Ari Abdul – Seductive
Rising artist Ari Abdul returns today with new single “SEDUCTIVE” (Slumbo Labs/RCA Records), a dark and sultry track that pushes the Brooklyn-born artist further into the shadowy, trip-hop-inflected sound she’s been cultivating over the last four years.
Produced by Stint (Demi Lovato, Sabrina Claudio), the song follows a run of releases that have seen Abdul embracing a moodier, more unfiltered side of her songwriting. She shares, “‘SEDUCTIVE’ is a song all about the debilitating desire to be accepted/loved that you’ll do anything, even if it means suppressing everything you are. I wanted this track to feel like losing yourself for everyone else. It shows the lengths we go just to feel wanted. The song came from a place of always trying to be enough and rather than a love song to one person it’s a plea to the listener to be enough. A huge focus on the project is identity, avoidance and navigating purpose, seductive sets that tone perfectly by confusing love, devotion and self-destruction.”
“SEDUCTIVE” offers another glimpse into the darker, edgier world Abdul has been developing ahead of a larger project to come later this fall. Throughout her recent releases, Abdul has increasingly turned her attention to the complicated space where romance, desire and danger intersect. “EGO” and “SO GOOD” explore the volatile sides of romance, from the danger of a burgeoning relationship to jealousy and obsession, while “ENAMORED” was born out of loneliness and lovesickness while Abdul’s girlfriend Ella Boh was away on tour. The latter was co-produced by Boh and Stint, who have become key collaborators in Abdul’s recent work, alongside co-writers including Emma Rosen (mgk, Gunnar) and Trey Campbell (Dua Lipa, Bebe Rexha).
This new chapter marks the latest evolution for an artist whose career began almost entirely by accident. Growing up Abdul was a self-described Tumblr fangirl, immersed in the music of The 1975, Lana Del Rey, The Neighbourhood, Melanie Martinez and Arctic Monkeys, but never imagined herself becoming an artist. After high school, a close friend brought her into his studio and encouraged her to try writing a song.
The result was 2022’s “BABYDOLL,” Abdul’s first-ever single. The song went viral on TikTok and quickly earned her a cult following, leading to a record deal, her first-ever live performance at Lollapalooza, two EPs and a tour with Nessa Barrett.
Abdul’s sound is also rooted in the musical melting pot she grew up around in Brooklyn. Her mother was born in Ecuador and her father in Costa Rica, and she was raised on Latin pop and New York hip-hop. Her older brothers introduced her to niche and underground artists, fueling a curiosity for music outside the Top 40 that would ultimately shape her own musical identity.
Four years after releasing a debut single she never expected anyone to hear, Abdul has grown into a more assured songwriter and artist, increasingly willing to confront her experiences head-on. She never had a plan for her future, finding herself spending too much time on line and eventually partying hard in her early twenties. But music not only gave her a purpose but also an outlet to truly find herself.
“With this upcoming project, it feels so much like me, and it feels so real to me,” she says. “I feel like it’s a perfect reflection of what I’ve always wanted to say.”
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