October 20, 2025 • 20 mins
** Wait for the end for an amazing surprise by Abi Flynn **
Celebrating her FIRST #1, the amazing Abi Flynn joins us for the first time on America's Dance 30! She shares how her smash "Move A Little Closer" was born w DVBBS, and her process when she's writing songs. She also shares how "Phases" was born w Joel Corry!
Abi also answers a question she's never been asked before, and we get to know her better w #FinkysFirsts!!
Find out about:
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
Celebrating her FIRST #1, the amazing Abi Flynn joins us for the first time on America's Dance 30! She shares how her smash "Move A Little Closer" was born w DVBBS, and her process when she's writing songs. She also shares how "Phases" was born w Joel Corry!
Abi also answers a question she's never been asked before, and we get to know her better w #FinkysFirsts!!
Find out about:
- if music was the first thing she wanted to get into growing up
- if using her real name for her artist project was her first choice
- the first song she ever wrote
- the first thought she had when she was diagnosed w cancer, and what helped her thru the battle
- the first dance song that made her fall in love w EDM
- her first impression hearing one of her songs on the radio
Follow: @AmericasDance30 on all socials!
Count down the biggest dance songs in the country every week with Brian Fink on America’s Dance 30; listen on stations around the world!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Abby, I've got the same question for you that I
asked Newlah when I chatted with her. Where in the
h E double hockey sticks did you come from?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
I mean, I've been singing forever on the scene, but
I guess doing a splice pack sample vocal pack eight
years ago. You know, one day a lot of the
songs just went platinum on their own, and then it
was just kind of catching up from there.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Really, Yeah, because I blinked and then all of a
sudden you were everywhere on the radio, which is awesome.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
That's good to hear. I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Absolutely. Now we got a lot to chat about.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
We're going to be talking about your Smash with Dubs
coming up, plus the other songs that you're on Right now,
we're going to get to know Abby Flynn a little
better with Finky's First and ask you a question you
have possibly never been asked before. Abby Flynn, Welcome to
America's Dance thirty for the first time.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
It's good to be here counting down the biggest dance
songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
This is America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
It is great finally meeting you and chatting congratulations on
move a little Closer with Dubs not only going number one,
but being number one two weeks in a row.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Yeah, I just got news of that feels amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
That is incredible now, I know, obviously besides this one,
you're on a lot of songs that are uncredited.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Is this your first number one on the US dance charts?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh? Yeah, I think it's my first Billboard Dance charting track.
I believe at least in the you know, the top
fifty or something.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
So yeah, that is incredible. Congratulations, Well, thank you.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And I might may have been on that before with
my voice, but not credited, so this is a big moment.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Well, I can't wait to talk about how this smash
was born with Dubbs, but first let's get to know
Abby Flynn a little better with Finkey's first right.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
I love finding out the origin story of artists. Did
I see that you actually started singing at a young
age to overcome anxiety.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Yes, that's right.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
That is incredible. I deal with anxiety too. Maybe I
should have started singing when I was young.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah. I've always felt more comfortable singing or being performing
or on stage than in any other area of life.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So yeah, gotcha.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Now, when you were growing up, was music the first
thing that you wanted to get into or was there
something else you wanted to be when you grew up.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
No, I just always, ever since three years old, like
been singing and writing my own songs.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
It's always ever wanted or known to do.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
That is incredible that it actually worked out for you. Congratulations,
thank you Now. Kind of a side note, but I
saw the video that you posted in Ibitha where you
were walking around with people singing some of the hooks
to your songs. Yeah, do you get nervous when you
do that that people aren't going to recognize the song?
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Not really.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I think it's the same thing as when I'm on
stage singing. In most of life, like I feel fairly
socially awkward and kind of but yeah, just hyper sensitive
and different to a lot of people. But when I
get into that mode of my music and I'm sharing
my songs, I don't really mind. As kind of Waterpoduc's
back and it's something I developed to be able to
(03:38):
really put the face to the name. And after the
first few amazing responses, I was just like, yeah, whatever,
and if someone says, oh, no, no, I mean, they've
always heard the song. But if they say like, na,
I don't want to do a video or whatever, I'm
just like, cool, have.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
A great day. Yeah, it's just really good fun. It
mostly gets really good responses.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
See.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I just hate situations like that, being an ambervert and
mainly introverted and I'm out somewhere and like, for example,
I'm going through the checkout and somebody goes, Brian, think,
why do I recognize that name? I Am in no
way gonna go oh, it's because you hear me on
the radio, because I'm so afraid of them going no,
that's not it.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yes, I know.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I think almost like my neurodi virgins, like I don't
know what spectrum I'm on of something, but I feel
like it comes in handy.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Sometimes I'm just like oh whatever, like.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Just let it, let it roll and let it flow,
and yeah, not take it too seriously.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Really, I just love that attitude. Now, is Abby Flynn
your real name?
