Entertainment

Absolutely: the next it-girl behind the microphone

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It is dangerous to be the sister of. Especially when that sister has seven Brit Awards, four Global Awards, and more under her belt. I'm talking about Where-is-my husband’s Raye and her sister Absolutely.

This month, the it-list is our theme. What do you need to see and what do you need to listen to? And especially: WHO should you keep an eye on? I’ll start with Absolutely. Raye has outgrown the it-girl status and is now a real celeb, but her sister can also hold her own. She opened for her sister and is going to continue this for Renée Rapp. This proved that she is definitely one to watch. Oh yes, her latest album has been out for less than ten days.

Who is Absolutely?

Abby-Lynn Keen, better known as Absolutely, was born in London in January 2004. The 22-year-old owes her addictive British accent to that. She grew up in a truly musical nest with her sisters, Rachel (Raye), Lauren (Amma), and Katelyn. Father Paul Keen was also a producer and artist. He took his children's songs so seriously that he soundproofed the utility room into a studio. So it is far from an unexpected career path.

In Abby-Lynn's songs, you hear a mix of pop, R&B, and EDM. They are big sounds that all fall into place. But before she stepped behind the microphone herself, she already had a name behind the scenes. Because besides singing, she can also write quite well, and she did that for many names: Normani, Anitta, and Tinashe, to name a few.

Why is she it-girl worthy?

The time when it-girls were just pretty dolls is behind us. Now it’s about standing out from the crowd with a vision and the corresponding achievements. Absolutely’s style is unique from red locks to socks. It has almost a Tim Burton-esque quality. She carries herself in a way that attracts attention and keeps it by playing with patterns and textures.

But, even though I’m doing it a bit now, in interviews she makes it clear that she doesn’t want to be put in a box. And magically, that is the most it-girl statement I have ever heard. It’s her vocals and vibe that make her the one and only Absolutely.

What has she meant so far?

Absolutely released her debut album CEREBRUM three years ago and her latest work Paracosm is less than ten days old. And in between, she brought us performance after performance. She was the opener for Raye and gets to go on a world tour with Renee Rapp this year during the Bite Me Tour.

And as I said: she knows a thing or two about writing songs. She co-wrote Jesy Nelson’s “Boyz”, Teddy Swims & Giveon’s “Are You Even Real”, and worked on projects with Leigh-Anne. Clearly, sitting still is not something the Keens do.

The expectation index

The bar is set high when your big sister has seven Brit Awards, four Global Awards, and more awards under her belt. But she doesn’t need to become the new Raye. That would even be a shame.

With nearly a million monthly listeners, she is already solid, but I expect a doubling. At least. As soon as she steps on stage night after night for Renée Rapp and captures a completely new fanbase with her voice, it should go quickly. And if she can hold onto that, who knows what will happen. Maybe we’ll be looking at Absolutely as the headliner of her own world tour.

Image: the.absolutely