omar incoming

Omar Apollo has finished working on his new Beyoncé-inspired album & the gays are going feral

Omar Apollo sits in a white tank top looking off. He has an earring in his right ear, messy black hair, and rests his hand on his chin

A new Omar Apollo album is imminent–– and if his new single “Spite” is any indication, we’re about to “like it / like I do, like I do, like me.”

The 26-year-old alt-pop singer has been hard at work in the studio crafting his sophomore record –– while making time for the occasional thirst trap –– but as he just alerted his Instagram followers: “Album turned in, [I’ll] let God do the rest.”

No release date yet, but we’re thrilled to know it’s en route!

While the queer songwriter rose to fame with “sad boi” vibes (and we still aren’t over his sobering coming-out ballad “Ice Slippin” from last year’s Live for Me EP), it sounds like he’s having a lot more fun time this time around.

Even if the boys are still pissing him off!

It’s certainly evident on “Spite,” where he calls out an irresistible lover who’s not ready to make it official: “Why you gotta ruin every night? / 50K, I spend it out of spite / Every time I see you on my phone / Hate that I still need you in my life.”

He’s even recruiting fans to spill the tea on their worst ex-relationships on TikTok with #MySpiteStory for a chance to win a call from Omar himself. The contest runs through April 30.

(Imagine an old flame drudging up your baggage on the most-popular social app and then getting to chat with Apollo one-on-one?! We’re already forgetting why we broke up in the first place….)

That being said, the bop also has an undeniable groove we can’t resist dancing to. And Apollo can’t either! “You know I love the spin,” he wrote alongside a video of him showing off his moves. Swoon!

@omar.apollo

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♬ Spite – Omar Apollo

Perhaps he took some notes from Beyoncé, a noted queen of choreography. As Apollo told Rolling Stone, he’s been “listening to a lot of [her]” for inspiration. Especially her pivotal fourth record 4, which he called “insane.”

That’s not all though. He’s also been taking influence from genre-spawning artists like Jeff Buckley, Daniel Johnston, and LGBTQ+ faves like Lana Del Rey and Kate Bush. Another win for the gays!

“It’s back to my old longing-for-love vibe, but it’s reimagined,” he told Rolling Stone of the sound, adding, “The album doesn’t feel like it’s a bunch of songs put together. It’s a sequence that is made to be listened to front to back. That’s what I love about it.”

More good news? It sounds like his time partying in London’s LGBTQ+ gay scene directly inspired one house-fused track in particular.

“I wanted something people could just be at the club with, because when you think of my music, you don’t think about the club,” he told Rolling Stone. “So I’m like, ‘F*ck, I need some club sh*t.'”

Could this be “Rush 2.0”? Quite possibly.

And while he recently asked fans whether they “wanna cry or dance” with his next single –– is both an option?! –– Apollo isn’t taking a ton of critiques this time around.

Fittingly, he revealed that the majority of his upcoming record was reportedly shaped with little feedback from the industry or even his closest friends.

“[Music] shouldn’t be a bunch of opinions, because then it doesn’t become art,” he explained. “It becomes other people’s art, and then it becomes an act of service, which I don’t think art is. I think art is a reflection of your soul and emotions.”

It reminds us of a powerful quote from fellow pop star Charli XCX, who once boldly said via graphic tee: “They don’t build statues of critics.”

Apollo does, in fact, already have his own statues. Albeit ones chiseled out of ice for a chilling promo stunt.

Nevertheless, there is one person whose taste still matters: his mother.

Before Apollo’s music took off, he was hawking Disha Hot, an “all-natural, gluten-free/vegan hot sauce” based on his mom’s special recipe.

Now, it’s headed to every bottom’s worst nightmare Taco Bell, where it’s getting its own exclusive sauce packet amongst other culinary big-swings like the Cheez-It Crunchwrap and a Salt & Straw ice cream chocolate taco.

“It feels good because [my mom] crossed the border from Mexico and opened up a restaurant,” he explained.

“When I was born, it became too much, so she had to shut it down. This was the hot sauce she used in the restaurant, so it’s me being like, ‘Since I made you get the restaurant shut down by being born, this is how I’m paying you back.'” Awww!

This should go without saying, but when it comes to Apollo, we are down to taste it all! 👏

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