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Photo: Cam Hicks

Omar Apollo’s highly anticipated Live For Me EP has officially landed and as expected, it’s better than we expected. 

As he basks in the afterglow of his 2022 album Ivory and announcing his co-headline at the Madison Square Garden with Daniel Caesar, Apollo is humbly aware of the chokehold he has on the indie pop-R&B realm. There isn’t much he could do wrong, though that hasn’t confined him to safety. Instead, he’s chosen to produce a project that’s deeply personal and reminiscent of his journey—from loss to rejection to broken identity. Accompanied by the previously released single “Ice Slippin,” we’re introduced to three new tracks that deepen the world’s knowledge of who Apollo truly is. 

“Too young to be an angel,” Apollo speaks to the precious innocence of “Angel” and the fragility of untimely loss. He enlists autotune as a creative tool, though it only amplifies the grit of Apollo’s outpouring rather than diluting it. “Pilot” reaches in just as softly yet deeply, as he shares, “These four songs are a reflection of the realities I've had to face in the last few years. Coming to terms with the person I was becoming and letting go of the old to be able to feel like myself and whatever purity I had left. Addressing parts of me I've compartmentalized, leaving myself feeling a bit exposed. I know it’s only four songs but they hold a lot of the weight I've been carrying throughout my life. I feel lighter now and ready for the next phase of whatever life has to offer.”

With chilling layered harmonies, the title track “Live For Me” stands apart as one of Apollo’s most promising tracks to date. Reminiscent of Drake’s “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” Apollo delivers fierce vocals and an orchestra of strings that punch the gut.

Apollo leans into the discomfort of being seen on Live For Me, celebrating his glass bones rather than hiding within layers of armor. For an artist with enough hold to skate by on what’s guaranteed and catchy, the bravery of this project only reinforces his longevity. 

Listen to Live For Me below: