Moroccan-born singer/songwriter ABIR is making major sound waves as she continues to establish herself as a vocal powerhouse in the music industry. Her sound continues to evolve as she continues to grow and pulls from many different genres including R&B, jazz, pop, and soul. 2016 was her breakout year as she released her first two singles while being named “one of 2016’s most impressive new voices” by Billboard. ABIR has been able to perform with some major hip hop talent including opening for former Vydia user Aminé at Rough Trade in Brooklyn last summer. ABIR stopped by our booth at SXSW to give us an exclusive performance and a little more insight into who she is as an artist and what her plans are in the near future:
Where is she from: Arlington, Virginia
Where is she currently residing: ABIR moved to Queens, NY to draw more inspiration for her music.
When did she start playing music: She has been signing professionally since the age of 14 but released her first single, Waves, in 2016 at the age of 21.
Who has she collaborated with: In the past she has teamed up with rapper, singer, and multi-instrumentalist Masego, hip-hop star Fabolous, and noteworthy producer Illmind (who has worked with 50 Cent, Kanye West, Drake).
Current singles: Waves and Girls
Who is her musical inspiration: Etta James
Who would she want to record with: Frank Ocean
Where does she draw inspiration: Her music comes from her life experiences and her songs are telling her story. For example, her latest single, Girls, was written as she overheard girls gossiping in a bathroom stall.
Major accomplishments: ABIR has opened for a variety of stars including The-Dream, Dawn Richards, and most recently Metro Boomin at New York Fashion Week.
Fun Fact: ABIR was featured in a promo from Beats by Dre last month!
What to watch out for: Keep an eye out next month for the release of her new music video and single Playground.
Watch ABIR’s full breath-taking performance at our SXSW booth and stay up-to-date with everything ABIR by following her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Soundcloud. Don’t forget to follow Vydia’s social media for even more exclusive performances and interviews as we continue to take over SXSW!