Omar Apollo at the Roundhouse review: Rising star is destined for big things – his captivating show proved it-Sama Ansari Pour-Entertainment – Metro

An electrifying show by rising star Omar Apollo at London’s Roundhouse (Picture: Burak Cingi/Redferns)

‘It’s been a while since I’ve been here, London!’ Omar Apollo hollered before the dome of the Roundhouse lit up in electric red and the electric guitar started playing.

I first discovered Apollo through a collab he did on Kali Uchis’s album Red Moon in Venus. Immediately intoxicated by his smooth, soulful voice, I had to know more about him. 

Spending the next week deep-diving through his albums, I was immediately captured by his range. Constantly hopping genres, he sings about heartbreak, longing and his lived experiences as a gay man. 

Even though Apollo is better known in the US, he’s no secret in the UK. Yesterday’s sold-out show had over a thousand people waiting in the pouring rain for the Mexican-American icon. 

‘Put the light on me,’ he shouted across the packed-out venue as he unfolded a flag of Great Britain with his face in the middle. 

The night began with Apollo playing his latest single Ice Slippin, which relives the thoughts he had the winter night he came out as gay to his family. Both myself and the crowd were taken aback by how much emotion he put in – you could hear the longing and sorrow in his voice. 

Constantly hopping genres, he sings about heartbreak, longing and his lived experiences as a gay man (Picture: Burak Cingi/Redferns)

‘The last song was for the gays. The next song is very, very Mexican,’ he then announced as the stage flashed the colours of the Mexican flag. 

Apollo grew up on Mexican folklore music thanks to his parents, and this was reflected beautifully in just how personal the concert was. He didn’t just play his own songs; he gave us a raw inside look at his culture. 

Despite the fact most in the room did not know the lyrics, it was not an issue – everyone was mesmerised by the beat and his stage presence alone.

The way he captivated a room was intense, the passion he injected into the performance tangible as he raced around the stage, banging his head like a rockstar and cutting some fine dance moves now and then. 

He teased every song, asking fans if they knew it. Obviously they did. There were slow, intimate moments, where all I could focus on was his vocal range. He hit every note so masterfully, it was haunting.

Apollo captivated the audience with grace, making every single person in the crowd feel like a friend (Picture: Burak Cingi/Redferns)

The concert made me not only love his music, but him as a person too. Throughout the night, he highlighted Latin Heritage month, with constant nods to the LGBTQ+ community. 

The show was meticulously done. He made fans feel like a friend with the chattering he did in between songs, every song was perfectly delivered, and I didn’t see a single attendee looking anything less than delighted, maybe even stunned.

I learnt that yes, the depth of his voice, soulful and filled with yearning, is the reason why he should be on everyone’s next Spotify search. But he’s a pretty cool person too.

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