Omar Apollo

Frank Ocean Spotted At SZA’s Tour

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Three of R&B’s most acclaimed and beloved artists just had an insanely rare crossover moment. Frank Ocean was recently spotted at SZA’s tour stop in Inglewood, California, and a video surfaced of him watching Omar Apollo perform. Of course, such an appearance is incredibly uncommon, as the Blonde singer is known most for his unknown movements. In fact, many on social media started speculating that Frank and Omar are back together. As some may remember, they’ve been a rumored couple for a while now. Regardless, it’s exciting to see the “Ivy” star back in the public eye, especially ahead of some potentially big moves.

Moreover, people are incredibly excited for his upcoming headlining spot at Coachella, which some fans still can’t believe. Given that this isn’t the first teased appearance from the 35-year-old at the festival, many are skeptical. Also, there’s the added factor of no full-length projects since 2016. Only a couple of singles held die-hards over. Still, perhaps this is a sign that we’ll see more of him in the future, although it’s doubtful that he misses the attention.

Frank Ocean Pops Up At SZA Tour

There’s such a buzz around the Odd Future alum whenever his name pops up that people freaked out over an edited picture of him with long hair. Many immediately thought that he would come out of hiding debuting a new look. Instead, they realized they just sought confirmation bias when it was revealed to be fake. Even though he stays pretty offline, his impact and continuous influence on music goes beyond any public appearance. As one of the most simultaneously successful and low-key artists of our generation, even the world’s biggest superstars can’t hold a candle to his acclaim.

Despite all that praise, maybe hope for new music won’t be enough to keep fans from lashing out at him. After all, some of his extracurricular moves drew some controversy and pushback from hardcore fans and casuals alike. For example, his brand Homer released cock rings for $25,000. That got as clowned as it was criticized, but it means nothing in the face of a song like “Pyramids.” With that in mind, come back to HNHH for the latest on Frank Ocean, the little we get to see of him, and what his next move may be.

Kali Uchis’ Releases Love-Laced LP, “Red Moon In Venus”

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New music is coming in heavy this Friday (March 3). The latest offering comes from Kali Uchis who’s just released her long-awaited third studio album, Red Moon in Venus. The album’s title is a reference to the rare astronomical event that occurs when a red moon aligns with Venus, the planet of love. Kali Uchis uses this metaphor as she explores the highs and lows of romantic relationships throughout the ethereal 15-track project.

The Colombian-American singer-songwriter’s unique blend of R&B, Latin, and Pop music has made her a standout star, and her new LP is one of the greatest examples of Uchis’ creative prowess. Red Moon in Venus leads with a delicate message to Uchis’ lover in the opener “in My Garden…,” floating forward to the dreamy “I Wish You Roses” single. The album continues on with lush ballads and production from Kali herself, along with Benny Blanco, WondaGurl, Darkchild and more. Red Moon in Venus also sees features from Summer Walker, Don Toliver, and longtime collaborator Omar Apollo.

Listen to Kali Uchis’ “Red Moon In Venus”

On Kali Uchis’ vulnerable “Fantasy” track with partner Don Toliver, the songstress voices her love languages and relationship goals. “Babe if you don’t worship me it just don’t work for me / Love all on me (everyone needs love) / Forget all the foolery, stay on me like jewelry / On my body, don’t let go of me,” she sings. Toliver doesn’t take her words in jest, and even admits he wants to start a family with the bilingual vocalist. The song’s production is more upbeat than most on Red Moon in Venus, and is a lofty continuation of their previously-released collaboration “4 Me.”

The album takes a turn from the more intense, lovey tracks as we listen to Kali and Summer Walker’s “Deserve Me” single, teased earlier this week. The crooners’ voices transcend on the four-minute track as they air their grievances about failing unions. True to form, Kali Uchis incorporates her signature Latin lyrics, which she also does on Red Moon’s “Como Te Quiero Yo” and “Hasta Cuando.” Uchis’ new project can now be streamed on Apple Music, Spotify, and SoundCloud.

Red Moon In Venus Tracklist:

  1. in My Garden…
  2. I Wish you Roses
  3. Worth the Wait — ft. Omar Apollo
  4. Love Between…
  5. All Mine
  6. Fantasy — ft. Don Toliver
  7. Como Te Quiero Yo
  8. Hasta Cuando
  9. Endlessly
  10. Moral Conscience
  11. Not Too Late (interlude)
  12. Blue
  13. Deserve Me — Kali Uchis & Summer Walker
  14. Moonlight
  15. Happy Now

[Via]

SZA Postpones Philly Show, Headliner Omar Apollo Still Performs

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On February 21st, SZA commenced her SOS Tour, so far hitting seven cities including Boston, Chicago, and Denver. The Grammy Award winner was set to perform in Philidelphia on Thursday (March 2) but unexpectedly postponed the show the morning of. SZA, who just accepted the 2023 Woman of the Year award at the Billboard Women In Music event the night prior, was expected to travel from Los Angeles for her Thursday performance. Although the reason for cancellation is uncertain, it is likely due to issues that occurred on her cross-country trip.