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Now, when you were trying to decide on your artist
project name, was using your real name your first choice
or where there are the names you were considering?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I was wondering whether she's an alis for dance music
because I come from jazz and soul, and I use
my name through all of that really deep party street
in the jazz world for years. But yeah, I think
once people started to learn who the single was behind
the songs, it almost felt too messy to then add
another alias. And in a way, I'm on a journey
(05:06):
to really just own all of it and from.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
As far in the spectrum as jazz, soul, R.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
And B into commercial dance music, just letting my name
kind of be the umbrella for all of it, like
artists like Ray and people that really inspire me the
way they do.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
That gotcha, Well, I mean it's perfect and it's such
a great name, So it's awesome.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Thanks. Well, that's good tonight.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
You're welcome now.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
As I mentioned, besides the song with Dubs, you're also
on songs with Joel Corey, with Morgan Sea Tree, Nathan
dah plus some uncredited big songs.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But do you remember the first song you ever wrote?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Ever?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Ever, every ever ever?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
That's a good one. I don't know if I could
know that it's the first song ever, but I remember
being nine years old and writing songs, and I remember
one that was called like I'm Coming Home. To you
or something, and yeah, like as young as nine years old,
I was writing writing songs, and I remember my first
ever dance top line was believe Me, which is the
(06:07):
it's actually platinum now that one behind me. But that
was much later that when I was writing for dance music.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Now, do you ever go back to those songs that
you wrote as a kid.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
I sometimes I do have a rap that I wrote
when I was like fifteen that I'm like going to
put into.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
A track one day. I'm like, I determine I'm going
to sneak it in.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
It's very UK, so I can't wait to hear it
when it finally happens.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Yeah, I'll let you know.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Now your story is truly inspiring, not only being a
artist and a single mom, but also having to fight
cancer through that.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Congratulations on being a survivor.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Thank you. Yeah, it's a wild one.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I've had a very very strange lot of hands handed
to me in life.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So yeah, it's oh man, I can't even imagine now
for others that are going through that battle. Do you
remember your first thought when you were diagnosed and what
got you through it?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, I actually had a very interesting experience. So it
was actually back in twenty sixteen, and like all of
these songs came from the cancer journey, funnily enough, like
all the big uncredited hits, and the day that I
think I didn't realize there was anything to do with cancer,
I was picking up results for like what I thought
(07:26):
might be a collapse long or something, and when I
found out that day it could be cancer, I had
to go straight from the hospital down to the beach
where I had a gig, singing on the beach, and
all I remember is just like all I know to
do is get on stage and sing my heart out
and looking out at the horizon three hundred people on
this busy summer beach terrace, and I just, for the
(07:48):
first time in my life experienced like almost the universe
speaking to me and just saying, this is going to
be the making of you and you're going to get
through this. And for whatever strange reason, I had confusion
in the hospital. But then the first feeling I really
remember was this weird bliss that was like, actually, like,
I know I'm not okay internally, and I think this
(08:10):
is going to invite me into the path of healing
whatever this is within me. And that's just how I
saw it at the time, and so it was a
really strange, bittersweet journey I took with cancer that did
end up being, you know, a real catalyst in a
positive way for me.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Whilst it was like really really difficult. So yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Is incredible and in comparison, but obviously nowhere on the
same level. You know, I kind of get into situations
as well, being on the radio, where you might be
going through tough times and then the second you get
on stage, you totally forget everything and you're in this
complacent area where you're just so comfortable.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
So that's so amazing.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
As horrible as it is to have to deal with that,
it's almost amazing that you were able to go right
on stage after that.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yeah, it's like my belonging on the place where I
feel most connected, and I would just cater the songs
each and every song to what I needed in that moment,
and it was really a salvation.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
I like, I did so many gigs.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I wrote an album through that whole journey and did
a lot of gigs and it was some of my
most favorite moments actually performing throughout the cancer diagnosis.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Wow, well again, congratulations.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Thank you, on earning.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
On to happier things.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Do you remember the first dance song that made you
fall in love with edm Oh.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
That's a good question too. I mean it depends how
far back we go. The first thing that cops is
like Finally by CC Peniston, because I have a degree
in disco and I was obsessed with disco music. And
when you hear that disco house crossover and or something
like what is this? It's so catchy and high energy
and you for it. Yeah, I think that was probably
(10:01):
the first time I heard that kind of that more
that genre, or like right on Time, Black Box or
the remix of Love Sensation. Yeah, like those kind of
ones back in from the nineties and naughties era.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
And those are such incredible songs.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
That's when I was on the radio just beginning, so
oh my God, takes me back so good. Now finally
in honor of Move a little Closer, going number one
and being all over the radio, what was your first
(10:40):
impression hearing one of your songs on the radio for
the first time?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Oh, I mean the first time my voice was on
the radio, would believe me? And that was obviously really
surreal because I didn't even know that my I had
done this vocal pack put my voice online during the
cancer journey, and I didn't know where that could go.
