Omar Apollo: Tiny Desk Concert

From Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, Tiny Desk is celebrating Latinx Heritage Month with an "El Tiny" takeover, featuring Jessie Reyez, Susana Baca and more musicians from all corners of Latinidad.

Fi O’Reilly | September 15, 2022
What a way to get our second annual El Tiny series going! Omar Apollo kicks off Latinx Heritage Month with a full-band rendition of "En El Olvido," backed by Las Mariachis Lindas, as he channels a childhood spent listening to Juan Gabriel into his performance of the Mexican corrido.

In the eternal wisdom of Alt.Latino co-host Anamaria Sayre, it's not a Mexican party until someone starts crying, and Apollo embraces esta melancolía as the band slips into the easy R&B number "Evergreen." "We're about to get more sad," he says to the crowd with a grin.

Despite the heartbreak and unrequited love songs, there's a sense of ease in this Tiny Desk concert — an easy camaraderie among the group as the members sing through "Evergreen" and "Petrified" before finishing with the (slightly) more upbeat "Endlessly." El corazón puede estar adolorido, but in community, the pain never seems hopeless.

As Apollo's Tiny Desk comes to an end, he offers the audience a homework assignment for self-improvement, for putting the negative behind you and making yourself available to participate in building community: "I want y'all to think about something,” he says. “I want you to go home, I want you to meditate and I want you to just burn the bridge." He laughs. “I’m playing!” But as his and the band’s joyful energy attests, in the world of Omar Apollo, there’s only room for building each other up.

SET LIST
“En El Olvido”
“Evergreen”
“Petrified”
“Endlessly”

MUSICIANS
Omar Apollo: vocals
Jonah Feingold: guitar
Jackson Shanks: drums
Manny Barajas: bass
Harrison Hawkins: keys, music director
Astyn Turrentine: vocals
Phylicia Hill: vocals
Brian Antonio Gazo Martinez: vocals
Fabian Anthony Chavez: saxophone
Marcus Clayton Paul: trumpet
Silvia Estrada: guitarrón
Mayra Martínez: guitarrón

TINY DESK TEAM
Producer: Anamaria Sayre
Audio Engineer: Josh Rogosin
Director: Kara Frame
Creative Director: Bob Boilen
Series Producer: Bobby Carter
Editor: Joshua Bryant
Animator: Alanté Serene
Videographers: Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Pierre Kattar
Audio Assistant: Hannah Copeland
Production Assistants: Jill Britton, Alanté Serene, Joby Tanseco
Tiny Desk Team: Suraya Mohamed, Marissa Lorusso, Hazel Cills, Ashley Pointer, Maia Stern
VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann

#TinyDesk #NPRMusic #ElTiny #OmarApollo

[reginocorona]

When Omar sings in Spanish it’s the most beautiful thing ever ! You hear his colors from his voice authentically.

[benadryler]

Raw soul, this is probably one of the best tiny desk concerts ive seen. And the positive energy is just insane

[betoooo]

Proud to see a Mexican American like him. I never remember seeing anyone like him growing up. Representation matters.

[celestegarcia]

the supporting vocalist wearing black looks so proud when Omar hits the falsettos its so pure omfg

[minnierkive]

Lord whichever man broke this man’s heart so he could write evergreen we thank you for your service.

[nancyruvalcaba]

I lost my son five months ago, he was only two we would watch this during his treatments. I can’t help but cry everytime I come to watch this tiny desk, especially En el olvido. My son had mariachis sing for him at his funeral, it was so beautiful. Hardest goodbye of my life💔 I love you Emilio🤎🧸 “tu no saves tanto que yo haria tocarte las manitas debajo del cielo” 👼

[itsmelloydee]

"you have 18 minutes "
Omar: say less

what a gem of an artist!

[glycinx]

I grew up in mexico's countryside, "en el olvido" is the kind and genre of music we would always listen to there and, during those times (early 2000s), regional and ranchero music weren't "cool" or "trendy" unlike today (they have gained a lot of popularity recently due to younger artists exposing the genre to new audiences). Hearing Omar echarse una ronca (the sound/yell he made at the end of the first song) brought me to tears because it is such a mexican thing to do, it really comes from the soul when singing those types of songs. I wish he could know how much it meant to me that he did that, because it runs so deep in who we are and in the roots of Mexican music. Estoy muy orgullosa de él y de ver como él está orgulloso de sus raíces. Te quiero mucho, Omar ❤️

[leticiacunha]

this was one of the most touching tiny desk performances ive ever

[jasongarmendia]

He really needs to drop the Mariachi Version of the 1st song on all platforms!! That was crazy good!😭💪🏼

[StevieVee]

I don't know who hurt this young man but we're bout to fight on site. Thanks for inspiring him to make this music, but we're gonna fight. 😂 Omar you are so talented and beautiful.

[YouTube_HQ]

0:00 En El Olvido
3:27 Evergreen
8:51 Petrified
13:20 Endlessly

[kpdpuuy]

this is my favorite tiny desk i’ve ever seen. i’ve been a fan of omar since i was 15 and i’m 20 now and to watch him grow in endless ways has been so inspiring to me. his music is constantly evolving and it’s incredible to watch

[OsoBallads]

En el olvido is a jam especially with the live mariachi/band. Also, Omar looks as If Pedro Pascal and John Mayer were fused together.

[ekow]

Having people from such diverse backgrounds come together to create is something so beautiful and is also something that is not very common around the world. America should celebrate its diversity every single day. There's those of us from other countries who wish we had this.

[yukir]

Omar Apollo deserves this!!! He’s so humble and insanely talented!!!❤️

[jarjarbooty]

I’m a metal head but I will always be a sucker for vocals like this. Incredible stuff man.

[keenanflagg]

Impossible not to smile while watching this. Even the heartbreak of Evergreen is still punctuated by hope and uplifting energy. Fantastic 😊

[jimenacat]

i love love LOVE when more mainstream mexican american artists cover their songs with mariachi it’s just so fkn gorgeous and it really does make me so so proud about my heritage 😭😭😭🤍

[JayleneALerma]

evergreen always brings me to tears solely bc of his voice and the emotion in it 🥹