Ari Abdul
In an industry that often rewards surface over substance, Ari Abdul has made a career out of pulling back the curtain. From the hypnotic darkness of CCTV to the aching intimacy of “BABYDOLL,” she’s built a world that feels both haunted and unflinchingly human. Now, with her self-titled debut project on the horizon, she’s stepping into her most vulnerable era yet—one that doesn’t just hint at the intricacies of her story but essentially lays it bare.
That level of honesty barrels through on her 2025 single “LEAVE ME HERE,” which sets the tone for everything to come. The song itself draws directly from the weight of childhood trauma as well as feelings of abandonment, and for Abdul, it was the only way to begin this next chapter.
“In the last three years I’ve been writing and releasing music, I’ve learned so much not only about myself but also about how important it is to create music that means something and can connect to others,” she tells us. “To me, music has always been an expression of emotion, whether through lyrics or the sonics, it’s what makes me a music fan personally. It’s never been easy for me to express what I feel inside, so music has always done that for me, and now I’m making those songs myself. This new chapter for me—in life and music—is all about being vulnerable and almost uncomfortable. It’s like therapy in a way.”
Writing something as personal as “LEAVE ME HERE” meant confronting experiences she’d long kept in the dark and letting the rawest parts of her voice lead. “The writing process felt like both catharsis and confrontation at the same time,” Abdul admits. “Honestly, the song kinda always existed within me; it was more a matter of being strong enough to pull it out and say it—or sing it—with my chest.”
She then goes on to add, “Another huge piece of my current writing process is that I’ve been creating music with the same exact people who I feel I have grown so much with and feel comfortable enough to make these songs. Safe spaces are so important in any art. A lot of the song, especially the screaming, just came from within without much thought, and it felt amazing to finally let it out and heal myself.”
Sonically, “LEAVE ME HERE” leans into industrial grit, alt-rock dynamics, and a hypnotic undercurrent without losing the shadowy pull that’s always defined her work. It’s a style that’s natural, enticing, and ultimately, a major factor in her growing success. “I’m always pulling from my favorite elements that exist in all the different genres I love,” she explains to us. “I feel like some of those elements convey different feelings or emotions. Screaming on this track was a perfect fit for what I was feeling when revisiting my childhood. It’s always important to me to somewhat keep my original natural sound but experiment on the edge with newer elements to properly build the song.”
Zoom out from the single, and you can feel the architecture of a larger story taking shape. “There is absolutely a connecting theme [with my recent music],” she says. “I’ve always been a sucker for projects that paint out a whole story that the listener has to interpret. The theme of this project is birth, rebirth, and all the beautifully painful changes and growth that come with them. I’ve not only grown as an artist but as a person so much in these last three years, and I wanted to express that. These songs are all part of me and who I am, which is why the self title made sense.”
That sense of rebirth tracks with her evolution since CCTV. Back then, she built her songs so the meaning and emotion were buried deep, hidden under fiction. Now, her perspective has slightly shifted. “While making CCTV, I was still scared to be open about myself, so I would craft those songs to have the emotion/meaning deep within them but mask them with fiction,” the singer says. “This project no longer has that mask. It’s just real to me.”
Abdul’s audience has grown alongside that shift, in part because she’s already proved what happens when she leads with her heart. “‘BABYDOLL’ definitely proved my original instinct of the people wanting songs they can relate to,” she says. “It again came from a place of emotion, and before it came out when I had no music out, I knew making a song that is just vulnerable would translate. Seeing its success helped push me to grow into that vulnerability.”
Part of what makes her work so magnetic (like the aforementioned “BABYDOLL”) is the visual world she’s built around it—moody, immersive, a little haunted. “In the beginning, when asked about my visuals, it always confused me because I have always just stayed true to myself, and I naturally did what I thought looked cool,” she recalls. “For CCTV, I definitely played more into the story telling but all these upcoming [album] visuals are just rawly me.”
Her fan base resonates deeply with the degree of openness she shares about identity, confidence, and even mental health, and that connection has only strengthened over time. “Everyone and anyone who’s ever connected me or my music means so much to me,” Abdul admits. “They’ve truly saved my life. There’s no pressure, and I love being honest and open with them. I try to give them as much as I can, but when I can’t, I know they understand.”
As she gears up for her debut release later this year and a first headline tour, her hopes are both genuine and simple. “Honestly, I don’t go in with many expectations,” Abdul notes. “I just hope they enjoy the music and feel it and maybe understand that they’re never alone. We’re all just human and alive now.”
Still, if “LEAVE ME HERE” is any indication, Ari Abdul’s debut pulls focus on growth, change, and the courage it takes to tell your story without disguise. And for those who have followed her journey, it’s the beginning of a chapter they’ve been waiting for.
