Last week, Omar Apollo (and his two opener Tora-i, and Deb Never) performed a magnificent set at the The Warfield in San Francisco, CA. Singing everything from crowd favorites such as “Kamikaze” and “Hey Boy,” to songs from his new album, Ivory, such as “Evergreen” and “En El Olvido,” Apollo left his crowd hypnotized by his performance.
The first time I witnessed Omar Apollo perform was back in 2018 at a university-sponsored show on UC Berkeley’s campus. To witness his growth from a young artist with only a handful of singles to a dynamic performer with 2 albums under his belt is a privilege. While he may have been a bit timid back in 2018, Omar Apollo is anything but that — he was super engaged with his audience, dancing and laughing with them, and has become an acclaimed artist, donning many Grammy nominations.
As a representative of the Latinx and LGBT+ community, Omar Apollo helped establish a safe space for all of his fans and proudly celebrated with them their collective identity. This positive energy engulfed the crowd, making it seem as if every person was a part of his family.
Words & Photos by Tovah Popilsky