And it was about four or five years later healed
from cancer and i'd become a mother that I hear
my voice on the radio and I was like, what,
(11:05):
this is crazy, really surreal, amazing, also confused, like a
bittersweet again because it was really going out.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
There but not connected to me in any way. So
that was a whole mix of emotions.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
But yeah, I think the first time I heard my
voice on the radio, like credited with my name one it,
I was just like wow, like just so grateful and blessed,
like but I was here long.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Enough in my life to get to that point.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
There's points where I didn't think I would still be here,
and I've had to fight a lot in my career
to kind of get that recognition after the spice back.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So yeah, just euphoria and yeah, gratitude really, but.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
It's so incredible now thinking back to when you did
hear it for the first time, when you know years
had passed. This might be a stupid question, but did
you recognize yourself at first?
Speaker 4 (11:53):
Yeah? Straight away?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I think there's such earwormy things. And I really wrote
forty hooks in two hours and channeled them through with
those original batch and I just I think every one
of them had a special place in my heart, maybe
because I was going through cancer and that space at
the time where they were really personal.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
But yeah, straight away I was like, oh my god,
that's my.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Voice so incredible.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Now let's talk about this smash move a little closer
with Dubbs.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
How was this song born?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
This one was in Brighton, my hometown actually, which made
it extra special because often I'm up and down to London.
You can have like faceless rooms and you're you're writing
a lot, which is great. But this day we went
right by the ocean in Brighton. It was kind of
like hanging out of mates. Channeled this focal through from
a place of real like something I needed to hear
(12:46):
from myself at the time about stepping more into my authenticity.
The song was coming from like, you know, I want
to you know, don't give up. I want to feel
you getting closer and yeah, just go opening up my heart.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
I guess to life.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
And it came through in like ten minutes instantly, and
then Dubbs messaged me about the top line, and we're like,
we want to produce this, we want to make this
a tune.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
And yeah, it all happened really quick.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
But you know when you're just like you hit on
something and it feels so real and organic in that moment,
that's the difference.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
That is so amazing that it happened that quickly.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Now, when I was chatting with Alex from Dubbs, he
shared about the amazing journey of you performing it on
stage with them at that festival. What was that forty
eight hours leg for you, you know what, hopping on
a plane, going to the festival and performing in front
of tens of thousands of people.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
That was one of the maddest moments of my whole
career because we had our first ever zoom cool. I
was sitting in the garden with Alex and his manager,
I think, and yeah, I think they said, oh.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Yeah, we're doing this festival in a couple.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Of days, and my manager said, as a joke, oh,
she get at me.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
On the plane and they're like, maybe we should. And
I was laying here like in beds.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I think it was like eleven or twelve PM and
we were waiting for the green light, like, can we
pull this off?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Can we get a visa flight? All of that stuff, and.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah, I got the green light at about eleven o'clock,
booked the flight and then had to wake up at
five am and go straight to the airport.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
And it was magical.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
This girl picked me up from the airport because she
saw me from TikTok. Was like loads of people came
to help me and the guys were just the sweetest.
