Meet Omar Apolonio Velasco, better known as Omar Apollo — the singer, songwriter, and actor who has been trailblazing his way through the R&B scene with his crooning voice. The queer Latin American artist had his breakthrough in 2017 with “Ugotme” and later exploded on social media with viral hits like “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All),” amassing more than 500 million streams.
Along with steadily climbing the charts, Apollo has become a commanding force onstage, delivering standout performances at major music festivals like Coachella and Fuji Rock. As of 2026, he has completed six headline solo tours and opened for both SZA and Billie Eilish.
Omar Apollo’s ascent has been hard to miss — but if he’s just now landing on your radar, consider this your official introduction. Here are seven things to know about the artist slowly creeping onto your playlist and algorithm.
Homegrown in the Heartland
Born in Hobart, Indiana, to Mexican parents who immigrated from Guadalajara, Omar Apollo’s roots run deep in both the American Midwest and his family’s Mexican heritage. Raised alongside his three older siblings in a predominantly rural community, he watched his parents work multiple jobs to support their children without complaint. He cites them as both his and their community’s “pillars of strength.”
Apollo’s strong connection to family and his cultural heritage can be found in both his bilingual English-Spanish discography and the name he performs under. While he kept his birth first name as part of his moniker, “Apollo” is derived from his middle name Apolonio, passed down from his grandfather’s name and a clever nod to the Greek god of music. In 2020, he paid tribute to his Latin roots with his debut mixtape Apolonio, a nine-track sonic narrative reflecting on his familial connections and the traditions that have shaped his identity.
Spicy With Soul
Celebrity-backed food and lifestyle brands have become increasingly common — and Omar Apollo is no stranger to the movement. Before he was born, his family ran a taco shop called El Super Taco, where their homemade hot sauce became a local staple. In 2021, Apollo launched his own hot sauce brand, Disha Hot, based on a recipe passed down through generations of his family in Guadalajara.
While the first drop was in limited batches, Disha Hot quickly expanded in 2024 when Apollo partnered with Taco Bell for a wider rollout. Alongside Disha Hot Sauce packets, the franchise also released a limited-time “Disha Hot Discovery Box” for fans.
Cover Creator to Grammy Contender
Apollo’s call to performance and the arts began at an early age. As a child, he performed ballet folklórico (traditional Mexican folk dance) and sang in his Catholic church choir. After months of begging, his father gifted him his first guitar, an electric model without an amplifier. Apollo later traded it at a pawn shop for an acoustic guitar he could actually play and hear.
However, Apollo’s singing and songwriting journey truly began at seventeen, when he saved enough money from his part-time fast-food job to buy his own laptop and microphone. Too shy and embarrassed to sing in his family home, he took to his parents’ garage to practice his vocal technique and record his own music.
For a time, Apollo moved quietly through the digital underground, building a small following on SoundCloud and YouTube. His minute trajectory shifted drastically due to three things: Spotify, $30, and a bold dream. After borrowing money from a friend, he uploaded “Ugotme” to the platform. The track was added to the app’s Fresh Finds playlist, quickly introducing the Midwestern artist to a much wider global audience. Today, Apollo boasts more than 12 million monthly listeners and even a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist in 2023.
A Watery Awakening
Adolescence, as Apollo has publicly reflected, is often a disorienting period of self-discovery. Growing up in a heteronormative Midwestern environment, he faced both isolation and racial prejudice in his youth while also having to navigate his internal conflict of familial and religious expectations around sexuality. “I was 17 when it really hit me, and I remember I was in the shower like, ‘Damn, that’s crazy,’” he stated in an interview alongside openly-gay Mexican American fashion designer Willy Chavarria, speaking on religion and his queer identity.
In the early stages of Apollo’s career, he kept his sexuality deliberately vague despite hinting at it within his music. He described it as part of maintaining a “mystique” as an emerging artist. Over time, however, his elusiveness turned into openness, and he began to express himself and his sexuality without restraint. Today, Apollo is openly and proudly queer, using his platform to push back against the rigid expectations of “machismo” and the exaggerated ideal of masculinity.
More Than Words
Outside of his music, Apollo is an outspoken advocate for social and civic issues, often using his large platform to highlight causes tied to his identity and community. As a first-generation Mexican American artist, he’s been vocal about immigration rights and the importance of proper representation, aligning his public work with conversations about equity and cultural visibility. He has also participated in human rights initiatives such as the 2026 Artist for Aid benefit concert, which focused on raising support and aid for Sudan and Palestine amidst ongoing genocide.
In 2020, Apollo went to Los Angeles to headline musical venue The Ford’s first digital festival in partnership with Solidarity for Sanctuary, where he debuted his first corrido, “Dos Uno Nueve (219).” His social impact has also been formally recognized by the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, who honored him with the “Inspira Award” for his cultural influence and activism.
The Great Gemini Revelation
Born on May 20, 1997, Omar Apollo is technically a Taurus…or at least, that was what he believed for most of his life. Everything changed when he publicly announced that he had, in fact, been mistaken about his astrology sign due to a missing birth certificate, and that he is actually a Gemini. In an Instagram post jokingly titled “Gemini king,” he declared that this new revelation was “life changing” for him and that he hoped “the Gemini community welcomes [him] with open arms.”
The moment quickly became a playful bit among fans, reframing his astrological identity as something of a “cusp baby.” The term refers to someone who embodies the traits of the two signs they are closest to — in this case, both Taurus and Gemini. For Apollo, the duality is apparent in the versatility of his music, where he blends Taurus’ grounded sensuality with Gemini’s passionate, expressive nature.
Height Meets Haute
Standing at roughly 196 cm (6 feet 5 inches), Apollo’s height is one of his most immediately recognizable traits. On a practical level, it comes with its advantages. In his own words, there’s no need to strain himself to get a good view at a packed show or spot his friends in a crowd. With every advantage comes a drawback, however. For Apollo, that often means limited legroom in cars and airplanes and having to slouch when speaking with others.
In fashion circles, however, Apollo’s stature is an incredible asset. In January 2026, Coach appointed him as a new global ambassador to usher in the luxury fashion house’s next era, “Courage to Be Real.” He is set to appear in upcoming watch, eyewear, and fragrance campaigns, including the Coach Pure Platinum scent slated for Spring 2026.
These seven facts only scratch the surface of Omar Apollo’s journey. As he continues to evolve across music, fashion, and film, there’s still plenty more for new and old fans alike to discover. Dive into his extensive, yearning discography, then follow him on Instagram, X, and TikTok to see what he has planned next!
Searching for another R&B crooner to add to your playlists? Get to know Australian Filipino singer-songwriter grentperez!
