stereotypical norms; he was named the “blue-haired, gender-rebellious, Mexican American prince” by the LA Times. His identity and exploration of sexuality via artistic style have drawn many fans from the LGBTQ+ community.
Last week, Apollo announced his fourth album: “Ivory”. Here’s what we know so far: the album, dropping on April 8, 2022, will contain 16 tracks which include previously released “Bad Life” featuring Kali Uchis and “Go Away”. He announced the album with “Invincible” featuring Daniel Caesar and a music video for the song which explores the complexities of love, sexuality and longing like much of his other music does. He will also be touring the country after the album drops, making a stop at the popular music festival Coachella. While we don’t know titles of the other 13 tracks, these newest three songs plus his older music should get you excited for “Ivory”. If you need me, I’ll be listening to his old hits on repeat for the next two months.