They introduced me to loads of people. It was like
a dream and that was the biggest crowd. I'd sang
too at that point and yeah, yeah, it was honestly,
like the Canadian people were amazing. I just felt, yeah,
(14:46):
I felt lit up, really really special.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
And the performance was so incredible. Congratulations on that.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Thank you someone I'm leading off all their energy now.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Someone I love to find out about songs is how
many different versions there are from when artists start working
on it, all the tweaking that goes on to when
that finally gets mastered and put out. When you're writing songs,
is there a lot of revising that goes on or
are you an artist that kind of just writes, goes
full steam ahead and puts it out I try.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
To be the latter.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I try to I'm very much right from the feels
and from what I'm feeling in the moment, and I
like to channel through that in the most alive way
in when it's danced music, I feel like because it's
just usually quite simple top lines. It's not like always
a million lyrics. It's just the first thing that comes
to my mind. And then you know, sometimes other people
(15:40):
I'm working with like to revise and there is a
gift inside of that, but I probably more of a
first thing I feel is usually the best thing that
the audience connect with the most.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Got cha, Well, let's talk about another smash that's got
all the feelings. Your new song with Joel Corey. How
was Phases born?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
That was like, I think Joel and I have wanted
to work together for years and years, and he's always
had his eye on like doing something together when it
was the right moment and it was going to be special.
So he got me into studio and for the first
time I was kind of able to say to someone
of his.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Level of success, it was really refreshing. He said to me,
how do you want to work?
Speaker 3 (16:18):
And I was like, look, if you just stick the
mic on me, and you let me actually tell the
story that's in my heart right now, that's real to
me in my life, what I'm going through, and just
like hold the space for me to turn that cup
on and then we can look at it and piece
it together.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
And he did.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
He just letting me take the mic and really seeing
what was in my heart. I was with Eddie Jenkins
and Joel Korium. Then we Yeah, we just took all
the best stuff and shaped it. And Joel actually said
can we call it phases? Can you sing about phases
and improvise the hook? And yeah, it just really came
together in three hours. Again, it was very similar to
Move a little closer.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Actually, that's so awesome. Well, congratulations on that smash as well.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
So what's next for Abbie Flynn?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Good question.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
We potentially have another Nathan tune hopefully coming out. But
what I really want to do now is focus really
back on what is my to tell my own story
and my own artistry and launch my own artist's career.
And one thing I'm playing with is actually releasing my
own version of a Splice hit and giving context in
the verses.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
And yeah, I think that's what I love to do.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I'm always really here for giving the realness to dance
music and something that someone can really connecting on a
deep level.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
So I'm going to be working on my.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Own sony music for twenty six and hopefully another great
couple of features before then.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
That is so awesome. Can't wait to hear what's next
from you? Now?
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Before I let you go, I asked chat ept to
give me a question that Abbie Flynn has never been
asked before, So I got.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
To test this out.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
All right, Okay, when you sing about healing, do you
imagine singing to yourself, your younger self, or somebody that
you don't even know.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
I think all of it, because usually if I'm singing
to the me's now that most needs to hear, what
I need to hear in that moment, it is usually
the thing that will serve the other, and it's usually
the thing that my own child needs to So I
think I probably go with the most present thing in
the now that I need to feel, and then that
(18:26):
usually gives me the access to the collective.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
And yeah, I love that question.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
And normally, if you're doing something that's true to yourself,
the audience is going to feel that as well, So
I totally get that. Abby Flynn. Congratulations on all your
success going on right now. Congratulations on your first number
one Hebby Flynn. Thank you for your time with us
on America's Dan's thirty.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Oh, thank you so much. I can't wait to go
over to the States and hit you all up. I'll
be there at some point.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Absolutely. Now, is there anything that you wanted in there
that I didn't mention?
Speaker 4 (19:03):
I was really parwer To be honest, I can give you.
I can give you a few lines of singing, but
I know I think no.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I love that, but I never ask a singer to.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Sing, yeah, because because I hate when people go, hey,
can you do what you do on the radio?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
It just puts you on the spot like it's so awkward.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
Yeah, I get that.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
But you're more than welcome to sing if you want,
just to.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
A few lines and move a little closer wide.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Absolutely, the Steve is yours.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Thank you. I'll feel your sliping away. It's so afraid
of wake could be.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
I really want you to say, please say, why.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Don't you boy don't close sir.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
To me?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
To me?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Why don't you don't call sir.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
To me, to me, no, my god. All I want
to know.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
All I want to know is who works on your
vocals during songs because they must not have to do much,
because you sounded incredible.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Thank you. That's very flattering. Always someone different, but there
was nailpon.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
That was unbelievable. Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Thank you Wow, thanks for having me. America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
America's Dance thirty
Abby, I've got the same question for you that I
asked Newlah when I chatted with her. Where in the
h E double hockey sticks did you come from?
