Abra (singer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Abra
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Abra in 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gabrielle Olivia Mirville |
| Born | March 30, 1989 New York City, U.S. |
| Origin | Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Years active | 2015–present |
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Gabrielle Olivia Mirville (born March 30, 1989), who is known by her stage name Abra, is an American singer and songwriter. She is known for her unique style of music, which mixes different sounds like synth-pop and alternative R&B. Abra is currently signed to Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps in Music
Abra was born in Queens, New York. Her parents were missionaries, which means they traveled to different places to do religious work. Because of this, Abra spent the first eight years of her life in London, England. Her family helped build a church there, and it was in this church that she first started singing. Her father was the pastor, and her mother led the music.
After living in London, Abra's family moved to a suburb near Atlanta, Georgia. When she was 14, she started learning to play the guitar. In high school, she was very involved in the drama club and graduated in 2007.
Career Journey
Getting Discovered
As a teenager, Abra started posting videos on YouTube. In these videos, she sang her own versions of popular rap songs while playing her guitar. These videos got the attention of a rapper named Father, who started a record label called Awful Records. He liked her music and encouraged her to write her own original songs.
In 2014, Abra joined Awful Records. She later said that being part of this group gave her a lot of energy and inspiration to create her music.
Major Releases and Acting
In 2015, Abra released her first EP (a short album) called BLQ Velvet. Later that year, she released her first full album, Rose. A song from this album, "Fruit," was named one of the best R&B songs of 2016 by the newspaper The Guardian.
Her second EP, Princess, came out in 2016. This was her first release with a major record label, True Panther Sounds.
Vogue magazine wrote about Abra's unique clothing style in 2016. They said that her style was a key part of her identity as an artist. She stood out in the Atlanta music scene, which was mostly made up of male rappers.
In 2018, Abra also showed her acting skills in the movie Assassination Nation, where she played a character named Em. She said that making the movie was very hard work.
In 2023, she released a new single called "FKA MESS". A music magazine called The Fader described it as a "six-minute experimental pop excursion," meaning it was a long and creative pop song.
Musical Style
The magazine Dazed described Abra's early music as having a dark, bass-heavy sound. Her songs often feature personal and emotional lyrics. Her music is a mix of different genres, including trap music, electronic music, and rhythm and blues (R&B).
Discography
Here are some of Abra's most well-known musical releases.
Studio Albums
- Rose (2015)
Extended Plays (EPs)
- BLQ Velvet (2015)
- PRINCESS (2016)
Notable Singles
- "Fruit" (2015)
- "NOVACANE" (2017)
- "B.R.A.T" (2018)
- "Unlock It" (with Boys Noize and Playboi Carti) (2021)
- "FKA MESS" (2023)
Guest Appearances
Abra has also been featured on songs by other artists.
- Charli XCX feat. ABRA – ... (2017)
- Gorillaz – Sorcererz (2018)
- Toro y Moi feat. ABRA – Miss Me (2019)
- Bad Bunny feat. ABRA – SORRY PAPI (2020)
See also
In Spanish: Abra (cantante) para niños
