by danielle holian
photo courtesy of apollo1027
Born in Puerto Rico and then moved to Orlando at the age of six, Apollo1027 has an interesting musical background. From being in choir and acapella groups to recording his first song "Night Owl" in 2017, his confidence keeps on rising. He has just released his brand-new single “Dust,” which was produced by 100graham.
“Dust is about a love story gone sour, and the effects of the developing bitterness between a girl and I. Throughout the song, I'm describing how good my life is without her, and how the relationship we had wasn't what I thought it was. It's a song about moving on to bigger and better things in order to protect myself from consistent emotional trauma,” he comments on the track. And by being open with himself and his listeners in his music it will capture the attention of the listener.
Unclear Magazine caught up with Apollo1027 to discuss the release of his new single, his background in music, and much more below.
For our readers, please tell us a bit about your background in music.
Apollo1027: “I was a part of my high school choir and a capella group, but music was always around me. My parents were both heavily involved in music. My mom was a pianist and a singer, and my dad was a lead vocalist for his own rock cover band back in the 90’s. I grew up listening to all types of music, ranging from 80’s classic rock to Drake. I’ve always been a huge music buff.”
And where did your stage name Apollo1027 come from?
A: “Originally I was rolling with Apollo, but then I realized there were thousands of Apollos on streaming services like Apple and Spotify so I decided to add the 1027, which is my birthday. Apollo comes from a neighborhood in Puerto Rico where I spent a lot of my time as a child. The name ‘Apollo’ is also the name of the Greek god of music too, so I figured it was fitting.”
Your parents are both singers, how did this influence your love for music growing up?
A: “Heavily. They taught me everything I know and are two of my biggest inspirations. If it wasn’t for them, my love for music wouldn’t be as strong as it is. I have memories of my mom and I at the piano just playing and singing together. My dad and I loved blasting Def Leppard songs in the car while harmonizing with Joe Elliot (the lead singer). It’s experiences like that where my love for music began to grow.”
How would you say your Puerto Rican upbringing influenced your talents?
A: “My Puerto Rican upbringing has a lot to do with my music and my talents. My family loves music, so it was always playing no matter where we were; be it my tías’ houses, my grandma’s, or even my great grandmother’s house. It was always being played. All types too; salsa, bachata, merengue, classic rock, hard rock, reggaetón, the list goes on. I’ve been working on some Spanish songs too, having only released one. But being from Puerto Rico also gives me a sense of confidence about who I am as an artist. Everyone back home is rooting for me so it’s nice to have that support backing me.”
You recently released your new single “Dust,” what does this song mean to you?
A: “Dust means a lot to me! It was the first song I made when I came back from a trip to LA earlier in the year. Plus it’s the first song I've dropped since August. It’s not about a particular situation I went through or anything, I just felt like making a sad song, and it turned out alright.”
You're currently doing your bachelors in Retail Entrepreneurship in college, what are your hopes for after you graduate?
A: “After I graduate the plan is to go to LA to pursue a career in music both as an artist, and as a businessman. I plan on attaining a masters degree in music industry administration while I’m out there recording and doing Apollo1027 stuff. I’m stoked for it!”
Who would be a dream collaboration for you, right now?
A: “I have tons of people that I really want to collaborate with. The obvious one would be Drake, I’ve been a Drake fan since I was nine years old. He’s my favorite artist. But besides him I’d say Carti. Or Frank. The 1975. Yachty. Mike Dean too. Posty. Trav. I don’t know if I can choose one at the moment. I want to work with a lot of people, I feel like you can learn a lot by doing so.”
What do you want the listeners to take away from your music?
A: “I just want people to enjoy it, if they feel a connection to what I’m rapping or singing about then that’s even better. I also want the listeners to be able to relate to my stories and my experiences. In terms of what they should take away from it, I’ll leave it up to them.”
photo courtesy of apollo1027
How has your music evolved since you began?
A: “My music has evolved holistically in my opinion. Lyricism, sound quality, etc. I’m still nowhere near where I want to be. I’m tough on myself, I mix and write everything, so it’s easy to be super critical about everything. I’m satisfied with where I am sonically though. And, although it hasn’t really been easy for me, I still am able to acknowledge the fact that I am getting better. I can tell because of the response I’m getting from my peers and my fans.”
And finally, what’s one fun fact about yourself for our readers?
A: “I love gaming. I’m a huge Call of Duty fan and a huge 2K fan. Those have always been my two favorites. I’m playing Cold War right now and I love it. It’s one of my favorite things to do during my free time. I play on PlayStation too of course, in case there was any doubt about that.”