The sun is shining, the birds are singing, you know what that means… Summer is officially in action! Which also means…

SUMMER SHOWS!

Now, if you read the last volume, you’ll know that we’ve already covered Pinkpop and Mighty Hoopla. We decided to break up Omar’s summer show tour into a few parts because if we tried to include all of them in one article, I think you readers would be glued to your phones for a week!

Per tradition, we have taken to social media to interview fans across the world who attended these shows to get first-hand accounts of what it was like! This is especially helpful as one of Omar Nation’s resident Americans since he has yet to come to the states for any of his summer shows (Trust you guys, I’m gonna make it happen).

Tinderbox, Odense, Denmark. 

After hitting both the United Kingdom and the Netherlands earlier this summer, Omar finally returned to his Scandinavian stomping grounds for Tinderbox.

Tinderbox is one of Denmark’s largest music festivals and includes a lineup of both Danish music artists as well as international artists. They are also very sustainability-focused and have implemented many different sustainability measures!

"Intimate, professional, whimsical"- X user @Jamers914

After debuting the iconic all white outfit at Mighty Hoopla and Pinkpop, fans were wondering if he would keep the same outfit for all the summer festivals or if he would switch it up the same way he did on his own solo tour. 

On top of the set being 45 minutes, he also unfortunately experienced some technical difficulties during his performance. There were some issues with his music and audio cutting out, but he and his dancers handled it like a champ! However, despite the unforeseen circumstances, Omar absolutely devoured his performance as usual. One Twitter user even mentioned that one of her favorite parts of the show was when ‘comedian’ Omar made an appearance during the technical issues (X user @hoemartruther). The audience even jumped in and sang the lyrics along with Omar before breaking into a Danish football chant. 

And yes, while glued to Twitter watching clips as they dropped, I can personally confirm that ‘comedian’ Omar made another appearance when he accidentally kicked his open water bottle into the crowd mid-dance break; Truly a classic Omar move.

"He truly owned the stage!" - X user @hoemartruther

Despite the slightly shorter set time, a fan favorite song, ‘Dum’, made the setlist, which was a big hit among those who attended! Many of the fans we interviewed said that it was their favorite song he played because it just ‘hits different live’ and honestly? I couldn’t agree more. 

Even with the tech issues and shorter runtime, Omar delivered a performance full of energy, charm, and undeniable stage presence. Moments like these show just how magnetic he is as a performer–someone who can turn mishaps into magic and keep a crowd not only engaged, but deeply connected to the music.

Tinderbox may not have been perfect on paper, but for those in the crowd (and those watching from afar), it was yet another reminder of Omar’s rising star. Whether it’s a flawless set or one full of surprises, he never fails to leave his mark—and if this summer has been any indication, he’s only just getting started.

Ruisrock, Turku, Finland. 

Jumping ahead to July 4th, Omar brought his summer tour to Finland for a performance at Ruisrock Festival! He shared the lineup with major names like Camila Cabello and Deftones, as well as fellow Swedish artist Miriam Bryant. 

"Omar in golden sunlight is a VIEW" - X user @mermaidmarr

While he was sporting nearly the same outfit as Tinderbox, his Ruisrock look consisted of an extra-long sleeve this time. He had the same matching belt and choker combo, but this time he also added a bedazzled safety pin to his shirt! This was especially sweet to me because (at least in America) a safety pin on your clothes is a representation of being a safe, welcoming person for minority communities.  

- REDEFINING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN AND VULNERABILITY ONE STEP AT A TIME -

(all photos shown or mentioned below belong to @damon_baker on instagram)

So I’m sure we all remember where we were at the moment Damon Baker released part 1 of his artistic work featuring Omar Rudberg. I know I certainly remember where I was.

In last month’s volume we spoke about part one of the photoshoot, diving into the beautiful and captivating meaning behind Baker’s work which had omrtwt both moved but also in a chokehold in the days that followed its release. 

Well this is talking about part two of that photoshoot. So without further ado, let's go!

I was moved to say the least. 

To open up to someone close to you, whether that be friends or family, or even a stranger is hard. Yet to allow yourself to be seen by thousands of people online requires strength. And it’s in that strength that inspires people to do the same. Damon’s work combined with Omar’s created something so breathtaking and beautiful, I can barely begin to describe the impact it had on me. 

We as a species seem to think that being vulnerable is to be weak, when it is in fact the opposite. It’s our vulnerability that makes us who we are, it’s a fundamental part of us and no matter how hard we may try to hide it, it is beautiful. It is us.

