Meet Autumn Palacio: Founding Member of the Omar Apollo Campaign

Have you ever wondered who runs your favourite stan account? At 20 years old, not only is Autumn Palacio a post-secondary student but she's also a seasoned professional when it comes to stan Twitter. She started her first stan page in the fourth grade for Shawn Mendes and now runs one of Omar Apollo's biggest stan pages @amorapoiio. Thankfully, Autumn took some time out of her incredibly busy schedule to answer some of my burning questions.

Blaize Exeter: Me, being such a detective, found out that you're part of a group chat consisting of Omar stans called the Greasies. How did the iconic group chat come to be?

Autumn Palacio: So, I had made a tweet, and I was just like, oh, retweet to be an Omar group chat. I didn't really think it was gonna, like, get any traction because I didn't really see anybody on Twitter talking about Omar. But then I got some retweets, and I was like, okay, and then I just put them all in there.

BE: How many people were in the original group chat?

AP: Oh my gosh, um, I want to say there was 10. But maybe it was a little bit more. There was some people that were in it and they weren't active. So, I don't know. But then we added Omar. And then Omar started adding his friends and we were like "what is going on?"

BE: Tell me more about what it was like to interact in a group chat like that.

AP: Oh my God, it was such a good time to talk to him. He was so funny. And now he's not as active on social media. And I feel like a lot of the newer fans missed all of that, which makes me so sad because he was literally one of the funniest people.

BE: I watched your and your friend's interview with Omar Apollo on Youtube. What was that experience like, and what was the process?

AP: I literally just DMed Dylan [Shanks] (Omar Apollo's manager) and I was like, do you think Omar would want I would want to do an interview? And he was like, Yeah, because at that time, we were running his fanpage thing, the Omar Apollo Archive. It was during his Speed of Sound tour and the whole day was really fun!

BE: Was it scary meeting him in person?

AP: It wasn't the first time I met him. It was actually the third time seeing him so it was comfortable.

BE: Oh wow! When was the first time you met him?

AP: It was his first tour. Well, his first solo tour. I remember when the tickets came out, or the tour dates got announced, I was in class and I got in so much trouble. Because I called my mom and I was like, "Mom, Omar's going on tour. Like, I need tickets right now." And I got yelled at. But anyways, the first time I saw him, I remember meeting him, and he was like, "I recognize you from Twitter." And I was like, "ew, no. No you don't." And he was like, "I do I do." And I was like, "ew, okay." And then we took pictures.

BE: Were you already into concerts by that point?

AP: I tried to go as many concerts as I could, but I think after I saw Omar, that's when like, my concert era started. And I was still young. I was like 15 or 16.

BE: Going back to stan pages, how many do you have active right now?

AP: Okay, I have I want to say two but if you count on different platforms then four. So the Omar account, it's still there, but it got suspended, and then that's why I made a new Twitter so now I'm just on that one. But, I can't I can't seem to revive [the old one], so I'm just like whatever. And then on Instagram I have @autumnluvsomar and then my BTS trading photocard thing, but that's yeah, that's it.

BE: How do you go about making a stan page?

AP: Okay, so first, you want to come up with a name. You want to be creative. I always go for like, what's the word? I don't know the words but when there's like an adjective that starts with like the same letter as their name, whoever you're making an account for. Like my Twitter is @amorapoIIo. Yeah, so get your name so you can be like, iconic and then just start making funny jokes about literally anything like that's pretty much what I did. Or, start tweeting about their music. Be like 'OMG, we heard this song and then start pushing it onto people. That's pretty much it. Yeah, and just follow people that are already like, tweeting about them. And then that's how you make friends.

BE: So have you made a lot of friends on the internet?

AP: yeah, yeah, I have a lot of internet friends, which sounds like, it sounds sad. A lot of my friends are like, from like, Omar in life. Pretty much all of them. Yeah. From Omar, I want to say.

BE: You were a major component in starting Omar's fanbase. What's it like to have such a successful campaign?

AP: Um, I don't know. I feel like I don't want to sound any kind of way because people have told me that and like even Omar has, like, his team has told me that, and I don't ever want to like, I don't know.

BE: No, no it's a successful campaign. You put the work in. I went back and you were in the trenches. Literally, as soon as he put out music, you were there.

