Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with Hobart, Indiana’s Omar Apollo

·24 min·2 clips

Grammy-nominated Omar Apollo reveals how growing up gay and Latino in conservative Indiana shaped his music.

This episode of Cultural Manifesto features host Kyle Long in a 2024 interview with Omar Apollo, a Grammy-nominated Mexican-American singer-songwriter from Hobart, Indiana. The episode begins with an introduction to Apollo's career, noting his 2022 debut album 'Ivory' and his nomination for Best New Artist at the 65th Grammy Awards. Long sets up the conversation by highlighting Apollo's reflections on his Indiana roots and the pressures of growing up gay and Latino in the Midwest. The interview opens with Apollo discussing Indiana's musical history, including icons like Michael Jackson, Babyface, and lesser-known figures such as Timmy Thomas and Denise Williams. Apollo shares that he grew up five minutes from Michael Jackson's house in Gary, Indiana, and learned about music through jamming at Guitar Center. He feels connected to this lineage, citing it as an influence on his career. Apollo then delves into his personal experiences, describing the conservatism of Indiana during Mike Pence's governorship and the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 2015. He talks about the paranoia of not being able to be himself, compounded by racism against his Mexican family. Apollo recounts a childhood incident where he defended his mother from a man yelling at her for not speaking English. He explains the complexities of being queer, Mexican, and from a religious family, noting how he found solace online by seeing other queer artists share similar struggles. The conversation shifts to Apollo's musical influences, specifically Mexican corridos and regional music. He describes how his parents exposed him to traditional Mexican music like Pedro Infante, while he absorbed American hip-hop and R&B, creating a unique blend in his songwriting. Apollo mentions recording a corrido version of Sabrina Carpenter's 'Please, Please, Please' as an example. Later, Long asks Apollo about current political rhetoric, referencing a presidential candidate demonizing immigrants and threatening mass deportation. Apollo responds by thanking Long for highlighting the contributions of Mexicans in Indiana, sharing that his parents worked 16-hour days to support his artistic pursuits. He discusses growing up desensitized to racial slurs and the ongoing hate, emphasizing his role as a visible queer Mexican artist. The episode concludes with Long acknowledging the cultural significance of Apollo's work for the Mexican-American community in Indiana. Throughout, the interview is interspersed with music clips, such as Apollo's 2022 single 'Evergreen', and sponsor messages from Gregory & Appel Insurance and Leaf Software Solutions.

As heard by us

Omar Apollo's Indiana story gives the episode its sharpest edge.

Cultural Manifesto uses Hispanic Heritage Month to revisit Kyle Long's 2024 conversation with Omar Apollo, centering Indiana, identity, and music with a clear sense of purpose.

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Why you'd press play

For when you want Omar Apollo talking Indiana, identity, and the route from Ivory to God Said No.

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