“You are exquisitely human.” - Damon Baker (via instagram caption @damon_baker)

The premise behind part two of the shoot was simple, much like part one, it explored the reality of the human form and raw human emotions through vulnerability. And boy was it effective in doing so. 

Part two consisted of a variety of different angles, some close up - capturing the raw vulnerability across the subject’s (Omar’s) face, whilst others were shot from the waist up - reinforcing the premise behind the shoot, the idea of what it is to be human. To be comfortable in your own skin. 

Omar has stated in previous interviews that he’s still working on being comfortable in his own skin, over the last year alone he’s experimented with his style, hair, how he approaches his music, and many more instances. It’s been a privilege to watch him grow as an artist. 

To do a photoshoot of this scale, requiring mass amounts of vulnerability not only speaks to how far Omar has come in himself, inspiring his own audience through this. It also reinforces Damon Baker as an artist and how he creates these beautiful pieces of work whilst also giving the people he works alongside a space to feel comfortable and let go. It speaks wonders about who he is as a person and an artist!

“I want my pain because my pain is mine.” - Damon Baker (via instagram caption @damon_baker)

This isn’t about nudity (looking at you Instagram, I know you know what I mean!). It’s about emotions, it’s about the realness of humanity, of the human body. It’s raw, it's unfiltered. Its genuine beauty in the dark moments. 

Sometimes the smallest light in the dark keeps people going, that gives people a reason to keep pushing forward.

And that’s what Damon Baker does best. He finds those small ‘cracks’, those small details that make people feel seen in his work and shares it in a new and beautiful light. He redefines them and makes them new. 

And that combined with Omar, to allow him to do that. It’s a powerful combination that moved thousands of people around the world. 

We asked some people to share their own interpretations on the photoshoot and heres what they had to say. 

X user @wilmonscoffee - “I must say the posts I’ve seen where people take the photo (yk the one) and put a paragraph of them being vulnerable next to it - I think that’s so important !! It’s bringing us together and reminding us we aren’t alone - vulnerability can be so beautiful.”

In the days and weeks that have followed after the initial drop of the first part of photographs, and much after the second drop, people have taken to social media across all the platforms from Twitter/X, Instagram and Tiktok to share artworks, fanarts and personal stories in response to the photoshoot’s meaning. 

I cannot even begin to describe how beautiful this is to witness people of different backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities sharing their most vulnerable moments. This is what this photoshoot was for, to remind people that actually it’s okay. 

X user @wilrudberg - “I always had a complicated relationship with my father. We don’t say hello or goodbye even if we live in the same house, he never told me he loved me, he never cared about me and how he treats my mom and me like shit. I know I shouldn't care because he’s not a good person but I always saw my friends with good fathers and I felt guilty, and I don't know why. This photo describes exactly how I felt and feel.”

People have listened and people have supported. And even as I sit here typing this, I feel that same emotion and just awe that in people’s darkest moments, this community we’ve built is always there. Whether that be to offer a distraction or even crashout over our fav together. It’s a community for everyone. 

So with that, thank you Damon Baker for your art, thank you for reminding us that actually it’s okay to be human, it’s okay to be raw and feel. Thank you for your vision as without it, we wouldn’t have been reminded of all this.

X user @_waterliliees_ - “This is a rough period of time for me, I can't seem to find a job and I don't have a purpose or a dream or whatever, I don't really know in what direction my life is going and that really pains me. This feeling is gut wrenching sometimes and it influences other things I thought I made terms with… I feel "ashamed" about myself everytime i think about it… My point is, this photoshoot dropped at the right time for me, it made me realise - even if deep down I'm always been very well aware - that these moments, when I feel at my lowest, when life is overwhelming in a negative way, at the end of the day, are what makes me ME, that my emotions, the ones I constantly try to hide cause I don't want to show people my vulnerable side, are VALID and so so important. I'll try, from now on, to not minimize my feelings and to not let myself think they're not part of me.”

Thank you to Omar Rudberg for allowing us to see a side we often don’t see behind music videos or interviews, thank you for allowing us as your audience to witness the small moments captured in this breathtaking photoshoot. Thank you for being a role model to us. Thank you for giving us a community. 

As X user @_waterliliees_ states “I wanna say thank you. To Damon, your art is so inspiring and your words are even more. To Omar, for sharing this side and even more with us and for healing my heart everyday with everything he does even though he doesn't know it”