The show was supposed to be held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly. The venue took to Twitter Thursday morning to announce the abrupt change in plans. “The SZA performance scheduled for today at Wells Fargo Center is postponed,” the tweet read, “fans are encouraged to hold onto their tickets for the rescheduled date to be announced shortly. All tickets will be honored.” The 33-year-old singer also took to the platform to issue her own apology, writing “Phillyyyy I REALLY wanted to see you tonight but due to unforeseen logistical/ production issues we’re FORCED to reschedule.”

Despite SZA’s Cancellation, The Show Goes On

Headlining for SZA during the SOS Tour is 25-year-old singer Omar Apollo. Fusing together R&B and pop, Apollo especially gained recognition in hip-hop for his track “Evergreen.” The song was included on his debut studio album, Ivory, which dropped in April 2022. Additionally, the artist earned additional recognition last month for receiving his first Grammy nomination. Needless to say, Apollo achieved a successful year of career growth, similar to SZA’s gains with her sophomore album.

Although the tour’s Philly performance has been canceled, Apollo has found a way to make the show go on. He announced a “secret show” in New York City, which would replace the original set that would have been happening just a few hours away. Immediately, his impromptu concert, which was set at Irving Plaza, sold out of tickets. But, fans are still awaiting the new dates for SZA’s Philly show. As of now, she is set to perform a two-night run at Madison Square Garden on March 4th and 5th. For more news on hip-hop and pop culture, be sure to check out HNHH.

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SZA Just Postponed A Philadelphia Concert, But That Won’t Stop Opener Omar Apollo From Putting On A Show Anyway

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sza
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SZA’s SOS tour has been off to a great start so far. However, it appears it has hit a sudden bump in the road, as her Philadelphia show for tonight (March 2) was postponed for a later date, according to a new announcement from the Wells Fargo Center venue.

“The SZA performance scheduled for today at Wells Fargo Center is postponed,” they posted. “Fans are encouraged to hold onto their tickets for the rescheduled date to be announced shortly. All tickets will be honored.”

Because of this, her tour opener, Omar Apollo, revealed he was doing a new “secret show” in NYC instead as a solo act. Tickets for his concert at Irving Plaza promptly sold out. Apollo is expected to take the stage after doors open at 8:30pm.

As some fans on social media have pointed out, the line for his one-night-only show is also seemingly already piling up, with a photo posted about an hour ago.

Yesterday, she attended Billboard‘s Women In Music event in Los Angeles, as she was the recipient of Woman Of The Year — so it’s possible the time and distance could have caused the delay.

SZA’s tour will presumably continue with the next scheduled tour dates, which is a two-night run at Madison Square Garden this Saturday (March 4) and Sunday (March 5). More information on her upcoming concerts is available here.

Omar Apollo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

What Is Omar Apollo’s Song Setlist For The ‘SOS Tour’ With SZA?

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Omar Apollo Warner Music Group Pre-Grammy Party 2023
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The year is filled to the brim with highly-anticipated concert tours and festivals. Chart-topping recording artist SZA’s SOS Tour is near the top of the list. The “Kill Bill” singer launched her North American tour wing of her tour yesterday (February 21) in Columbus, Ohio, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center.

Over the next few weeks, the songwriter will embark on a 15-city tour with support from singer Omar Apollo. The Grammy Best New Artist nominee has quickly gained a fan base due to his deeply emotional approach, which will fit in perfectly with SZA’s discography while on tour. Although SZA’s setlist will fluctuate across each night’s performance, Omar Apollo’s growing fame and discography doesn’t offer as much flexibility.

According to setlist.fm, Omar’s setlist is a mix of both fun and sad songs. View Omar Apollo’s setlist and the remaining SOS Tour dates below.

1. “Useless”
2. “Killing Me”
3. “Endlessly”
4. “3 Boys”
5. “Petrified”
6. “Invincible”
7. “Tamagotchi”
8. “Kamikaze”
9. “Want U Around”
10. “Evergreen”
11. “Go Away”

02/24 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
02/25 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
02/27 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
02/28 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
03/02 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
03/04 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
03/07 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
03/09 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
03/10 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
03/13 — San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
03/14 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
03/16 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
03/18 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center
03/19 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
03/22 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Kia Forum

Omar Apollo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

What Songs Should You Expect SZA To Play On Her ‘SOS Tour?’

