Tamagotchi is a song by American singer Omar Apollo from his debut studio album '' Ivory'' (2022). It was released as the album's fifth single on March 23, 2022. The song was written by Apollo, Maye, and Najai Washington and produced by

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...

and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes. It is named after the Japanese toy of the same name.

Background

In April 2021, Apollo tweeted that he finished creating songs with

. One of the tracks the two collaborated on was "Tamagotchi", which was announced on March 23, 2022.

Composition

"Tamagotchi" was written by Omar Apollo, Maria Alejandra Osorio, and Najai Washington. The song is a "bass-heavy" Latin-infused

trap A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research. Trap or TRAP may also refer to: Art and entertainment Films and television * ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...

and R&B song with Spanish guitars and a plucked

Samba Samba (), also known as samba urbano carioca (''urban Carioca samba'') or simply samba carioca (''Carioca samba''), is a Brazilian music genre that originated in the Afro-Brazilian communities of Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century. Havin ...

cadence. It features Apollo rapping and singing in Spanish during the verses and in English during the hook and bridge. Towards the end of the track, Apollo utilizes pitch shifted vocals to distort his voice. With production by The Neptunes, Williams' signature four-beat producer tag can be heard at the beginning of the track. Lyrically, Apollo sings about material wealth and "living the fast life, yet constantly craving physical connection from that special somebody." The song is noted for having "tongue in-cheek" and forward lyrics about

sexuality Human sexuality is the way people experience and express themselves sexually. This involves biological, psychological, physical, erotic, emotional, social, or spiritual feelings and behaviors. Because it is a broad term, which has varied ...

and

queerness ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

, with Apollo bragging about boys and girls lusting over him. The song features a sample of "I Wanna Rock" by Uncle Luke during its bridge section.

Critical reception

"Tamagotchi" received generally positive reviews by music critics. Sophie Williams of '' NME'' praised the production of the song saying that its "bouncy melody is bolstered by pitch-shifted vocals and vivid Pharrell-assisted production." Tomás Mier of '' Rolling Stone'' commented on the production and lyrics of the song saying, "With its bouncy Neptunes beat, flirty, bilingual lyrics, and effortlessly catchy chorus, “Tamagotchi” is a perfect example of the qualities that have made Apollo, one of the most exciting artists of his generation." Writers at ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' placed the song at number 41 on its list of Best Songs of 2022 and claimed that the song's stylistic leap helped earn Apollo his

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

nomination. Writers at '' GQ'' called the song a "catchy" single. Cora Jordan of ''Clash'' commended the song's ability to show Apollo's versatility calling it "punchy and jam-packed" and stating that it "clearly shows his range in sound, stepping away from the slow and sultry tone that reflects much of the album and blending into an upbeat, hard-hitting flow." Larisha Paul of '' The Fader'' also applauded Apollo's departure from his signature sound, stating he “abandons his signature sleek indie pop” and instead “paints an airy, harmony-filled wonderland as captivating as any dreamy pop performance that preceded it." Jessica McKinney of ''Complex'' called the track a "smooth single" and an "upbeat banger".

Year-end list

Music video

The music video for "Tamagotchi" was directed by Jake Nava and released on April 8, 2022, the same day as the release of ''Ivory.''

Accolades

References

{{Omar Apollo 2022 songs 2022 singles Song recordings produced by the Neptunes