Omar Apollo has released his first taste of new music since his Grammy nomination earlier this month. The Mexican-American singer sings the blues in his new single “3 Boys.”
Omar received a nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards this year. He faced competition from another Latine act, Brazilian superstar Anitta. The award that can only be once in an artist’s career ended up going to jazz singer Samara Joy. Though Omar didn’t win, he certainly got a lot more exposure from the nomination. Now, he’s releasing his single since the Grammy fanfare.
Omar wrote “3 Boys” with Mustafa, Nathan Phillips, and the song’s producer, Sir Dylan. Sir Dylan co-produced Rosalía’s hit singles like “Despechá” and The Weeknd-assisted “La Fama” from her MOTOMAMI album. Backed by doo-wop beats, Omar’s voice soars as he sings about the possibility of his partner having another man on the side. “I know there’s some things you can’t speak / But thoughts of a third make me weak,” he croons. Omar channels his heartache into a soulful and stunning ode to being sprung.
“When I first started writing songs I would often write about unrequited love,” he shared in a statement. “Eventually I wrote songs about the complexities that come with a relationship. ‘3 Boys’ was my first time writing about something non-monogamous. Having more than one person to talk to.”
The lyric video released for “3 Boys” shows a man’s face getting pushed against a car window. Omar’s fans love his new song. On Twitter, one fan wrote, “3 boys by omar apollo hits so good right now.” Another fan wrote with a crying emoji, “The way I can’t stop listening to 3 Boys. The melody, his voice, alllll of it.”
In a few days, Omar will be the opening act for SZA’s S.O.S. Tour. SZA’s tour kicks off on Feb. 22 in Columbus, Ohio.
Listen to “3 Boys” below.