Biography
From North Africa to New York City, singer/songwriter Abir pairs exuberant dance-pop with a commanding, soul-steeped delivery that places her alongside peers such as Dua Lipa, Jess Glynne, Alessia Cara, and Daya. Early guest appearances preceded her first solo release, the 2016 Masego collaboration “Wave.” She went on to represent Morocco in consecutive Europa Song Contest editions and unveiled her introductory EP, Mint, in 2018. The 2020 follow-up Heat EP further wove ancestral sounds into her established style.
Born Abir Haronni in Fez, Morocco, she relocated to the United States with her family at age five. Growing up in Arlington, Virginia, she began singing shortly after the move, shaped by repeated listens to Etta James CDs during drives with her father, who worked as a limousine chauffeur. Additional inspiration came from the storied Egyptian vocalist Umm Kulthum, while later influences on her powerful technique and artistic direction included Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Sarah Vaughan, and Beyoncé.
Her initial recorded features arrived with rapper Fabolous on 2015’s “Young OG II” and producer Illmind on 2016’s “Fallin,” after which she stepped out independently with “Wave.” She also shared stages with The-Dream and Dawn Richard. Subsequent singles included “Playground” and the assertive “Girls.” Expanding her reach globally in 2018, she performed for Morocco at the seventh Europa Song Contest with “Way Out.” Later that year she returned for the eighth edition, delivering the luminous electronic track “Finest Hour” alongside American EDM outfit Cash Cash. Capitalizing on the exposure, she issued her debut EP Mint, which contained an acoustic rendition of “Finest Hour” plus “Young & Rude,” a buoyant track sparked by her relocation to New York City. Promotional runs alongside Kiiara, Jacob Banks, and Jess Glynne supported the project. Her second EP, Heat, arrived in summer 2020 and spotlighted the single “Inferno.”
Born Abir Haronni in Fez, Morocco, she relocated to the United States with her family at age five. Growing up in Arlington, Virginia, she began singing shortly after the move, shaped by repeated listens to Etta James CDs during drives with her father, who worked as a limousine chauffeur. Additional inspiration came from the storied Egyptian vocalist Umm Kulthum, while later influences on her powerful technique and artistic direction included Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Sarah Vaughan, and Beyoncé.
Her initial recorded features arrived with rapper Fabolous on 2015’s “Young OG II” and producer Illmind on 2016’s “Fallin,” after which she stepped out independently with “Wave.” She also shared stages with The-Dream and Dawn Richard. Subsequent singles included “Playground” and the assertive “Girls.” Expanding her reach globally in 2018, she performed for Morocco at the seventh Europa Song Contest with “Way Out.” Later that year she returned for the eighth edition, delivering the luminous electronic track “Finest Hour” alongside American EDM outfit Cash Cash. Capitalizing on the exposure, she issued her debut EP Mint, which contained an acoustic rendition of “Finest Hour” plus “Young & Rude,” a buoyant track sparked by her relocation to New York City. Promotional runs alongside Kiiara, Jacob Banks, and Jess Glynne supported the project. Her second EP, Heat, arrived in summer 2020 and spotlighted the single “Inferno.”
Albums
Singles
