Nostalgic for some summer love? Could it be time to move on? Love and relationships get a close-up in Omar Apollo’s new track “Stayback.” 

The self-produced and self-written love song is a project Apollo says he has been wanting to work on his entire career. It’s a deeply personal track that exposes Apollo’s fight to move on from a long-term relationship while trying to maintain a sense of emotional stability. 

“Stayback is a song about being in love for a long period of time,” Apollo said. “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.”

“Stayback” arrives alongside a new music video directed by Aidan Cullen. The grainy, faded and color-tinted video depicts Apollo arriving at a party and then leaving after becoming overwhelmed by other people’s public displays of affection. The video and song pack on dreamy and soulful vibes intentionally reminiscent of the Parliament-Funkadelic collective. 

“If I could switch bodies you know I’d change that, change that / But you could never love me so stayback, stayback,” Apollo sings in “Stayback.”

Earlier this year, Apollo collaborated on “Imagine U” with music producer Kenny Beats. Since 2018, Apollo and Beats have worked on a number of tracks together including “Frio” and “Hit Me Up.” 

His debut EP “Stereo” in 2018 has propelled Apollo into national stardom. Last year, Rolling Stone told readers Apollo is an artist “you need to know”. Appearing on Late Night and touring across the country, Apollo is making waves for young Latinx musicians everywhere.