AP: I think it's so cool. Like to be like that for someone, like be there since the beginning. I think that's such a cool thing to say. But, I definitely don't brag about it as much because I don't want people to get mad at me. Because I remember during that time, in like, 2018 2019, I used to get a lot of hate from people. I had CuriousCat and I would literally get messages from people, and they'd be like, 'why does Omar only talk to you? You think you're all this because Omar talks to you?' And I'm like, Okay, I don't know what you want me to say, like I'm sorry. I remember making whole apologies because people were feeling like I was leaving them out of the Omar community. But how could I leave someone out of a whole fanbase? When [Alia and I] the archive, we had like a whole, like, hate account, like made about us. And we were like, it was weird. And especially like, being in high school. I was like, 1617. And I was like, what is happening? Like, I was like, Oh, my gosh, this is ridiculous.

BE: So what was high school like having to go through all the normal stuff like homework and exams while also getting attacked by hate accounts?

AP: Honestly, I just used all that to my advantage. Like, I know all the experiences I've gone through, especially Omar Twitter because I was so involved, I wrote about him and what it was like to do that In my college essay. And that's how I got accepted into my school I'm pretty sure because I didn't have good grades and I was not like, top of my class. But, I know my essay was really good. I talked about running the fan page and eventually, building up to being able to interview him and like, how everything just came to be.

BE: What's your major?

AP: I'm in the communications college, but my major is film.

BE: Oh interesting! So are you on Film Twitter too?

AP: No, not really. Okay, so what had happened was, I was a PR major and [to be] a PR major, you have to pass advertising with a B. You can only take it twice and I passed it with a C and then I passed it with a D the second time and they were just like, girl, give it up. But, it's okay because I'm gonna go into film for music, music video stuff and concert videography.

BE: Okay, so you're like really invested in the industry?

AP: Yeah, I've always begged Dylan like please let me be your intern.

BE: And he said no?

AP: He never said 'no' but he's just like, 'We'll see.'

BE: What movies have you seen recently?

AP: I love movies, I really do. Me and my dad, like, that's our thing. But, I feel like I'm so behind just because of school and stuff. I literally do not have time to watch. But, most recently, I rewatched The Graduate for class.

BE: Do you have a favourite?

AP: I want to say it's Moonrise Kingdom, the Wes Anderson Movie.

BE: You've met Omar three times. What was your favourite interaction?

AP: Oh okay, my favourite interaction, I think is when I met him the second time. This was like, peak Greasies and I had a little backpack and I was wearing a striped shirt and some overalls and he was like, 'You literally look like you just came from school. Like, why do you look like that?' And I was like, Oh, my God. He was being so mean to me. That was my favourite because he never lives it down. And then he just never lives it down that I was his fan when I was so young and in high school. So he's always making jokes about me being so young. He's like, 'Go do your homework, go to sleep, go eat a Go-Gurt. I'm like, girl, he's so mean, but those are my favourite interactions.

BE: I know he's not as active on socials anymore, but do you still talk to him on Twitter sometimes?

AP: He doesn't talk to [his fans] anymore, or if he does, I don't know about it. But, he doesn't talk to me anymore. I don't know if I should say this, but he literally unfollowed his fan accounts on everything. He unfollowed me on everything and he unfollowed a lot of other people on everything too.

BE: Not he got signed and starting acting brand new LOL.

AP: I think he did it because he wanted everyone to feel equal I guess.

BE: Of course the Voyager era and the earlier tours were special for you, but have you been enjoying the Ivory era so far?

AP: I love Ivory era because I just feel like watching him grow has been amazing. Seeing him at the Grammys was crazy and I loved it so much. I'm just so proud of him and how much he's grown from Stereo to now. All his music is so good.

BE: So, besides Omar Apollo, what other artists are you listening to right now?

AP: I love pop music. I love all kinds of music. I pretty much listen to everybody. I would say after Omar is BTS and then maybe Beabadoobee. Oh, and I love UMI! I love UMI.

BE: Okay, we're nearing the end, so let's do some rapid fire questions. What's your favourite Omar Apollo song?

AP: "Endlessly."

BE: Favourite snack?

AP: Probably french fries or fruit.

BE: Favourite colour?

AP: Green. One time Omar wore this green shirt, and it looked phenomenal on him and I know exactly which shirt it is too. It's so bad.

BE: LOL. Well thank you so much for the interview!

AP: Yes, of course! Thank you, this was so fun!

This interview has been edited for length and clarity