SMELLS LIKE KEEN SPIRIT

Abby-Lynn Keen, aka Absolutely, is on an otherworldly ascent. From this year's viral hit 'I Just Don't Know You Yet' to a mega performance at All Points East 2025, her moment has arrived

- By ZOYA RAZA-SHEIKH

It’s early morning in LA, and Absolutely - real name Abby-Lynn Keen - is in the midst of plans.

Her partner is hosting a party, she tells me, as she slips into a car. At the age of 21, the musician has had an unprecedented year. She’s had a massive online hit, supported her older sister RAYE, who headlined All Points East, and now she’s got a new album on the way. Absolutely’s second album, Paracosm, is thoughtful, compelling and a window into her quirky, emotionally honest universe.

Onstage, the singer dresses with intention, donning outfits that feel fit for a Tim Burton movie. Today, however, she presents herself as Abby, rather than Absolutely. Her vibrant colours are toned down and she’s wearing an elegant, satin-looking dress in soft grey, along with delicate earrings. We discuss Paracosm - a title which lends itself to the imaginary world. It’s a mystical step into a direction where Keen finds power and solace in her voice. On the record, she unravels feelings of adjusting to fame and relationships that didn’t quite work. It’s an album that finds its own pace, flickering between punchy drums to wondrously nimble, balladesque tunes.

For Keen, the album is a reminder, a motto to not lose sight of your child-like imagination. “I realised that I needed to reignite that wonder again and I think I managed to do that,” she recalls. As she scribbled down lyrics and slotted in studio sessions around a busy schedule, Keen started to notice her album come together. Her lead single, ‘I Just Don’t Know You Yet’ amassed a cult following online, with fans asking her to release a studio version, as well as a live one. She became more confident with developing new skills, like production, and putting her twist on her music.