Everything has concluded and a new chapter begins. Even though the OT 2023 competition has ended, the winners are already on the move—touring, releasing albums, and stepping into solo careers. Omar Samba’s dream of being part of the Academy ended abruptly when he was expelled in the third episode, yet his drive to prove what he could not show on Amazon Prime’s talent stage is only growing. His debut single, I have to stop, signals not the end of his journey in OT or his career, but the closure of a love story he couldn’t finish. He explains, “I wrote this thinking about a person I was in a relationship with. It was my first love and my first heartbreak.”
He opens up about an emotional block and the struggle many listeners will recognize. “She’s someone who takes a long time to forget and who tends to spark comparisons when I meet other people. So I wrote it to myself: I must stop now, even though I still like thinking about you. I can’t keep going like this, or it will become a cycle. I always felt drawn to writing about him, and I wanted to finish with one last song anyway,” says the 26-year-old artist, closing this emotional chapter.
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Despite popular belief, this new release is a departure from his more intense past works. “That’s roughly the direction I intended, because when I compose I often start with the guitar and craft songs with a strong emotional pull. I usually prefer lyrics that lean toward sadness, but when the melancholic guitar textures are added, the result becomes more ballad-like and pastel,” he admits. “I wanted to put a twist on it: keep the lyrics I love because writing is my strong suit, but emphasize the music and present something that feels more like me—more joy, more vitality.” He adds that this shift aligns with what many witnesses noted during his time at the Academy, while he sensed there was more to share with audiences.
“My influences are diverse, and I’ve kept an open mind to everything that matters. But there’s a clear pull toward pop rock with indie sensibilities,” he explains, even as his dream of winning a prize lingers. The golden moment with the OT record remains a memory, and he reflects on the emotional ride of those signings. “It’s incredibly challenging to reach this point again, and it felt surreal to have it happen through talent shows. The experience was exhilarating—crowds, hugs, and the energy of the fans. If someone waited in line all night to see us, we owe them our best performance.”
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And then the concerts begin to unfold. “All of a sudden you’re living a dream—filling two nights at WiZink Center and two at Palau Sant Jordi. The scale is big. We’ll be singing to an audience of 18,000 people,” he marvels. The prospect of touring eight other cities adds to the excitement, though he remains grounded about the music business. He understands it isn’t easy and refuses to romanticize it, acknowledging two essential elements: passion and the willingness to work. Back home, he was raised with a strong work ethic, and he knows that nothing comes without earning it.
“From around age 14 or 15 I started working and studying at the same time, like my brothers. Now that I’m pursuing music, I’ll keep learning. I’ve even worked in an ambulance and observed healthcare workers continually retraining as protocols shift. You can’t settle for the same path in music; your voice improves as you grow, and that progression mirrors real life in a positive way. It shows you’re at a different point from where you started,” shares this young artist from Yunquera de Henares (Guadalajara), still riding the wave of possibilities. He believes that dedication will keep him aligned with the path of music, even if firefighting remains a backup option for some. “I hope Spain keeps the firefighting tradition intact because music is my career now. There are already excellent firefighters,” he adds, underscoring that passion, stamina, and charisma are non-negotiable in his journey.