Omar Apollo’s latest single “Ice Slippin” is a reflective and emotional ballad that comes directly from the heart. The song, which was co-produced with Teo Halm, describes the cold heartbreak and rejection that he faced from his family when he first came out to them.
“Ice Slippin” is the first single from Apollo’s upcoming EP Live For Me, which is set to be released October 6th. The EP is the follow-up from his debut EP Ivory, which earned him a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist.
In the press release for the latest track, Apollo explained that “Ice Slippin is about reliving the thoughts I had passing through my mind the winter I came out to my family. Receiving cold judgment as opposed to the acceptance I felt I deserved. This song is a reflection and reaction of all the emotions I had to face before and after I decided to leave the icy streets of Indiana.”
The ballad, which utilizes a simple piano chord to serve as the foundation for the heartfelt ballad. Apollo’s lyrics clearly describe the inner back and forth and the pain of not being seen by his family. The song opens with lyrics about driving down the street, nervous about coming out to his family. He gently sings “And I hate me too much / could’ve just lied to me that night / could’ve just said nothin’” to describe the back and forth in his own mind before he opens up.
At some points in the song, Apollo speaks directly to his family, singing “And you thought what you said / Would be for the best / But instead, you broke me down” to explain the hurt that came from their words and how much he needed them at that moment. He questions whether “If I take back my words / would you return to me?“
During the bridge, Apollo describes leaving Indiana after the cold reaction from his family, crooning, “You gon’ feel better by the springtime / Slippin’ on ice in the meantime” as he left his family but embraced his identity. Despite the fact that his family had hurt him with their reaction, he never imagined that he would leave them and ends the song with the notion that “I still believe / I can make you proud.”
Apollo’s next EP Live For Me is now available for pre-order on his website. “Ice Slippin” is now available on all streaming platforms.
