Grammy-Nominee Omar Apollo to receive Hispanic Heritage ‘Inspira’ Award and perform at the Kennedy Center and on PBS

“For one of 2022’s most perfectly diverse projects, alt-favorite Omar Apollo unveiled the pristine Ivory, his long-awaited, genre-bending debut album. Ivory strips back Apollo’s layers, shedding light on his Mexican-American heritage through Spanish-centric cuts… while remaining true to his soulful alt-R&B roots…[with] music that’s accessible enough for TikTok virality, yet sonically profound enough to earn the budding star one of our top 10 albums of the year.“ – Billboard (Best Albums of the Year)

WASHINGTON, DC – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today that GRAMMY-Nominee Omar Apollo will receive the 2023 Hispanic Heritage “Inspira” Award and perform during the 36th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on September 7th, which will be broadcast on PBS and stream on PBS.org on September 29th.  The Inspira Award was created by HHF to honor Latinx role models that provide inspiration to youth on a national stage. Apollo will also serve as HHF’s youth spokesperson to the nonprofits vast network of young leaders.

“We are thrilled to recognize Omar Apollo with our Inspira Award because he is an authentic role model to youth not only through his tremendous talent as an artist, but also through his representation at the complex intersections where many in our community stand – Latinx, American, LGBTQ and other features that make him such a powerful spokesperson,” said Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF. “His advocacy and his music are often intertwined, which make for an even louder sound.”

2023 Grammy®-nominated Best New Artist Omar Apollo is one of music’s most exciting shape-shifters. In just a few years time, the Indiana-raised Mexican-American singer-songwriter went from teenage strummer to one of the most hotly-tipped rising stars of his generation.

Apollo has had a transformative but linear journey, from listening to Brandy and Stevie Wonder as a kid, to plucking away at a guitar at as a pre-teen, to a major label record deal and the release of his critically acclaimed debut album IVORY in the spring of ’22 on the heels of his 2 Latin GRAMMY nominations for his collaboration “Te Olvidaste“ with C Tangana.

IVORY catapulted him to another level in his career and earning him critical acclaim from the likes of the Los Angeles Times and Rolling Stone and more. The album also features his 2022 RIAA Certified Platinum breakout hit “Evergreen” which had a massive lift on TikTok earning

him VARIETY’s TikTok Icon of The Year Award and garnering television performances of the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Good Morning America.

Other Album singles such as “Invincible” featuring Daniel Caesar, “Killing Me”, “Go Away”, and “Tamagotchi (Prod. by Pharrell and Chad Hugo)” cross genre lines as well as language barriers. He went on to perform those and more on his sold out The Prototype Tour in ’22 and will continue his riveting live show trajectory on SZA’s SOS Tour in ’23.

Despite all that he has accomplished, Omar feels like he’s just getting started. The artist who once called himself “just a kid from Indiana” is breaking new ground, abandoning all comfort zones, and never looking back.

The historic Hispanic Heritage Awards, which were created by the White House to commemorate the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month in America, is among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions. Watch the playlist for last year’s awards HERE & Check out HHF past honorees.

About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

The Hispanic Heritage Awards serve as a launch of HHF’s year-round mission focused on education, workforce, social impact and culture through the lens of leadership.  HHF is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. For more information, visit www.hispanicheritage.org and follow the Hispanic Heritage Foundation on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok and HHF’s Fritanga Podcast on all platforms.

About PBS 

PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.

For more information on the 36^th Hispanic Heritage Awards, please contact John Reilly at ([email protected])

For Sponsorship Opportunities, please contact Jessica Herrera ([email protected]).

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