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SZA Mac Miller A Celebration Of Life 2018
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SZA is an undeniable force in music. As her sophomore album, SOS, continues to break records on the music charts or serve as the inspiration behind a few tongue-in-cheek TikToks by other famous musicians, fans can’t get enough of the project. Now, with the launch of the album’s supporting tour, concertgoers are beginning to wonder what they should expect as the “Kill Bill” singer makes her way to their city.

Yesterday (February 21), after opening the North American wing in Columbus, Ohio, at The Jerome Schottenstein Center, the internet is buzzing about which tracks of the songwriter’s discography made the cut. According to setlist.fm, SZA has a melting pot of her solo music featured during her show. In addition to her new music, fan-favorite tracks from her debut album Ctrl, the Black Panther soundtrack, and her older EPs, as well as songs from artists she’s inspired by.

View the setlist below, but don’t hold the singer to it. As the tour progresses, SZA shared on Twitter that nothing is set in stone, writing, “all imma say is the set list will fluctuate. Everything will have its day.”

1. “PSA”
2. “Seek & Destroy”
3. “Notice Me”
4. “Conceited”
5. “Love Galore”
6. “Broken Clocks”
7. “Forgiveless”
8. “Used”
9. “Bag Lady” (Erykah Badu cover)
10. “Blind”
11. “Shirt”
12. “Smoking On My Ex Pack”
13. “All The Stars”
14. “Prom”
15. “Garden (Say It Like Dat)”
16. “F2F”
17. “Drew Barrymore”
18. “Doves in the Wind”
19. “Low”
20. “Open Arms”
21. “Supermodel”
22. “Special”
23. “Nobody Gets Me”
24. “Gone Girl”
25. “SOS”
26. “Kiss Me More” (Doja Cat cover)
27. “Love Language”
28. “Snooze”
29. “Kill Bill”
30. “I Hate U”
31. “The Weekend”
32. “Good Days

See below for the remaining dates for the SOS Tour.

02/24 — Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena
02/25 — Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena
02/27 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
02/28 — Boston, MA @ TD Garden
03/02 — Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center
03/04 — New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden
03/07 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
03/09 — Austin, TX @ Moody Center
03/10 — Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
03/13 — San Diego, CA @ Viejas Arena
03/14 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
03/16 — Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena
03/18 — Portland, OR @ Moda Center
03/19 — Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
03/22 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Kia Forum

Omar Apollo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Omar Apollo Decides That Three’s A Crowd On His New Single ‘3 Boys’

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Just days away from hitting the road with SZA on her upcoming SOS tour, Omar Apollo has shared some new music. On his latest, “3 Boys,” the openly queer singer/songwriter details the feelings of holding onto a special kind of love, but not wanting to share it with anyone else.

While Apollo seems to entertain the idea of polyamory or ethical non-monogamy of some sort, he immediately realizes that he cannot do it, as he is only drawn to one person in the hypothetical triad.

“Three boys would work if I wasn’t so tethered to you / What should I do? / I can’t even choose / I’m tethered to you,” he sings on the song’s chorus, over a smooth, hypnotic beat.

In a recent interview with Billboard, Apollo revealed that as he’s been putting out more and more music, he’s become more comfortable expressing his sexuality.

“I wasn’t super open about my sexuality, but people were hearing things,” he said. “In Indiana people were saying, ‘He’s not even gay, he’s just doing that to be artist-y.’ I always thought it was funny because the reality of my life is not that; it’s not a choice, it’s just what I am. You have to laugh at things like that.”

You can listen to “3 Boys” above.

Omar Apollo is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Spotify’s Best New Artist Event Showcased The 2023 Grammy Nominees’ Diverse Talent

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anitta, maneksin, latto
Getty Image/Ralph Ordaz

It’s no secret that the Recording Academy has faced a diversity problem for many years. This time around, they’ve made some intentional inclusive strides. This year, they invited about “2,000 diverse music creators and professionals” into the voting process — according to CEO Harvey Mason Jr. — nearly half of whom are under the age of 40. Another key change the Recording Academy has made to the Grammys is expanding their major categories to include ten nominees. That’s double the number of nominees they had four years ago, allowing musicians of many different genres to earn much-deserved recognition.

That means there are ten artists up for the coveted Best New Artist trophy in 2023, and Spotify’s Best New Artist showcase placed the category’s diversity on full display. The event brought all ten artists to the stage — Anitta, Omar Apollo, Domi & JD Beck, Muni Long, Samara Joy, Latto, Måneskin, Tobe Nwigwe, Molly Tuttle, and Wet Leg — at Los Angeles’ Pacific Design Center on Thursday, February 2nd. Each musician was able to give the audience a taste of their talent, and each performance was wildly different from the last.

