Omar Apollo's Melodic "Stayback" Track Sets the Tone for Debut Album

A funk-soul ballad for those dealing with heartbreak.

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After releasing his “Imagine U” visual with Kenny Beats, Omar Apollo returns with a brand new music video for his single “Stayback” as part of his anticipated debut album. The Aidan Cullen-directed clip features the young singer-songwriter cruising with his pals to a house party, locking eyes with a fellow partygoer and then eventually falling into a pool.

Although the track features a more mellow rhythm than the pop-driven “Imagine U,” there are sporadic guitar solos to keep listeners engaged in the artist’s mercurial narrative. Apollo kicks off the funk-soul ballad with the lyrics: “I can’t help that you been on my mind/ See you around cause I don’t care anymore.” The song seemingly speaks on unrequited love with the singer analyzing his romantic affections of an unmentioned lover.

“[It’s] a song about being in love for a long period of time. After years of being hurt emotionally, I moved on and decided to treat the relationship as a memory instead of fantasizing it and trying to make it work,” Apollo expressed in a statement on Twitter. “When I finished the production, I realised this was the song that I’ve been wanting to make my entire career. My guitar player Oscar killed the solo on it and really brought the whole thing together.”

Watch the visual for “Stayback” above. The song is also available on streaming services today. The album for the song is yet to receive a title or a release date.

Elsewhere in music, Anderson .Paak taps J.I.D., Noname and Jay Rock for the “Lockdown” remix.

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Keith Estiler Managing Editor, Hypeart

Keith Estiler is a New York-born curator, writer, and the Managing Editor of Hypeart, the contemporary art arm of Hypebeast. Based in NYC, Keith heads up editorial strategy at the intersection of contemporary art and culture, capturing the icons and outliers of both the local and international scenes. He has curated exhibitions worldwide, dedicated to championing the emerging voices and subcultures currently redefining contemporary visual culture.

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