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (00:12):
I mean, I've been singing forever on the scene, but
I guess doing a splice pack sample vocal pack eight
years ago. You know, one day a lot of the
songs just went platinum on their own, and then it
was just kind of catching up from there.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
Really, Yeah, because I blinked and then all of a
sudden you were everywhere on the radio, which is awesome.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
That's good to hear. I didn't know that.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
Absolutely. Now we got a lot to chat about.
Speaker 1 (00:40):
We're going to be talking about your Smash with Dubs
coming up, plus the other songs that you're on Right now,
we're going to get to know Abby Flynn a little
better with Finky's First and ask you a question you
have possibly never been asked before. Abby Flynn, Welcome to
America's Dance thirty for the first time.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (01:00):
It's good to be here counting down the biggest dance
songs in the country.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
This is America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
It is great finally meeting you and chatting congratulations on
move a little Closer with Dubs not only going number one,
but being number one two weeks in a row.
Speaker 4 (01:31):
Yeah, I just got news of that feels amazing.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
That is incredible now, I know, obviously besides this one,
you're on a lot of songs that are uncredited.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
Is this your first number one on the US dance charts?
Speaker 3 (01:45):
Oh? Yeah, I think it's my first Billboard Dance charting track.
I believe at least in the you know, the top
fifty or something.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
So yeah, that is incredible. Congratulations, Well, thank you.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
And I might may have been on that before with
my voice, but not credited, so this is a big moment.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
Well, I can't wait to talk about how this smash
was born with Dubbs, but first let's get to know
Abby Flynn a little better with Finkey's first right.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Now.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
I love finding out the origin story of artists. Did
I see that you actually started singing at a young
age to overcome anxiety.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Yes, that's right.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
That is incredible. I deal with anxiety too. Maybe I
should have started singing when I was young.
Speaker 3 (02:32):
Yeah. I've always felt more comfortable singing or being performing
or on stage than in any other area of life.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
So yeah, gotcha.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
Now, when you were growing up, was music the first
thing that you wanted to get into or was there
something else you wanted to be when you grew up.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
No, I just always, ever since three years old, like
been singing and writing my own songs.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
It's always ever wanted or known to do.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
That is incredible that it actually worked out for you. Congratulations,
thank you Now. Kind of a side note, but I
saw the video that you posted in Ibitha where you
were walking around with people singing some of the hooks
to your songs. Yeah, do you get nervous when you
do that that people aren't going to recognize the song?
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Not really.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
I think it's the same thing as when I'm on
stage singing. In most of life, like I feel fairly
socially awkward and kind of but yeah, just hyper sensitive
and different to a lot of people. But when I
get into that mode of my music and I'm sharing
my songs, I don't really mind. As kind of Waterpoduc's
back and it's something I developed to be able to
(03:38):
really put the face to the name. And after the
first few amazing responses, I was just like, yeah, whatever,
and if someone says, oh, no, no, I mean, they've
always heard the song. But if they say like, na,
I don't want to do a video or whatever, I'm
just like, cool, have.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
A great day. Yeah, it's just really good fun. It
mostly gets really good responses.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
See.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I just hate situations like that, being an ambervert and
mainly introverted and I'm out somewhere and like, for example,
I'm going through the checkout and somebody goes, Brian, think,
why do I recognize that name? I Am in no
way gonna go oh, it's because you hear me on
the radio, because I'm so afraid of them going no,
that's not it.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Yes, I know.
Speaker 3 (04:18):
I think almost like my neurodi virgins, like I don't
know what spectrum I'm on of something, but I feel
like it comes in handy.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
Sometimes I'm just like oh whatever, like.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
Just let it, let it roll and let it flow,
and yeah, not take it too seriously.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Really, I just love that attitude. Now, is Abby Flynn
your real name?
Speaker 4 (04:37):
Yes?
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Now, when you were trying to decide on your artist
project name, was using your real name your first choice
or where there are the names you were considering?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
I was wondering whether she's an alis for dance music
because I come from jazz and soul, and I use
my name through all of that really deep party street
in the jazz world for years. But yeah, I think
once people started to learn who the single was behind
the songs, it almost felt too messy to then add
another alias. And in a way, I'm on a journey
(05:06):
to really just own all of it and from.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
As far in the spectrum as jazz, soul, R.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
And B into commercial dance music, just letting my name
kind of be the umbrella for all of it, like
artists like Ray and people that really inspire me the
way they do.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
That gotcha, Well, I mean it's perfect and it's such
a great name, So it's awesome.
