From Young Royals to pop icon: Omar Rudberg’s ‘raw and naked’ next chapter

It’s Omar Rudberg’s first headlining show, not just in New York City but in the United States. The sold-out crowd is giddy with anticipation: a mixture of squealing stans of Netflix’s Young Royals, teenagers thrilled to be out on a school night, and queer folks of all ages in need of a space to unapologetically be themselves. Paper hearts with the words “NY <3 Omar,” tossed about by an enthusiastic fan, flutter in the air, illuminated by the twinkling glow of phone lights. Soon, the Venezuelan-Swedish heartthrob and former boy band star takes the stage, and America is ready.

Rudberg’s U.S. debut is something of a coronation as a global sensation, but he seems almost as starstruck by the love of his fans as they are by the sight of him. A few days later, in conversation with INTO at the Atlantic Records office, he’s still visibly humbled by the adoring reception. “It’s a dream come true,” he says. “I never imagined that it would really happen, especially this quick. I’ve always wanted to do my own tours and perform here, but it’s really hard to actually get there. It’s another thing than dreaming about it every day of your life.”

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At Rudberg’s show, the crowd hangs onto his every word, even the ones in a language they might not understand; during the two Swedish-language numbers—“Simon’s Song” from Young Royals and “Dum”—the audience sings along louder than they do for almost any of the English songs. “It was a little scary at first because I’ve never met my American fans, so I wasn’t sure if they were going to sing along to the Swedish songs,” he says. It’s a testament to the genuine bond between Rudberg and his fans, managing to reach across borders and language barriers. “They have something they connect to and something that means a lot to them, and that’s what makes it so special.”

When he was still a child, Rudberg and his mother relocated halfway around the world from Venezuela to Sweden—he eventually took the last name of his Swedish stepfather. Such a move would cause culture shock at any age, but music has allowed Rudberg to turn that feeling of being in-between into a strength. As an immigrant, there’s something particularly poignant about Rudberg representing his second home on the world stage, given that Sweden—and Swedish pop music—tends to be perceived as overwhelmingly white. 

In concert, he switches from English to Spanish to Swedish as effortlessly as he moves from club-ready bops to searing ballads. Rudberg’s embrace of his heritage is a significant difference between his work as a solo artist and his time as a member of the Swedish boy band FO&O, flirting with reggaeton on tracks like “Mi Casa Es Su Casa.” His recent EP Every Night Fantasy even includes a Spanish-language version of the track “Red Light,” as he continues to explore further and fully express himself. 

Rudberg’s growing American fanbase is evidence of just how much pop has transformed over the last decade, as stars from BTS to Bad Bunny to Peso Pluma continue to break through in the U.S. market without sacrificing their roots. In another era, Rudberg’s multilingualism might have hindered his success outside of Sweden, but now it’s arguably an asset; Rudberg shows a different side of himself with every language, allowing him to connect with audiences across identities and lived experiences. 

“When I moved to Sweden, I was trying to fit in and learn the language,” he explains. “I was forgetting about where I was from and forgetting my words in Spanish. I was becoming a gringo,” he says with a laugh. “That was a tough period for me, and especially for my mom, seeing me losing my heritage in different ways. She was really hard on me, and when I would speak to her in Swedish, she was like, I don’t understand you, I’m not Swedish. The older I got, [Spanish] just came out of me more. I started listening to reggaeton and some Latin American artists and started singing in Spanish as well.

“Spanish is the hardest language to sing in because it’s my first language, so I feel that pressure a little more. But it’s fun singing in Spanish. It’s a lot closer to home, and it feels heavier, if that makes sense. It’s a vibe … Swedish is definitely the language that I speak the most, but it’s really beautiful to sing in Swedish because it also feels very close, but in a different way than Spanish.”

Rudberg’s music bridges his different worlds, but he’s the connecting thread through it all: Every Night Fantasy finds room for R&B throwbacks, synth-pop grooves, and swooning torch songs; after the dissolution of FO&O, Omar increasingly began to explore his Latin roots in the music arrangements, playing with thumping reggaeton beats that almost command you to start grinding. 

Though there may be some reminders of his boy band days, with the glittering get-ups and sleek sunglasses giving heavy Y2K vibes, Rudberg is all grown up, with a confident sensuality radiating from every movement of his body. There’s a remarkable level of physical intimacy with his dancers, and he’s not afraid to tease and tantalize the audience. During one number, he might be pouring sweat, while the next, he’s pouring out his soul.

Thanks to his co-starring role in Young Royals, in which he plays the lover of a Swedish prince, Rudberg has transformed from a teen idol to a certified sex symbol. At just 26, he’s a veteran mainstage act with 10 years of live performance behind him, but his on-camera work took some acclimation. Branching out as a solo artist has given Rudberg a new relationship with his image, instilling him with a greater sense of confidence while teaching him to let go of anxiety over how he’s perceived. In his music, Rudberg is used to calling the shots, but acting means being a part of someone else’s vision; by stepping outside of himself and making peace with how others see him, Rudberg has become more vulnerable as a performer—both emotionally and physically.

“Acting has helped me a lot with insecurities when it comes to how I look,” he says. “I needed to see myself raw and naked, literally. Not being in control and being super vulnerable helped me gain self-love. With acting, you could play an ugly character, someone who hasn’t showered in two weeks. That same person could also play, like, a billionaire in New York, and they would look totally different and so hot. So I’ve learned that it isn’t really about you and your look and your body; it’s more so what you create around it … I would love to be somebody else, not close to me at all. I would love to have no eyebrows and have a wig on,” he says, laughing. “That would be so cool.”

“I needed to see myself raw and naked, literally.”

Omar Rudberg

In concert, Rudberg takes center stage, but he’s also every inch the auteur, always in search of new ways to push the boundaries of his performance. The spotlight might be more squarely on him now than in his boy band days, but his performances are still a group effort, with his musicians and dancers working as part of a finely honed machine. During dance breaks, the band unexpectedly interpolates a few songs by other artists, like Cardi B’s “I Like It” and The Kid Laroi’s “Stay,” which makes his show feel as much like a night out at the club as a concert. 

The concert begins with a riff on the opening sermon of “Let’s Go Crazy” by Prince, another artist whose willingness to play outside the lines provides a model for Rudberg. Just like Prince couldn’t be anyone but Prince, Rudberg isn’t trying to be anyone else but himself. “Prince was just such a diva and a rebel,” he says. “For me, he’s just an icon, literally. Prince really opened up a path for the younger generation, just expressing yourself and not giving a damn about anything.”  

Though he plays a gay character on Young Royals and blurs gender lines on songs like “Girlfriend,” Rudberg has been reluctant to identify himself as one thing or another. But it’s that desire to live his life without labels that’s made him even more of a queer icon, evidenced by the Pride flags waving in the crowd throughout the night. 

“I don’t really care who you are, if you are in the LGBTQ+ community or if you aren’t,” says Rudberg. “The most important thing for me is that people feel good energy and happiness for a moment. I want everybody to leave the show and have the biggest smile on their face and feel like there’s no limits to anything. It’s an honor that people look up to me in that way, and they can relate and connect to me because I didn’t have that when I was younger. I didn’t realize that maybe I needed that kind of role model, so I’m just happy that people see me like that. I’m just a human being, and I’m just being myself.”♦

Produced by Matthew Wexler
Words by Nadine Smith
Photography by Corey Rives
Photo Assistants: Chris Medlin, Eros Suero

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