Abra (singer)
Abra | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gabrielle Olivia Mirville March 30, 1989 Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Vocalist, songwriter |
| Years active | 2012–present |
| Known for | Music career with Awful Records, Polo Grounds Music, RCA Records; role in Assassination Nation (2018) |
Gabrielle Olivia Mirville (born March 30, 1989), professionally recognized as Abra (stylized as ABRA), is an American vocalist and songwriter. She is currently affiliated with Polo Grounds Music and RCA Records, having previously been signed to Awful Records.
Early life and education
Born in Queens, New York, Abra is the daughter of missionary parents originating from Guyana and Haiti. Her early childhood, spanning eight years, was spent in London, where her parents founded a church. It was within this religious setting that she first engaged with singing, guided by her father who served as pastor and her mother who led the worship sessions. Subsequently, her family relocated to Lilburn, a suburb located near Atlanta.
At age 14, Abra began learning to play the guitar. She attended Parkview High School, where she was actively involved in the drama program, completing her studies in 2007.
Career
During her late teenage years, Abra started sharing acoustic rap covers on YouTube. This exposure led to her discovery by Father, the founder of Awful Records and a rapper himself, who motivated her to compose original tracks. In 2014, she became a member of Awful Records, later describing this period as a vital source of motivation and referring to it as "the battery in my back."
Her debut EP, BLQ Velvet, came out in 2015. The follow-up EP, Princess, was released through True Panther Sounds on July 15, 2016, marking her initial release under a major label. The track "Fruit" from her album Rose received acclaim from The Guardian, which named it among the top R&B songs of 2016.
In 2016, Vogue highlighted how Abra’s intentional stylistic contrasts underscore her unique position as a female artist within the predominantly male Awful Records collective, which is significantly shaping Atlanta’s music landscape.
Abra played the character Em in the 2018 motion picture Assassination Nation. She described the role as demanding considerable effort, likening it to grape stomping—"trampling on all these grapes to produce a small [bottle] of wine."
In 2023, she unveiled the single "FKA MESS," which The Fader characterized as an experimental pop journey lasting six minutes.
Musical style
According to Dazed, Abra’s initial releases feature "often-looming, bass-heavy production combined with hypnotically melodic and emotionally candid lyrics," blending influences from trap music, electronic music, and rhythm and blues genres.
Remixes
| Year | Title | Track listing | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Kookaburra | 1. "Kookaburra (feat. ABRA) - Dark Cerberus Sound" | * Released July 13, 2013 (digital platforms including SoundCloud and YouTube)
|
Studio albums
| Year | Title | Track listing | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Rose | 1. "Feel"
2. "Roses" 3. "U Kno" 4. "Fruit" 5. "Pride" 6. "Lights Intelude (feat. Archibald SLIM)" 7. "Atoms" 8. "No Chill" 9. "$hot (feat. Stalin Majesty)" 10. "Tonight!" 11. "Human" 12. "Game" |
* Released June 16, 2015 (digital and streaming); October 6, 2017 (vinyl format)
|
Extended plays
| Year | Title | Track listing | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | BLQ Velvet | 1. "U Go I Go"
2. "Make It" 3. "Unwise" 4. "I Guess" 5. "Fade 2 Blaq" 6. "Love & Power" |
* Issued on January 19, 2015
|
| 2016 | PRINCESS | 1. "COME 4 ME"
2. "VEGAS" 3. "CRYBABY" 4. "BIG BOI (feat. Tommy Genesis)" 5. "PULL UP" 6. "THINKING OF YOU" |
* Released on July 15, 2016
|
Singles
- ABRA – Diamonds & Gold (2012)
- ABRA – Don't Kill Men (2012)
- ABRA – Oh Come, Oh Come, Emmanuel (2014)
- ABRA – Sin City (2014)
- ABRA – NEEDSUMBODY (2014)
- ABRA – CENTERSTAGE 1.17 (2015)
- ABRA – Then U Get Some (2015)
- ABRA – BFF (2015)
- ABRA feat. Father – U Ain't Got To Lie (2015)
- ABRA – Bounty (2016)
- ABRA – NOVACANE (2017) [for Adult Swim Singles]
- ABRA – BACARDI (2017)
- ABRA – B.R.A.T (2018)
- ABRA & Boys Noize – Unlock It (feat. Playboi Carti) (2021)
- ABRA – FKA MESS (2023)
- ABRA & Groupthink – Gold on Me (2024)
- ABRA & Kingdom – SUBI (2024)
Guest appearances
- HYDRABADD feat. ABRA – Sanctuary (2013)
- DARKCERBERUSSOUND feat. ABRA – Kookaburra (2013)
- Archibald SLIM feat. ABRA – Luv (2015)
- Micah Freeman feat. ABRA – Movement (2015)
- salute feat. ABRA – Colourblind (2015)
- Ethereal feat. ABRA & Father – STYX (2015)
- KCSB feat. ABRA – All My Luv (2015)
- Tommy Genesis feat. ABRA – Hair Like Water Wavy Like The Sea (2015)
- Hiko Momoji feat. Father & ABRA – Late Nights (2016)
- Ethereal feat. ABRA & Coodie Breeze – Treat You Right (2016)
- Ethereal feat. ABRA – Look At U (2016)
- Chris Brann feat. ABRA – Once Before (2016)
- Father feat. iLoveMakonnen & ABRA – Why Don't You (2016)
- Rich Po Slim feat. ABRA – Make You Mine (2016)
- Stickz Greenz feat. ABRA – Just Chill (2017)
- LiL iFFy feat. ABRA – Dark Times Indeed (2017)
- Charli XCX feat. ABRA – Drugs (2017)
- Da$H feat. ABRA – Deja U (2017)
- Father feat. ABRA – Lotto (2018)
- Gorillaz – Sorcererz (2018)
- Toro y Moi feat. ABRA – Miss Me (2019)
- Solange – Sound of Rain (2019)
- Octavian feat. ABRA – My Head (2019)
- Bad Bunny feat. ABRA – SORRY PAPI (2020)
- Boys Noize feat. ABRA – Affection (2021)
Remixes
- Standard by Empress Of (remixed by ABRA, 2015)
- Everybody In The Club by Father (ABRA's remix, 2015)