Omar Apollo

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Omar Apolonio Velasco (born May 20, 1997), known professionally as Omar Apollo, is an American singer-songwriter. After signing a record deal with Warner Records, his debut album, Ivory, was released in 2022 to positive reviews and earned him a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. Apollo sings in both English and Spanish.

Early life Omar Apolonio Velasco was born on May 20, 1997, in Hobart, Indiana to Mexican parents who immigrated to the U.S. from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He grew up in Indiana with his three older siblings. His family had a taco shop before he was born called El Super Taco which popularized his family's hot sauce that he would later sell as Disha Hot Sauce. As a child, Apollo was a ballet folklorico dancer and he was also a part of his Catholic church choir. At age 17, he worked at McDonald's to save up enough money to buy a laptop and then a microphone which he used to learn how to sing and play by watching and mimicking YouTube cover videos.

Apollo was also taught by his uncle and he played music at church; In 2017, using $30 borrowed from a friend, he uploaded his song "Ugotme" to Spotify, where it was soon added to the platform's Fresh Finds and racked up 20,000 streams in a day. A year later, the song had more than 15 million streams. The EP featured production by rock producer John Shanks, who had previously worked with artists such as Michelle Branch and Melissa Etheridge. Apollo is managed by Shanks' son, Dylan, whom he met over Twitter in July 2017 when the latter booked Apollo for a university show at NYU. In late 2019, Apollo released the singles, "Frío" and "Hit Me Up" which are collaborations with producer Kenny Beats. In April 2020, Apollo released the single "Imagine U", another collaboration with Kenny Beats.

On August 7, 2020, Apollo released the lead single "Stayback" from his debut mixtape; and two weeks later released a remix featuring Bootsy Collins, whom Apollo has cited as an influence. On September 10, he released the second single "Kamikaze." On September 25, Apollo appeared on alternative R&B Japanese singer Joji's second album Nectar on the track "High Hopes." Apollo released two more singles, "Dos Uno Nueve (219)" and "Want U Around" (featuring Ruel) before releasing his first mixtape Apolonio on October 16, 2020.

2021–present: Ivory, Live for Me and God Said No

Apollo was featured on "Te olvidaste" by Spanish artist C. Tangana on his 2021 album El Madrileño. The song received two Latin Grammy Awards nominations for Record of the Year and Best Alternative Song. At the 65th Grammy Awards, Apollo was nominated for Best New Artist, his first Grammy nomination. He followed up with the single "Bad Life" featuring Kali Uchis, their second collaboration; "Hey Boy" from Apolonio was the first. In February 2022, Apollo released the single "Invincible" featuring Daniel Caesar and announced the release date for his debut album. The next month he released the singles "Killing Me" which included a live performance on The Tonight Show as well as "Tamagotchi," which was co-written and produced by The Neptunes. With the release of "Tamagotchi", Apple Music Up Next selected him as its featured artist for the month in April 2022.

Apollo released his debut studio album Ivory on April 8, 2022, and embarked on the Desvelado tour supporting the album. The album received mostly positive reviews with praises going towards Apollo's musical growth and vocal performance. It entered the Billboard 200 chart, marking his first-ever entry on the chart. In September 2022, the track "Evergreen" went viral on TikTok which helped boost the song to enter the Spotify and Apple Music charts and eventually debut on Billboard Hot 100 at number 62 for the week ending of October 1, 2022, earning Apollo his first-ever entry on the chart. In response to the rapid success, the song was chosen as the album's next single and was sent to contemporary hit radio on October 4, 2022, making it his first-ever radio single.

In addition to solo tours, Apollo also performed at the Coachella, Something in the Water, and All Points East music festivals in 2022. In early 2023, he opened for SZA on her SOS Tour. Later in 2023, Apollo was announced as the ambassador for the skincare brand Youth to the People. Omar also starred in the fall/winter 2023 men's campaign for the fashion house Loewe. In September, Apollo was honored with the Inspira Award at the 2023 Hispanic Heritage Awards.

In April 2024, Omar released the single "Spite," the first release from his second album God Said No. This was followed by the May 16 release of the second single "Dispose of Me".

