Photo Credit: Samantha Monendo

Ari Abdul is diving deeper into the darker side of desire with her new single “SEDUCTIVE,” out now via Slumbo Labs/RCA Records.

Produced by Stint, who has worked with artists including Demi Lovato and Sabrina Claudio, “SEDUCTIVE” pushes Abdul further into the shadowy, trip-hop-influenced sound she has been building throughout her recent releases. Beneath its dark and sultry production, however, is a much more complicated look at the need to feel wanted.

For Abdul, the song explores what happens when that desire for acceptance becomes strong enough to lose pieces of yourself along the way.

“‘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,” Abdul explains. “I wanted this track to feel like losing yourself for everyone else.”

Rather than approaching the track as a traditional love song, Abdul turns “SEDUCTIVE” into something closer to a plea for validation. Love, devotion and self-destruction begin to blur together as she wrestles with identity, avoidance and the pressure to feel like she is enough.

The single offers another glimpse into a larger project expected later this fall and continues a run of releases centered around the more volatile sides of relationships. “EGO” and “SO GOOD” explore everything from jealousy to obsession, while “ENAMORED” came from loneliness and lovesickness while Abdul’s girlfriend, Ella Boh, was away on tour. Boh also co-produced the track alongside Stint.

The darker direction marks another evolution for Abdul, whose music career began unexpectedly with her 2022 debut single “BABYDOLL.” The song took off on TikTok, quickly building Abdul a following and eventually leading to a record deal, two EPs, a tour with Nessa Barrett and her first live performance at Lollapalooza.

Growing up in Brooklyn, Abdul found inspiration across genres. Latin pop and New York hip-hop were part of her childhood, while artists including The 1975, Lana Del Rey, The Neighbourhood, Melanie Martinez and Arctic Monkeys helped shape her interest in alternative music.

Four years removed from “BABYDOLL,” Abdul is now entering a chapter that feels increasingly personal. Her upcoming project puts identity and self-discovery at the center while allowing her to confront experiences she may have once avoided.

“With this upcoming project, it feels so much like me, and it feels so real to me,” Abdul says. “I feel like it’s a perfect reflection of what I’ve always wanted to say.”

“SEDUCTIVE” is out now via Slumbo Labs/RCA Records.