Few artists had a monumental 2022 like Omar Apollo. A stunning album in Ivory took his artistry to new heights while “Evergreen” became his most successful song to date — resulting in a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
Although his 2023 is just beginning, it appears destined to launch him into the stratosphere. Ahead of his tour with SZA kicking off later this month, he shared his latest single “3 Boys” on Friday (Feb. 18) to further pull listeners into his love-torn allure.
Production from Dylan Wiggins utilizes a similar soundscape that was heard across Ivory, as Omar weaves between soft, sultry vocals and emphatic, vulnerable explorations of the mental turmoil he is going through. The instrumental further advances these confusing emotions, creating the perfect pair for Omar’s emotion riddled lines as he sings, “Three boys would work if I wasn’t so tethered to you.”
Speaking on the meaning of the track, Omar shared, “When I first started writing songs I would often write about unrequited love. 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.”
“I wrote the song on a rainy day in London. I spent most of December there, mostly just because I wanted to get out of America. I ended up going to the studio more than I thought I would. I wrote the song with a friend of mine, Dylan Wiggins. It seemed like we were both in the same mind state for a song like this. The song wrote itself really quickly. I also had my friend Mustafa help me with a few lines after I played it for him.“
Omar Apollo on “3 Boys”
Although “3 Boys” arrives as just a loosie, there will almost certainly be more to come from Omar throughout the year.
Listen to ‘3 Boys’ by Omar Apollo below!
