Singer-songwriter Abby Simone’s debut single ‘Same Sunrise’ set the Singaporean artist out for discovery, landing on a globe-trotting selection of New Music Friday playlists, and picking up an array of UK tastemaker tips. The second stage of her introduction to the world now continues as she shares the follow-up single ‘Walking Away’.
Abby’s ear for R&B production is highlighted on the new single Walking Away, where she shares her sensual jazz-inspired vocals. Abby details all the intensity of romance, offering something to calm it singing, “Give me a little bit of your sun/I’ll give you some good cool breeze”. The quiet melancholy of leaving something behind chimes with long distance relationships and the universal impulse to hide your pain as emotion rises. Like ‘Same Sunrise’ before it, ‘Walking Away’ speaks to people who have experienced the pain of separation and the impulse to put on a brave face as your heart breaks.
Abby was raised in a Tamil household in Singapore, which provided the backdrop for her low-key rebellion. Her parents would sing gospel music in church, while her homelife was soundtracked by Christian hymns rather than pop music. Later in life she appreciated the significance of growing up in that culture, but at the time she wanted to hear all that music could offer, covertly listening to everything from Destiny’s Child to Avril Lavigne out of earshot of her parents. As the years passed, however, her parents grew to accept the importance of music in her life, leading to a recent touching video in which Abby’smother is clearly excited to hear ‘Same Sunrise’ for the first time.
Naturally, the more music Abby discovered, the more she found to love, with her diverse favourites including N.E.R.D., Burna Boy, Parcels, Peggy Gou and Kings of Convenience.
The early stages of Abby’s rise came in the bars and clubs of the local Singaporean music scene. The easiest way to make progress would be to play famous Chinese pop songs and sexualise her image, so Abby again rebelled by forming a band which blended jazz and hip-hop. At some point, however, she wanted to follow her vision, and her vision alone. She spent countless hours honing her craft, taking a casual crash course from a friend to learn Logic Pro before developing her vocal, guitar and production talents to reach the standard we now hear. Pushing for a career in music has required her to travel, and constantly being away from the people who matter, whether it’s family or a partner, has given her songwriting a yearning heart which speaks to people experiencing similar separations.
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