The 14-track set was written over the course of a three-month stay in London in 2023, and was inspired by poets Mary Oliver, Victoria Chang, and Ocean Vuong. God Said No was recorded in London's Abbey Road Studios with executive producer Teo Halm with features from Mustafa and actor Pedro Pascal. The title was inspired by a friend's assessment of his recently ended relationship, which Apollo described as "I gave it my everything, and God said 'no.'" The album was released on June 28, 2024. In September 2024, Apollo made his acting debut in the Luca Guadagnino film Queer.

In 2023 Omar Apollo was the cover of issue 17 of Gayletter, photographed by Fabian Guerrero. In December 2024, Omar was named as part of Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 Music 2025 list.

Artistry and influences Apollo's music has primarily been described as R&B, alternative R&B, and pop with elements of soul, funk, hip hop, latin music, trap,

Apollo is gay and has denied queerbaiting allegations saying, 'It's not a choice, it's just what I am. [...] I'm totally aware of the privilege we have now to be ourselves and still have a career [...] people thought I was queerbaiting before. I wasn't super open about my sexuality, but people were hearing things. [...] It had a lot to do with me growing up in Indiana which is very conservative. I stopped putting pronouns in my music for a couple of years then I just realized, I can't let other people's opinions influence and dictate my life. In 2022 a tweet of his went viral addressing the queerbaiting rumors where he responded to a fan saying "i like his song but i don't like supporting straight men doing queerbaiting." Apollo wrote back "no i be sucking d-k fr" ... "from the back." In an interview in 2022, Apollo said, "I feel like in the beginning, [...] I was trying to keep the mystique. But I don't even care anymore [...] now I'm just like, I'm very gay."

As of August 2024, Apollo resides in Pasadena, California.

Discography

Studio albums + List of albums, with selected details and chart positions Title Details Peak chart positions US USHeat AUS Ivory Released: April 8, 2022 Label: Warner Format: CD, digital download, streaming, LP 74 1 — God Said No Released: June 28, 2024 Label: Warner Format: CD, digital download, streaming, LP, cassette 56 — 11 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart on the respective ranking.

Mixtapes + List of mixtapes, with selected details and chart positions Title Details Peak chart positionsUSHeat AUS CAN IRE NZ UK WW "Pram" 2017 — — — — — — — "Ugotme" — — — — — — — Stereo "Brakelights" — — — — — — — "Algo" (featuring Drayco McCoy) — — — — — — — "Unbothered" 2018 — — — — — — — "Heart" — — — — — — — "Erase" — — — — — — — Stereo "Ignorin" — — — — — — — "Today" (featuring Teo Halm) — — — — — — — Skate Kitchen (OST) "Trouble" 2019 — — — — — — — Friends "Ashamed" — — — — — — — "Friends" — — — — — — — "So Good" — — — — — — — "Frío" — — — — — — — "Hit Me Up" (with Dominic Fike and Kenny Beats) — — — — — — — "Imagine U" 2020 — — — — — — — "Stayback" — — — — — — — Apolonio "Kamikaze" — — — — — — — "Dos Uno Nueve (219)" — — — — — — — "Want U Around" (featuring Ruel) — — — — — — — "Go Away" 2021 — — — — — — — Ivory "Bad Life" (featuring Kali Uchis) — — — — — — — "Invincible" (featuring Daniel Caesar) 2022 — — — — — — — "Killing Me" — — — — — — — "Tamagotchi" — — — — — — — "Archetype" — — — — — — — Ivory (Marfil) "Highlight" — — — — — — — "Evergreen (You Didn't Deserve Me at All)" BPI: Gold MC: Platinum RMNZ: 2× Platinum Ivory "3 Boys" 2023— — — "Ice Slippin" — — — — — — — Live for Me "Live for Me" — — — — — — — "Spite" 2024 — — — — — — — God Said No "Dispose of Me" "Dispose of Me" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100 but did chart at No. 38 on the Hot Rock & Alternative Songs charts. — — — — — — Queer "Hecho Para Ti" (with Latin Mafia) 2025 — — — — — — — "—" denotes a recording that did not chart on the respective ranking.