Speaker 4 (05:25):
Thanks. Well, that's good tonight.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
You're welcome now.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
As I mentioned, besides the song with Dubs, you're also
on songs with Joel Corey, with Morgan Sea Tree, Nathan
dah plus some uncredited big songs.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
But do you remember the first song you ever wrote?
Speaker 4 (05:42):
Ever?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Ever, every ever ever?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
That's a good one. I don't know if I could
know that it's the first song ever, but I remember
being nine years old and writing songs, and I remember
one that was called like I'm Coming Home. To you
or something, and yeah, like as young as nine years old,
I was writing writing songs, and I remember my first
ever dance top line was believe Me, which is the
(06:07):
it's actually platinum now that one behind me. But that
was much later that when I was writing for dance music.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Now, do you ever go back to those songs that
you wrote as a kid.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
I sometimes I do have a rap that I wrote
when I was like fifteen that I'm like going to
put into.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
A track one day. I'm like, I determine I'm going
to sneak it in.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
It's very UK, so I can't wait to hear it
when it finally happens.
Speaker 4 (06:32):
Yeah, I'll let you know.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Now your story is truly inspiring, not only being a
artist and a single mom, but also having to fight
cancer through that.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Congratulations on being a survivor.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
Thank you. Yeah, it's a wild one.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I've had a very very strange lot of hands handed
to me in life.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
So yeah, it's oh man, I can't even imagine now
for others that are going through that battle. Do you
remember your first thought when you were diagnosed and what
got you through it?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Yeah, I actually had a very interesting experience. So it
was actually back in twenty sixteen, and like all of
these songs came from the cancer journey, funnily enough, like
all the big uncredited hits, and the day that I
think I didn't realize there was anything to do with cancer,
I was picking up results for like what I thought
(07:26):
might be a collapse long or something, and when I
found out that day it could be cancer, I had
to go straight from the hospital down to the beach
where I had a gig, singing on the beach, and
all I remember is just like all I know to
do is get on stage and sing my heart out
and looking out at the horizon three hundred people on
this busy summer beach terrace, and I just, for the
(07:48):
first time in my life experienced like almost the universe
speaking to me and just saying, this is going to
be the making of you and you're going to get
through this. And for whatever strange reason, I had confusion
in the hospital. But then the first feeling I really
remember was this weird bliss that was like, actually, like,
I know I'm not okay internally, and I think this
(08:10):
is going to invite me into the path of healing
whatever this is within me. And that's just how I
saw it at the time, and so it was a
really strange, bittersweet journey I took with cancer that did
end up being, you know, a real catalyst in a
positive way for me.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Whilst it was like really really difficult. So yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Is incredible and in comparison, but obviously nowhere on the
same level. You know, I kind of get into situations
as well, being on the radio, where you might be
going through tough times and then the second you get
on stage, you totally forget everything and you're in this
complacent area where you're just so comfortable.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
So that's so amazing.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
As horrible as it is to have to deal with that,
it's almost amazing that you were able to go right
on stage after that.
Speaker 4 (09:02):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Yeah, it's like my belonging on the place where I
feel most connected, and I would just cater the songs
each and every song to what I needed in that moment,
and it was really a salvation.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
I like, I did so many gigs.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
I wrote an album through that whole journey and did
a lot of gigs and it was some of my
most favorite moments actually performing throughout the cancer diagnosis.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Wow, well again, congratulations.
Speaker 4 (09:29):
Thank you, on earning.
Speaker 2 (09:31):
On to happier things.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
Do you remember the first dance song that made you
fall in love with edm Oh.
Speaker 3 (09:40):
That's a good question too. I mean it depends how
far back we go. The first thing that cops is
like Finally by CC Peniston, because I have a degree
in disco and I was obsessed with disco music. And
when you hear that disco house crossover and or something
like what is this? It's so catchy and high energy
and you for it. Yeah, I think that was probably
(10:01):
the first time I heard that kind of that more
that genre, or like right on Time, Black Box or
the remix of Love Sensation. Yeah, like those kind of
ones back in from the nineties and naughties era.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
And those are such incredible songs.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
That's when I was on the radio just beginning, so
oh my God, takes me back so good. Now finally
in honor of Move a little Closer, going number one
and being all over the radio, what was your first
(10:40):
impression hearing one of your songs on the radio for
the first time?
