Omar Apollo Says It's a 'Blessing' to Attend the 2023 Grammys

Julia Moore
·2 min read

Best new artist nominee Omar Apollo was taking it all in as he walked his first-ever Grammys red carpet.

"The red carpet is sick," he told PEOPLE's Janine Rubenstein and Jeremy Parsons, reflecting on his first time walking the iconic carpet. "I'm just here, I'm happy. My parents are here, my family is here. I'm very grateful."

While the 25-year-old said he felt "nervous" about the night ahead, he also felt grateful to be where he is. "It's a blessing," he said. "I never would've thought."

For the Indiana native, attending the Grammys — and earning his first nomination — has been a long time coming. "I've been doing this, probably, six years," he said, though he added that "it just went by so quickly" now that he's reflecting on it.

"When you have a real passion and a real love for something, you really see the fruits of your labor," he said. "I just really love it. I'm [gonna] keep doing it. I'm just getting started."

RELATED: Grammys 2023 Nominations: Beyoncé Earns 9, Ties with JAY-Z for Most of All-Time — See the Full List

65th GRAMMY Awards - Omar Apollo
65th GRAMMY Awards - Omar Apollo

Amy Sussman/Getty Omar Apollo

Check out PEOPLE's full Grammys coverage to get the latest news on music's biggest night.

When Apollo first learned of his Grammy nomination in November, he was quick to share the moment with his family.

"My dad's reaction, it was great. He was wearing a little hat, working in the kitchen. And he was like, 'Oh I'm so excited.' Just congratulating me, doing what a father should," Apollo told PEOPLE at the time. "And then my mom did the same. I called her afterward and she was like, 'What are we wearing? We gotta figure out the outfits and get together.'"

He also did some research into past winners of the award after learning of his own nomination, which helped him really come to terms with the gravity of a nomination.

"Those are forever. They're forever cemented into the academy," he said. "All the people that are nominated are, too. And it's just a blessing to be alongside all these names of everyone who's been putting out music this year."

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