As featured artist + List of singles as featured artist, showing title, year released, and album name Title Year Peak chart positions Album USRock (Billy Lemos featuring Omar Apollo and Maxwell Young) 2017 — Self "Day by Day" (Burns Twins featuring Sam Hudgens and Omar Apollo) — "Bleed" (Malcolm Todd featuring Omar Apollo) 2025 20 Malcolm Todd

Other charted songs + List of other charted songs, with chart position, showing year released and album name Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumUSRock SPA "High Hopes"(Joji featuring Omar Apollo) 2020 31 — Nectar "Te Olvidaste"(C. Tangana with Omar Apollo) 2021 — 17 El Madrileño "—" denotes a recording that did not chart on the respective ranking.

Guest appearances + List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name Title Year Other artist(s) Album "Feel Good" 2017 Kopano Just in Time for Love "Ipanema" 2019 Still Woozy, Elujay Lately "Late Night Lovin'" Deaton Chris Anthony, Jean Dawson, Korbin in Orbit BO Y "Care" 2021 Benny Blanco Friends Keep Secrets 2 "Still" 2022 Kenny Beats Louie "Worth the Wait" 2023 Kali Uchis Red Moon in Venus "Buyer's Remorse" Daniel Caesar Never Enough"Living Alone"2026Jack HarlowMonica

Music videos + List of music videos, showing year released and director(s) Title Year Director "W/U" / "JRUGZ" 2017 Lonewolf, Vin "Pram" / "Brakelights" Darien Eldridge, Vin, Lonewolf "Unbothered" 2018 Kevin Lombardo "Ugotme" Mikey Alfred "Ignorin" Lonewolf "Erase" Kevin Lombardo "Trouble" 2019 Aidan Cullen "Ashamed" Jimmy Regular "So Good" Kevin Lombardo "Kickback" Matthew Dillon Cohen "Stayback" 2020 Aidan Cullen "Kamikaze" "Go Away" 2021 Jenna Marsh "Bad Life"(featuring Kali Uchis) Alfred Marroquin and Omar Apollo "Invincible"(featuring Daniel Caesar) 2022 Stillz "Tamagotchi" Jake Nava "Evergreen (You Didn't Deserve Me At All)" rubberband "Ice Slippin" 2023 "Live For Me" David Heofs (Bandiz) "Spite" 2024 "Done With You" Mitch Ryan

Songwriting credits + List of songs written or co-written for other artists, showing year released and album name Title Year Artist(s) Album "Amanecer" 2024 Danna Paola Childstar

Tours Headlining The W.A.N.T. Tour (2018) The Voyager Tour (2019) The Speed of Sound Tour (2019) Desvelado Tour (2022) The Prototype Tour (2022) God Said No World Tour (2024)

Supporting SZA - SOS Tour (2023) Billie Eilish - Happier Than Ever, The World Tour (2023)

Filmography Film + Year Title Role Note 2024 Queer Chimu Bar guy TBA Tyrant TBA Filming

Accolades and achievements Award Year Recipient(s) and nominee(s) Category Result GLAAD Media Awards 2023 Omar Apollo Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist 2025 God Said No Outstanding Music Artist GQ Australia Men of the Year Awards 2024 Omar Apollo International Artist of the Year Grammy Awards 2023 Omar Apollo Best New Artist Hispanic Heritage Awards 2023 Omar Apollo Inspira Award Latin Grammy Awards 2021 "Te Olvidaste" Record of the Year Best Alternative Song MTV Europe Music Awards 2022 Omar Apollo Best Push MTV Video Music Awards 2022 "Tamagotchi" Push Performance of the Year Premios Juventud 2026 "Hecho para ti" (with Latin Mafia) Best Pop Song – New Generation Queerties Awards 2023 Omar Apollo Best Breakout Musical Artist 2024 "Ice Slippin" Best Anthem 2025 "Spite" Best Anthem Rolling Stone en Español Awards 2023 Omar Apollo Breakout Star of the Year UK Music Video Awards 2022 "Invincible" Best R&B/Soul Video – International 2024 "Spite" "Dispose of Me" Best Live Video Variety Hitmakers 2022 Omar Apollo Future Icon WOWIE Awards 2023 Omar Apollo Best New Artist