Omar Apollo’s Heartbreaking New Song “Te Maldigo” Debuts Ahead of QUEER
Last week, Luca Guadagnino’s Queer (A24) dazzled at its Los Angeles premiere, setting the stage for one of the most anticipated films of the season. And now, Omar Apollo has gifted us Te Maldigo, a soul-crushing ballad written for and inspired by the film. Dropping just days before Queer’s theatrical release on November 27, the song showcases Apollo’s raw emotionality and cultural roots, delivered entirely in Spanish for the first time since 2022’s En El Olvido.
Produced by the legendary Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who also composed the film’s score, Te Maldigo dives deep into themes of longing and despair. Its music video, directed by Guadagnino himself, sees Omar in character, crooning the melancholic lyrics into a retro microphone that feels perfectly at home in the film’s 1950s Mexico City setting. Wearing a custom suit by LOEWE’s Jonathan Anderson, the movie’s costume designer, Omar embodies the tortured romance of the story with every note.
In Te Maldigo, Omar sings about the heartbreak of loving someone who doesn’t love you back. The song captures the emotional torment of giving everything to a relationship, only to realize it’s one-sided. There’s a deep yearning in the lyrics, a desperate wish to fill the emptiness left behind by unreciprocated love. Omar’s voice aches as he curses the pain and the person who caused it, all while acknowledging that he has nothing left to give. It’s a gut-wrenching reflection on how love can both consume and devastate, wrapped in poetic imagery of prayer and desolation.
Born in Indiana to Mexican parents, Omar’s heritage radiates throughout this release. In Te Maldigo, his voice channels the deep pain of unrequited love, aching with every word: This raw vulnerability makes Te Maldigo an instant classic. So do yourselves a favor and listen to this masterpiece below:
Based on William S. Burroughs’ novella, Queer stars Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Jason Schwartzman, and Omar Apollo. After receiving a 9-minute standing ovation at its Venice Film Festival debut, the film has become a must-watch. Te Maldigo marks Omar’s first single since May’s critically acclaimed God Said No and serves as a haunting prelude to both the movie and his continuing legacy.
Queer will be available in theaters on November 27. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Images Courtesy of Luca Guadagnino.
