Halfway through Absolutely's Reading Festival debut, she performs the lush 'No Audience'. The gorgeous, tender track was originally written about feeling uncomfortable onstage, but now, with more than 50 gigs under her belt this year already, it just makes Absolutely feel "free, whimsical and fantastical", baring her soul to tens of thousands of strangers.
"I feel really proud of myself," she tells Dork backstage shortly afterwards. "We didn't expect that many people to show up, and there were plenty of sing-alongs… It's all pretty surreal."
Released earlier this year, Absolutely's playful second album 'Paracosm' is all about escapism. "It was sparked from a moment of feeling stuck," she says. "I was relying on the logical part of my brain to try to create music, and I just kept hitting a wall. To get through that, I had to get back in touch with my childlike self and create through that lens. I just started playing with sounds, lyrics and song structures. I wasn't worried about being weird or making something 'perfect'." The end result is a euphoric, blissed-out record that's full of optimistic joy and a fierce sense of play.
“It’s been really special to see how my small world has expanded”
Before the record was released, Absolutely had only really played a handful of live gigs. This year, though, she's supported RAYE and Reneé Rapp in arenas across the world. "It's been emotional," she says. "It's taken me a while to get confident onstage, and I've been opening for a lot of different artists, which is sometimes a struggle because it feels like I have to earn the attention and respect of the audience. Being on stage and putting myself out there is still sometimes a bit scary, but for the most part, it's all positive emotions."
"It's been really special to see how my small world has expanded, though, and how many people have connected with it," she continues. Even at Reading Festival, fans on the front row came with handmade gifts for Absolutely or wore outfits shaped by 'Paracosm's colourful visual landscape. "Today just felt like I'd already put the work in, so I could just enjoy the [community] that my music offers. It's so beautiful to see that my world has inspired that. It's definitely important to encourage people to unlock their imagination and think with a more childlike perspective."
She isn't 100 per cent sure why 'Paracosm', a deeply personal record, has connected with so many people. "Maybe it's just because I believe in everything that I'm doing. Everything about this album, from what I'm singing about to what I wear onstage, is a reflection of who I am. That's something tangible that people can really step inside and be a part of."
"I love fashion so much. My original plan was to be a fashion designer, but I just couldn't stop the magnetism that I had towards music," says Absolutely, who designs all her onstage looks and works with a seamstress to make them come to life. "There's so much self-reflection in my music, it's important to have that reflected elsewhere as well."
She's excited to explore that with her own headline tour, which is currently being planned. "I still need to delve into what I'd want the emotional journey of an Absolutely headline to be. But I know that I don't want it to feel like it's me and the audience… I want it to feel like we're experiencing it together," she says. "I'm also excited to see all the costumes that people put together, and how my world comes to life through their eyes."
There's also the promise of new music. "I'm really inspired by being in love," says Absolutely, who recently got engaged to fellow musician NOAH NOAH. "We love collaborating with each other. We just inspire each other a lot musically and in life, so that's a big part of where my heart is. There are a lot of love songs on the way."
The reaction to 'Paracosm' is also shaping what comes next. "It feels like the world of Absolutely is finally built," she says, still eager to play. "Now I can just keep expanding it."
Absolutely's album 'Paracosm' is out now.
