ABBY T

 I feel like I’ve always been musical. Both of my parents really love music. We’re from Ghana, West Africa so I’ve been exposed to several different types of music, like afro-pop, hiplife, etc. And once we were in the States, we would listen to the radio a ton, especially all the types of pop you could listen to so of course I love Rihanna and Beyonce and that stemmed into liking more singer-songwriter-esque music such as Tori Kelly, Ed Sheeran. I went through a little guitar moment and I got really into songwriting and I love people like Jhene Aiko. It was like okay, that’s the first time I’m hearing a singer who writes like an MC. So I started going on Youtube and freestyling to beats and stuff and then delved into recording a little bit and thankfully found Clive at NYU. I met so many amazing people. I’m so grateful that New York is so small. You do one show and everyone’s friends and then people will hit you up asking to do things. People just create their own opportunities. I was doing that for a couple years.

Hashika: If your music or sound had a personality, what would it be? What kind of person would it be?

Abby: I feel like it would be someone who has no filter. That doesn’t necessarily mean they don't think things through. But I feel like I really strive to say the things that people are thinking but are too scared to say because it’ll be received as being too needy or too overt, whatever it may be. I feel like it’s so valuable to be able to get in touch with not only your emotions but your emotional intelligence. I really love it when it comes through in a song I’m listening to because it makes me feel like the writer’s talking to me. That being said, my music personified would be someone who’s unafraid, down for whatever, playing with your character.

Hashika: What was it breaking into New York and the NYU music community? What were your experiences at Clive and which spaces do you think you’re taking up in this scene? What were you doing before you got here?

Abby: Clive has been so incredible for me. Of course I love the professors and the courses but I think it wouldn't be the same without the students who are in it because everyone’s doing exactly what we are striving to do. Everyone’s in the industry and you realize that when you’re in there. I remember my first show was with this collective called Tigris Records (@tigrisrecords). Shoutout Tigris, they’re amazing! That was my first show and from that one show people started reaching out. I would post little clips on my Instagram as well and it was just so random the opportunities I received. I got to open for Kari Faux (@karifaux), JPEGMAFIA (@jpegmafia) - all through students who knew someone or people I knew from home. I don’t think I would’ve had the same experience had I not been in New York. These people are so hungry and so open. I also feel like live shows are where I feel the most comfortable because you can just play on any character you want and people are really there for a show and to see something new. I think that that’s really where I strive to place emphasis, with live performance, or in studio things like vocal delivery.

Hashika: I think that you have really made a name for yourself. When I was telling everyone that I was hopping on a call with Abby T, I expected them to know who you were...and they did know. I know that people say NYU has no campus culture but I think especially with our experiences, we’ve seen that to not be as true.

Abby: Exactly! Especially with Clive and Music Business, there’s definitely a swirl. Connections! 

Hashika: I just feel like there’s this symbiotic relationship where we’re looking for people to play shows, you guys are looking for gigs, etc. 

Abby: Totally!

Hashika: So what do you see yourself doing next? When you’re performing these huge shows, do you feel any pressure to maintain and sustain that momentum? 

Abby: After I did V100 and all that stuff, it was kind of like, you did that but what’s next? It was also the question of where can people find my music? I was like, shit that’s the whole reason I’m doing this. I haven’t recorded shit. What am I even doing? I felt so stumped. But now, I feel like with quarantine, it’s really allowed me to implement more structure into the way I make music and scheduling releases. So I really feel like a new type of music and perks with this pause that we have. It fluctuates day to day but for now I’m really drilling down and releasing singles and seeing what sticks and trying to build an authentic online base. I want to match the same energy with them as my friends. “Let’s ride” type of vibe.

Hashika: Your “Say So” cover by the way is a whole vibe.

Abby: Oh my god! Thank you! I’d love to play you some stuff after this.

Hashika: I can’t wait! I know you just mentioned that you’ve gotten into a sort of rhythm during quarantine. How do you keep yourself going and especially with social media, how have you had to shift to creating online content?

Abby: In the beginning, I wasn’t doing anything. I feel like that was really needed. It deadass felt like a pause. I was doing nothing and I didn’t feel guilty about it. That was really amazing because I feel like you need to give yourself that time to decompress. I know we always say that but we do have day to day responsibilities and things we need to attend to. I think that time doing nothing made me realize that I didn’t want that to become the norm. I was like, okay, we need to get going. I started doing sessions. Maybe 3 to 4 sessions a week with some friends of mine who are producers. And building a catalog, planning things out and having meetings about what’s next. It’s been important to put stuff in my calendar to look forward to..or not, if that’s your jam. 

And also with online content, I was taking this one course that was an in person performance  class. So the final was a performance, as one does. So we had to shift and do a livestream. We had to brainstorm ways to make things interesting and consider sound quality and all that stuff. I feel like quarantine has also shown me that I have the tools to do everything myself. And not every artist does to a certain extent. It feels like the music industry is really on this plane where everything has been leveled for a certain amount of time and everyone has seen certain artists who maybe before have had a huge creative team - we’re seeing the real side. Some inconsistencies. And now it’s amazing because there are new creative artists breaking through the mud because of this time.

Hashika: That’s so fun! Also, I’ve realized my Discover Weekly is literally NYU kids. Like, how are you on this? So cool. Going off of that, what have been some of your favourite projects or shows? Have you ever had a “I made it’ moment?

Abby: Favorite performance was definitely V100 because the energy was so electric. People were just having unadulterated fun. No one gave a fuck. Normally you’re worried about appearances. You’re at a show and you’re trying to look cute and all this stuff. Especially with DJing, I really love playing the shit that we grew up on that everyone knows and loves. There’s nothing like that nostalgic moment where you’re like what, I remember this! I remember where I was when I listened to this. That was definitely my favorite. And also, I would say that opening for Kari Faux was when I was like oh, this is incredible. They paid for my transport, all this other stuff and then paid me on top of that. I got to meet Kari and she was so sweet and nice. I was like, woah this is crazy. This is tangible.

I’m still waiting for that “I made it” moment. Hopefully in the next ten years. We have time. We have a plan now, so.

Hashika: I can’t believe you’re going into your senior year now.

Abby: I know. I was just moving into Lipton and now here we are.