Speaker 3 (10:44):
Oh, I mean the first time my voice was on
the radio, would believe me? And that was obviously really
surreal because I didn't even know that my I had
done this vocal pack put my voice online during the
cancer journey, and I didn't know where that could go.
And it was about four or five years later healed
from cancer and i'd become a mother that I hear
my voice on the radio and I was like, what,
(11:05):
this is crazy, really surreal, amazing, also confused, like a
bittersweet again because it was really going out.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
There but not connected to me in any way. So
that was a whole mix of emotions.
Speaker 3 (11:18):
But yeah, I think the first time I heard my
voice on the radio, like credited with my name one it,
I was just like wow, like just so grateful and blessed,
like but I was here long.
Speaker 4 (11:28):
Enough in my life to get to that point.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
There's points where I didn't think I would still be here,
and I've had to fight a lot in my career
to kind of get that recognition after the spice back.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
So yeah, just euphoria and yeah, gratitude really, but.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
It's so incredible now thinking back to when you did
hear it for the first time, when you know years
had passed. This might be a stupid question, but did
you recognize yourself at first?
Speaker 4 (11:53):
Yeah? Straight away?
Speaker 3 (11:55):
I think there's such earwormy things. And I really wrote
forty hooks in two hours and channeled them through with
those original batch and I just I think every one
of them had a special place in my heart, maybe
because I was going through cancer and that space at
the time where they were really personal.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
But yeah, straight away I was like, oh my god,
that's my.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
Voice so incredible.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Now let's talk about this smash move a little closer
with Dubbs.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
How was this song born?
Speaker 3 (12:25):
This one was in Brighton, my hometown actually, which made
it extra special because often I'm up and down to London.
You can have like faceless rooms and you're you're writing
a lot, which is great. But this day we went
right by the ocean in Brighton. It was kind of
like hanging out of mates. Channeled this focal through from
a place of real like something I needed to hear
(12:46):
from myself at the time about stepping more into my authenticity.
The song was coming from like, you know, I want
to you know, don't give up. I want to feel
you getting closer and yeah, just go opening up my heart.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
I guess to life.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
And it came through in like ten minutes instantly, and
then Dubbs messaged me about the top line, and we're like,
we want to produce this, we want to make this
a tune.
Speaker 4 (13:10):
And yeah, it all happened really quick.
Speaker 3 (13:13):
But you know when you're just like you hit on
something and it feels so real and organic in that moment,
that's the difference.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
That is so amazing that it happened that quickly.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:24):
Now, when I was chatting with Alex from Dubbs, he
shared about the amazing journey of you performing it on
stage with them at that festival. What was that forty
eight hours leg for you, you know what, hopping on
a plane, going to the festival and performing in front
of tens of thousands of people.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
That was one of the maddest moments of my whole
career because we had our first ever zoom cool. I
was sitting in the garden with Alex and his manager,
I think, and yeah, I think they said, oh.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
Yeah, we're doing this festival in a couple.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Of days, and my manager said, as a joke, oh,
she get at me.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
On the plane and they're like, maybe we should. And
I was laying here like in beds.
Speaker 3 (14:06):
I think it was like eleven or twelve PM and
we were waiting for the green light, like, can we
pull this off?
Speaker 4 (14:12):
Can we get a visa flight? All of that stuff, and.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
Yeah, I got the green light at about eleven o'clock,
booked the flight and then had to wake up at
five am and go straight to the airport.
Speaker 4 (14:22):
And it was magical.
Speaker 3 (14:24):
This girl picked me up from the airport because she
saw me from TikTok. Was like loads of people came
to help me and the guys were just the sweetest.
They introduced me to loads of people. It was like
a dream and that was the biggest crowd. I'd sang
too at that point and yeah, yeah, it was honestly,
like the Canadian people were amazing. I just felt, yeah,
(14:46):
I felt lit up, really really special.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
And the performance was so incredible. Congratulations on that.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
Thank you someone I'm leading off all their energy now.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Someone I love to find out about songs is how
many different versions there are from when artists start working
on it, all the tweaking that goes on to when
that finally gets mastered and put out. When you're writing songs,
is there a lot of revising that goes on or
are you an artist that kind of just writes, goes
full steam ahead and puts it out I try.
