Two years ago today, Omar Rudberg and fans worldwide were burning the midnight oil in anticipation of the star releasing his long-awaited debut album.
OMR arrived on May 27, 2022, with its 10 tracks and 26 minutes of expansive pop marking a landmark moment in the star’s career. Rudberg was no new kid on the block, having rocketed to fame as part of viral Swedish boyband FO&O, but the singer’s debut record was the moment followers saw the then 23-year-old emerge as a fully-fledged solo artist.
It’s impossible not to talk about the Venezuelan-born artist without mentioning wildly popular Netflix series Young Royals. That much-loved TV show debuted 10 months prior to OMR but even with the show’s success, Rudberg was very much a star on the rise as OMR dropped.
As Rudberg fans waited for the album’s release at midnight, they had already been gifted a clue of what was to come in a string of singles. First came the carnal ‘Mi Casa Su Casa’ before the radio-ready ‘Moving Like That’ and then Spanish ballad ‘La Incondicional’ alongside Benjamin Ingrosso.
Three diverse singles, it was ‘Moving Like That’ which immediately captured imagination online, in no small part helped by its presence at Melodifestivalen in 2022. Wearing a glistening black top, Rudberg gave it the full Eurovision treatment with choreography and big production on that famous stage.
Unlucky not to make it to Eurovision, looking back the singer may view that as a blessing. A fan favourite, ‘Moving Like That’ added hype to OMR but would soon lose its place as the track that defined the record.
That title would have to go to late bloomer ‘Mi Casa Su Casa’. Almost a year after the record’s release, the track was given the viral TikTok treatment as users of the app took on a dance challenge over a slowed-down version of the song.
The brilliance in that song no doubt comes as Rudberg taps into his Hispanic influences over a reggaeton-infused beat. It’s moments like those, when the Venezuelan-born Swede explores his culture, that stick with fans.
“I think a big part of him is his ability to do different styles of music, but also that he can sing in three different languages,” Emma of X account Rudberg Charts tells CelebMix. “Somehow he mixes multiple languages in one song and still makes it sound good and not like a big mess. He isn’t scared of experimenting with the languages and I think that’s very impressive and special.”
Tracks from OMR that follow in that vibe include ‘Pull Up’, which X account Omar Rudberg Magazine names as an ‘underrated’ album favourite, and ‘Que Puedo Hacer’, which has become somewhat of a cult classic among fans.
“I think it’s because of the combination of the engaging rhythm and the dramatic lyrics that made the song so addictive,” Melyysa from Rudberg Charts shares on ‘Que Puedo Hacer’. “I’m dying for him to sing it live one day!”
Despite his penchant for a full-blooded pop track, the star also supplied OMR with sun-kissed moments of intimacy. Piano-led ballad ‘Breathe’ hit particularly hard with followers – “You’re the type of melody I can’t live without,” Rudberg sings on the ballad.
“That song appeared in my life when I needed it most,” Melyssa shared. “I was mourning and I needed a new light to guide me, so he certainly helped me a lot in my healing process.
“I dedicate ‘Breathe’ to a great and dear friend who is no longer with us, but who would love to have known Omar.”
Elsewhere, the endearing ‘Mama’ saw the songwriter pen a heartfelt thank you letter to his mother. Swinging from English to Spanish, it’s one of Rudberg’s best releases to date and a humbling listen.
“I think not only me, but a lot of people can relate to the lyrics of ‘Mama’ a lot,” Omar Rudberg Magazine shared. “I’m really grateful my mom is still in my life and I know that “I wanna give her everything”.”
Once the clock did hit midnight and OMR dropped, fans hit play and those first listens with friends online made for treasured memories. “I was sitting in our kitchen with a closed door so I would be able to fully listen to it as soon as it was released,” Emma remembers.
“I think I listened to it at least three times that night before going to bed. I remember that I absolutely loved it, but I also wrote a letter that I posted online and when I read it back now, it’s clear that I also felt a lot of pride and excitement for Omar and his career.”
With followers all over the world, the online space that has been forged by Rudberg is a special one for the fandom. “Everyone was definitely crazy when it came out,” Melyssa said. “It was his first release having a solid fanbase. He was excited, we were excited, so it was a magical moment!”
Fans talk of messaging one another as they listened, hosting streaming parties and even launching a fan project called OMRRoundTheWorld, where mini posters promoting the album were distributed and stuck up across all corners of the globe.
Emma was one of those behind that scheme and, for her, online friendships made through the singer have materialised in person too, travelling from Sweden to Brazil to meet a fellow fan – and it’s just one example of such an experience.
“This was less than two months after the album was released and we listened to it a lot,” she said. “It was the first time I met them and the first time I travelled so far by myself and OMR was a big part of that whole experience. A lot of the songs I still can’t listen to without remembering that trip and missing my friends.”
Two years on, those relationships and that online space remain as strong as ever. Rudberg dropped his latest single ‘Red Light‘ earlier this month and fans have been fervent online in promoting the track and interacting with the star.
Having signed to Elektra ahead of a new era of music, there’s a feeling a new project is in the works. If ‘Red Light’ is anything to go by, it’ll be a more mature and ambitious one too.
It’s an exciting time for his followers but, on the anniversary of OMR, there’s no forgetting Omar Rudberg’s debut effort and the lasting impact it has made.
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