Rising artist, Omar Apollo’s story has always been very close to home for me. Growing up on the West Coast, many of my friends growing up were first-generation Americans, and one of my best friends growing up even watched his father get deported right in front of his own home.

So for me, the fact that Omar has been able to help change his families’ lives is more than enough for me… but have you heard his fucking music? The kid is incredible, and he proves that much and more on his brilliant new album, Friends.

From the beginning, Omar sets the tone for this album with the intro, “Ashamed” and it’s follow up, “Kickback,” the two easiest songs on the project to-groove-to. The latter, a breezy testimonial from Omar to a potential lady-friend, showcases my favorite qualities from the rising singer, which happen to be his ultra-relatable songwriting abilities and his infectiously hard-to-turn-off angelic voice.

With the rest of the project set up to highlight some of his other endearing attributes — “Friends,” “”Hearing Your Voice,” & “Trouble” show him flexing his acoustic abilities, while, “So Good” picks back up the grooves — Omar created a wonderful EP that touches on many of the things that have put him in the aforementioned position to help his family.

Press play on the project below and get your day started right.