Whereas Omar Apollo’s 2022 debut, Ivory, showed off his polymath pop stylings, follow-up God Said No is more cynical and circumspect: He’s seen the other side, and the glamour of stardom isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Despite the album’s rather downcast outlook, Apollo continues to populate his songs with candy-sweet melodies and inventive textures that separate him from pop’s mainstream pack. Take “Spite”, which gallops along with pulsing tom drums and a whimsical synth hook that Apollo engages with in a call-and-response format. Is it worse to feel love in a diminished form or spend the night alone? The Indiana-born songwriter relishes these moments of pain, because they often yield his best writing. He tells Apple Music, “It was a dark time in my life, but usually when I’m in that zone of uncomfort, I get a lot done. I learn a lot about myself, the introspective thoughts start to surface and I’m able to write how I’m feeling.” Despite this, Apollo ultimately sees the album as a testament to his self-improvement and growth as an artist and person. “I had to be the best version of myself…rewiring my brain to think in that way, somebody who deserves all this,” he says. “I have this, I can do this. This is different.”