The night kicked off with an intimate set from Domi & DJ Beck. The young duo, who are 22 and 19 respectively, juxtaposed their smooth, jazz-leaning sound with their brightly colored personal style. Samara Joy kept the loungey jazz going by showing off her entrancing vocals and putting her own unique spin on a cover of Adele’s “Someone Like You.” Americana folk rocker Molly Tuttle wow’d with her hit track “Crooked Trees,” joined by an adept banjo player and an upright bass guitarist. Tobe Nwigwe and his entourage made clever use of the stage by dressing in matching mint green outfits and enticing the crowd to harmonize before Omar Apollo similarly led a tender sing-along to his soulful number “Evergreen.”

When it came time for overseas rock, Måneskin and indie rock favorites Wet Leg did not disappoint. Italian Eurovision Song Contest winners Måneskin exuded the cool factor, making the audience forget they were in a small venue and not witnessing a stadium tour. Wet Leg closed out the night in a similar fashion, hyping up the crowd with a rendition of “Chaise Longe” that inspired a small-but-mighty mosh pit.

Spotify’s event also allowed attendees to see how a handful of the Best New Artist nominees aren’t just musicians, they’re seasoned performers. Anitta, Muni Long, and Latto made use of the entire stage with a crew of talented backup dancers. Long, a Def Jam signee whose track “Hrs & Hrs” had viral stint on TikTok, brought four male dancers to the stage to deliver moves reminiscent of the ’90s boyband era. Anitta also brought the energy. Though the Brazilian pop star is used to gracing massive festival stages across the world, she still managed to deliver a show-stopping performance to the (relatively) small crowd with tracks like “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Envolver.”

From rap and Latin pop to bluegrass, jazz, and stadium rock, the 2023 Best New Artist category is nothing if not varied in sound. And no matter who ends up taking home the category’s trophy on Sunday, Spotify’s Best New Artist party made one thing clear: The Recording Academy is making an effort celebrate music from all genres equally.

See the full list of 2023 Grammy nominees here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

The Best Songs of 2022

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Image via Complex Original

  • Lil Yachty, “Poland”


  • Marshmello & Tokischa, “Estilazo”


  • Ravyn Lenae & Steve Lacy, “Skin Tight”


  • SleazyWorld Go f/ Lil Baby, “Sleazy Flow (Remix)”


  • Rico Nasty f/ Bibi Bourelly, “One On 5”


  • Don Toliver, “Do It Right”


  • BIA f/ J. Cole, “London”


  • Yeat, “Poppin”


  • Karol G, “Provenza”


  • Nas, “First Time”


  • ASAP Rocky f/ Playboi Carti, “Our Destiny”


  • Central Cee, “Doja”


  • Lil Baby, “California Breeze”


  • Ari Lennox f/ Lucky Daye, “Boy Bye”


  • Baby Keem, “Highway 95”


  • Cash Cobain & Chow Lee, “JHoliday”


  • Lil Durk f/ Future, “Petty Too”


  • DJ Khaled f/ Rick Ross, Lil Wayne & Jay-Z, “God Did”


  • Doja Cat, “Vegas”


  • Joey Badass, “Survivors Guilt”


  • Flo Milli, “Conceited”


  • Gunna f/ Young Thug & Future, “Pushin P”


  • City Girls f/ Usher, “Good Love”


  • Harry Styles, “As It Was”


  • SZA, “Low”


  • Quavo & Takeoff, “Hotel Lobby”


  • Denzel Curry, “X-Wing”


  • Doechii, “Persuasive”


  • The Weeknd, “Out of Time”


  • Benny the Butcher f/ J. Cole, “Johnny P’s Caddy”


  • Future f/ Drake & Tems, “Wait For U”


  • Vince Staples & Mustard, “Magic”


  • GloRilla f/ Cardi B, “Tomorrow 2”


  • Omar Apollo, “Tamagotchi”


  • Smino f/ J. Cole, “90 Proof”


  • Drake, “Sticky”


  • Ice Spice, “Munch (Feelin’ You)”


  • Pharrell Williams f/ Tyler, the Creator & 21 Savage, “Cash In Cash Out”


  • JID f/ 21 Savage & Baby Tate, “Surround Sound”


  • Kay Flock f/ Cardi B, Dougie B, Bory300, “Shake It (Remix)”


  • Metro Boomin & Young Thug, “Metro Spider”


  • Kendrick Lamar, “N95”


  • Pusha-T, “Diet Coke”


  • Steve Lacy, “Bad Habit”


  • Beyoncé, “Cuff It”


  • Burna Boy, “Last Last”


  • Bad Bunny, “Tití Me Preguntó”


  • Lil Uzi Vert, “Just Wanna Rock”


  • Hitkidd & GloRilla, “FNF”


  • Drake f/ 21 Savage, “Jimmy Cooks”