Omar Apollo, “Evergreen (Live)” | Track Review 🎵

Genre-bending Mexican American artist Omar Apollo wows on “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All),” recorded live at NPR’s Tiny Desk.

Far too many folks slept on my boy, 🎙 Omar Apollo, in 2022, sigh.  Everyone who didn’t get on the bandwagon, it’s your loss! The handsome, Chicano standout from Indiana released a marvelous debut album, 💿 Ivory, as well as an expanded edition, 💿 Ivory (Marfil).  Omar is honest about heartbreak, particularly on a personal favorite record, 🎵 “Evergreen”.  Another thing that stands out about “Evergreen” is the transparency with which Apollo sings about a defunct relationship: “Evergreen, he controls me / Was there something wrong with my body?” Yes, it’s a he who has Omar feeling so sad.

“She don’t know you like me

She could never love you more

More than me

But sometimes I pray that you fall in love…”

Clearly, Apollo was totally infatuated with him, so much so that he sometimes pray his ex falls in love.  “Evergreen” has gained Omar Apollo some success on the Billboard Hot 100.  Notably, he released 🎵 “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All) [Live At NPR’s Tiny Desk]” as a single – a brilliant move.  The live take is absolutely stunning – the highlight of his Tiny Desk concert for Latinx Heritage Month. The live instrumentation is part of the allure, with horns – 🎙 Fabian Anthony Chavez (saxophone) and 🎙 Marcus Clayton Paul (trumpet) – adding color.  Also adding color are the background vocals by 🎙 Astyn Turrentine, 🎙 Phylicia Hill, and 🎙 Brian Antonio Gazo Martinez, who support Apollo’s lead superbly.  Of course, the main attraction is none other than Omar, who masterfully and expressively shares his love pains through this gorgeous record.  The fact that he sings so great in a live setting is impressive – he proves he’s the real deal.

Final Thoughts 💭 

I can’t rave enough about Omar Apollo.  Hopefully, more and more people realize he’s an incredibly gifted artist totally worth supporting.  Personally, I had already fallen in love with him and the studio version of 🎵 “Evergreen”, but I have even greater adoration after viewing and hearing 🎵 “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All) [Live At NPR’s Tiny Desk]”.  It’s epic!

🎙 Omar Apollo • 🎵 “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All) [Live At NPR’s Tiny Desk]” • 🏷 Warner • 🗓 10.14.22

[📷: Brent Faulkner, The Musical Hype, OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay, Warner]