Speaker 4 (15:18):
To be the latter.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
I try to I'm very much right from the feels
and from what I'm feeling in the moment, and I
like to channel through that in the most alive way
in when it's danced music, I feel like because it's
just usually quite simple top lines. It's not like always
a million lyrics. It's just the first thing that comes
to my mind. And then you know, sometimes other people
(15:40):
I'm working with like to revise and there is a
gift inside of that, but I probably more of a
first thing I feel is usually the best thing that
the audience connect with the most.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Got cha, Well, let's talk about another smash that's got
all the feelings. Your new song with Joel Corey. How
was Phases born?
Speaker 3 (15:56):
That was like, I think Joel and I have wanted
to work together for years and years, and he's always
had his eye on like doing something together when it
was the right moment and it was going to be special.
So he got me into studio and for the first
time I was kind of able to say to someone
of his.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
Level of success, it was really refreshing. He said to me,
how do you want to work?
Speaker 3 (16:18):
And I was like, look, if you just stick the
mic on me, and you let me actually tell the
story that's in my heart right now, that's real to
me in my life, what I'm going through, and just
like hold the space for me to turn that cup
on and then we can look at it and piece
it together.
Speaker 4 (16:33):
And he did.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
He just letting me take the mic and really seeing
what was in my heart. I was with Eddie Jenkins
and Joel Korium. Then we Yeah, we just took all
the best stuff and shaped it. And Joel actually said
can we call it phases? Can you sing about phases
and improvise the hook? And yeah, it just really came
together in three hours. Again, it was very similar to
Move a little closer.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Actually, that's so awesome. Well, congratulations on that smash as well.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
So what's next for Abbie Flynn?
Speaker 3 (17:01):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (17:01):
Good question.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
We potentially have another Nathan tune hopefully coming out. But
what I really want to do now is focus really
back on what is my to tell my own story
and my own artistry and launch my own artist's career.
And one thing I'm playing with is actually releasing my
own version of a Splice hit and giving context in
the verses.
Speaker 4 (17:23):
And yeah, I think that's what I love to do.
Speaker 3 (17:26):
I'm always really here for giving the realness to dance
music and something that someone can really connecting on a
deep level.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
So I'm going to be working on my.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Own sony music for twenty six and hopefully another great
couple of features before then.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
That is so awesome. Can't wait to hear what's next
from you? Now?
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Before I let you go, I asked chat ept to
give me a question that Abbie Flynn has never been
asked before, So I got.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
To test this out.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
All right, Okay, when you sing about healing, do you
imagine singing to yourself, your younger self, or somebody that
you don't even know.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
I think all of it, because usually if I'm singing
to the me's now that most needs to hear, what
I need to hear in that moment, it is usually
the thing that will serve the other, and it's usually
the thing that my own child needs to So I
think I probably go with the most present thing in
the now that I need to feel, and then that
(18:26):
usually gives me the access to the collective.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
And yeah, I love that question.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
And normally, if you're doing something that's true to yourself,
the audience is going to feel that as well, So
I totally get that. Abby Flynn. Congratulations on all your
success going on right now. Congratulations on your first number
one Hebby Flynn. Thank you for your time with us
on America's Dan's thirty.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Oh, thank you so much. I can't wait to go
over to the States and hit you all up. I'll
be there at some point.
Speaker 2 (18:58):
Absolutely. Now, is there anything that you wanted in there
that I didn't mention?
Speaker 4 (19:03):
I was really parwer To be honest, I can give you.
I can give you a few lines of singing, but
I know I think no.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
I love that, but I never ask a singer to.
Speaker 1 (19:13):
Sing, yeah, because because I hate when people go, hey,
can you do what you do on the radio?
Speaker 2 (19:19):
It just puts you on the spot like it's so awkward.
Speaker 4 (19:22):
Yeah, I get that.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
But you're more than welcome to sing if you want,
just to.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
A few lines and move a little closer wide.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Absolutely, the Steve is yours.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Thank you. I'll feel your sliping away. It's so afraid
of wake could be.
Speaker 3 (19:41):
I really want you to say, please say, why.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Don't you boy don't close sir.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
To me?
Speaker 2 (19:54):
To me?
Speaker 3 (19:55):
Why don't you don't call sir.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
To me, to me, no, my god. All I want
to know.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
All I want to know is who works on your
vocals during songs because they must not have to do much,
because you sounded incredible.
Speaker 4 (20:17):
Thank you. That's very flattering. Always someone different, but there
was nailpon.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
That was unbelievable. Thank you for sharing that.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Thank you Wow, thanks for having me. America's Dance thirty.
Speaker 2 (20:30):
Counting down the biggest dance songs in the country.
Speaker 1 (20:33):
America's Dance thirty
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