Gay American Singer Omar Apollo Opens Up About Being Painted Nude For Album Artwork
Image: Omar Apollo Instagram
Out gay American Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Omar Apollo has opened up about the process of being painted nude for his recently released EP, Live For Me.
The EP鈥檚 front cover features a painting of Apollo, 26, touching his chest. The album鈥檚 back cover apparently features a painting of Apollo鈥檚 erect penis.
The artwork was painted by Queer artist Doron Langberg.听
A Peek Behind The Scenes
At an 鈥渋mmersive listening experience鈥� for Live For Me, held at the Museum of Modern Art鈥檚 PS1 contemporary art institute in Queens, Apollo and Langberg shared a peek behind the scenes.
In a video, posted to X by Senior Vice President of Communications at The Trevor Project Kevin Wong, Apollo said, 鈥淲e go into his studio, which I鈥檝e already been in, we hung out, we talked, we had a great time, we connected. Then, we do the first painting. And then I go, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go get a sandwich, let鈥檚 go do a lunch break, and then you decide afterwards if you still want to do the dick portrait.鈥欌��
Langberg added, 鈥淚 could tell that you were nervous about it.鈥澛�
鈥淚 was nervous about it,鈥� Apollo responded, 鈥淚鈥檓 a confident guy, don鈥檛 get me wrong, but I was nervous about it.鈥�
鈥淏ut also I could tell that you wanted to do it,” Langberg said.听 “I was like, 鈥楬ow do I encourage this and make you feel comfortable?’鈥�
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‘It Was Exhilarating’
The inspiration for the 鈥渄ick portrait鈥� came from a photo taken by Queer photographer Peter Hujar.
Apollo explained, to laughs and cheers from the audience, that Langberg painted 鈥渇rom observation鈥�, adding, 鈥渋t was exhilarating. I was like 鈥榳oah! What is happening?鈥欌��
In a post to Instagram in August, Langberg wrote, 鈥淧ainted the shimmering talent that is for the cover of his new EP 鈥楲ive for Me鈥� out Oct 6.鈥�
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The Moment He Realised He Was Gay
In a May 2022 interview with fashion designer Willy Chavarria for the New York Times, Apollo revealed the moment he realised he was gay.
He was asked if he was openly gay in high school.听
鈥淣o, I didn鈥檛 even know I was gay,鈥� Apollo responded.听
鈥淥K, I did 鈥� but not really. I was 17 when it really hit me, and I remember I was in the shower like, 鈥楧amn, that鈥檚 crazy.鈥�
When the realisation hit him, Apollo said that he did not immediately come out. 鈥淚 just made music about 鈥� things,鈥� he said.听
Apollo: My Queerness Is Who I Am
Speaking about how he is perceived, Apollo said, 鈥淚 try never to think about the way I鈥檓 perceived. It鈥檚 impossible for me to force my queerness because it鈥檚 just who I am.
When it came to relationships Chavarria asked Apollo, 鈥淲hat do you think is worse: having a broken heart or breaking someone else鈥檚 heart?鈥�
鈥淚鈥檇 rather be broken up with,鈥� Apollo responded.听 鈥淚鈥檓 an empath 鈥� I feel too much of the other person. I don鈥檛 know, there鈥檚 something nice about sitting with sadness. I鈥檝e been carrying it my whole life.鈥�
Apollo has sung about his queerness in multiple songs, including, 鈥淜amikaze鈥� and 鈥淏i Fren鈥�, which are on his Apolonio mixtape, released in 2020.
Live For Me was released on October 6 and features four songs including 鈥淧ilot鈥�, 鈥淎ngel鈥�, 鈥淟ive For Me鈥�, and 鈥淚ce Slippin鈥�.
Live For Me is Apollo鈥檚 fourth EP. In 2018, he released Stereo, followed by Friends in 2019. In 2022 he released Live at NPR鈥檚 Tiny Desk.听
In April 2022, Apollo released his debut album, Ivory. It got him a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist.
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