It was my first interview at Afro Punk 2016 and I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the festival-filled weekend. Xavier Omar, a Texas Native with a sound full of gold made the ticket for his first festival — Afro Punk in Brooklyn, New York. Chatting with Xavier the day before his performance was inspiring. Seeing that just 4 season before American Idol ended Xavier didn’t even make the preliminary. Check out how he overcame rejection, his creative performance vision for Afro Punk and the secret to his current success.
Mm: It is really dope to have you here. We were just speaking of fans before the interview. How does it feel to be able to say you have fans and be at that level where you were in season 11 of American Idol. I love your story! It makes me feel like yeah, stick it to’em!
XO: Haha! I tried to be in season 11 of American Idol. I didn’t make it past the preliminary cuts, like when you walk into the building to be apart of the show, I got cut right then and there. So... that moment fueled everything I did since then. I’ve made about 7 projects since then don’t go check them out. They’re all old don’t listen to them.
Mm: Haha!
XO: I just worked really, really hard so to be able today to be on the card of my first ever festival performing tomorrow— I’m excited. To have fans after that humiliation in Houston,TX that day, its crazy! Everybody from here (NY) to LA to London, I love it.
Mm: Can you break down for me “hardwork”? Because, I feel like people can look at you and be like “Oh Xavier made it”, he’s on the come up. Like the word hard work can be misunderstood especially now, with social media painting a certain perception.
XO: Hard work for me are those 7 projects I talked about. My very first year, I put two out. I put out a 14 track mix tape and then I put out a 7 track. The following year, I put out a 3 track in the third month. I put out a 12 my birthday of 2013 and then by November I put out another 12 track and by the next year, I put out my first official pop album and then…. I wrote, Hours Spent Loving You with Sango we had our joint project. Then the next year, I released Hours Spent Loving You. Part of last year I wrote the project that I am about to put out.
Mm: Did you have a social life?
XO: Oh my goodness, you know it was crazy. I was coming home from work and then burying myself in my room or in my closet recording and writing. I live pretty far from everyone in San Antonio anyways.
Mm: So your a Texas guy? I am a Texas girl!
XO: Yeah, San Antonio is where I started. I got home and I didn’t have a social life. My friends were at work pretty much. It kind of stayed that way and I put in the work to get to where I am today.
Mm: Love it! So with your set that you are performing, how did you creatively prepare and what is the energy + vibe you want to leave with your fans?
XO: So the way I’ve prepared for the set tomorrow is, I have practiced a lot of the music. I’ve performed a lot of the music for about a year now. Some of the key parts of what I’m doing tomorrow is bringing in new music. Knowing that, I was doing this, I’ve tried out some of the new music in other places. Now I’m incorporating a bit of a different set for the first time tomorrow but I’ve done all the songs so I know what I want to do where. My crowd response— I do a lot where I want the crowd to say something with me. I’m not one of those guys who is going to get to the mic walk all slow and try to sing sexy and all that. Im going to give you everything that I am. I’m going to jump around and I am going to be tired when I’m done. I’m going to give my everything.
Mm: Well even with that, I love that you are very intentional about invoking a specific emotion from your fans. What does that exactly mean to you?
XO: I think that it makes everything bigger. It makes that moment bigger because, I wrote specific songs and I want people to think this specific way about this subject or about the situation that I am talking about. I think— to not have intentionality, you’re kind of purposeless. If you’re making the music..... even in a turn up record what’s the intention you want? To get everyone going crazy you want to have fun! You have-to-have that point in that piece. In a love song, you can’t just say you want to write about love, what is it that you want me to feel? To have that mindset, I’m blessed that I really pay attention to stuff like that because I think my fans feel it and its helped me to be who I am today.
Mm: Speaking of helping you get to where you are today, your dad was a minister of music. How does that influence the music that you do today? Are you still rooted in any gospel type genres?
XO: I still sing on the praise team at my church.
Mm: Yes, I love it!
XO: Whenever I’m home, I’m doing that. Matter of fact, my brother just moved back to Georgia where I’m living now. He’s taking over the arts as worship director.
Mm: What church?
XO: Word In Season Ministry so he’s taking over that as worship and arts director. My dads in Texas still doing the same thing. So, I’ve been around it all my life. So learning how to feel, I learned drums by ears and by watching. When I was producing a long-long time ago, I did it by ear and by feel. So with gospel and being around my family taught me how to be intentional and how to present that to people so that they can feel it with you. That’s what it is when you are leading worship at church ….
Mm: You’re leading people to an emotion.
XO: Yea exactly! You’re inviting people to join in what you are experiencing. Being able to do that on a mainstream stage is going to be no different. I’m glad that I have that opportunity.
Mm: And people want that, they crave that connection. I love it..... we are two people covered in prayer right now!
XO: Yea!
Mm: If you could describe 2016 so far —in a few words. It would be?
XO: It’s been a lot of growth. Personal growth, business growth and honestly really low-key for me in a lot of ways. I’ve only put out one song, one new song so far. Last year you know it was a whole project. We saw a lot of internet love and everybody’s following you all the numbers are rising. This year its been different, changed my name the numbers fell just cause they don’t know who it is anymore. So its been a little different in that way. It’s been very low key but its all because I have been working towards a big outlook. It’s really just growth personal growth business wise.
Mm: If 2016 could end in a word, what would that word be?
XO: I can’t really say one word, I’m gonna have to use two!
Mm: I’ll give you 3!
XO: Oh, ok! Then….
Stock Is Rising!
Mm: Yeaaaa and on that note, I thank you so much. I am really glad that we did this.
XO: Yes, thank you!
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