LOS ANGELES, CA- When I first saw Absolutely open for Banks at The Wiltern, I knew I was witnessing something special. Her performance was so captivating, I left the show and immediately picked up a vinyl copy of her 2023 debut Cerebrum. It was that striking. Now, with the release of her newest single, “Goodbye Glitter,” the London-born artist once again commands attention, this time with a cinematic, string-laced meditation on letting go of the superficial in pursuit of something real.
What makes this release even more serendipitous is learning that Absolutely is RAYE’s younger sister — and I had just written … literally… a few hours about… about RAYE’s collaboration with Mark Ronson. Talk about musical kismet. But make no mistake: Absolutely isn’t standing in anyone’s shadow. Her sound is distinct, forward-thinking, and deeply expressive, drawing from a different constellation of influences.
Produced by Danja with arrangements by Peter Lee Johnson and Johan Lenox, “Goodbye Glitter” is a slow-burning track that builds with purpose. The soaring strings aren’t just atmospheric window dressing — they act like a second voice, engaging in an almost duet-like interplay with Absolutely’s vocals. And while this particular track doesn’t stretch the full range of her vocal ability (something I definitely witnessed live), it does showcase her sense of musicality and theatricality in a bold way.
The lyrics are steeped in metaphors of transformation and transcendence: “I want the real, not a reflection / I want the real light.” Lines like that hit different in a world obsessed with surface-level gloss. There’s a gentle spirituality to it — a rejection of the temporary, the manufactured, the disposable — wrapped in shimmering, cinematic alt-pop.
This track isn’t just a single; it feels like a prologue. With her current tour alongside Banks, her growing list of collaborations, and more music on the horizon, Absolutely is steadily carving her own lane. “Goodbye Glitter” may be her parting message to the hollow shine of the past, but it signals a luminous future ahead.
And yes — the glitter’s gone. But Absolutely is just beginning to sparkle.
If Cerebrum introduced Absolutely as a left-of-center voice in alt-pop, then “Goodbye Glitter” teases a new era with even grander ambitions. She’s still the same artist who co-wrote tracks for Normani, Anitta, and Lisa, but now she’s stepping fully into her own orbit—and it looks like it’s going to shine.
With more music on the way and the OFF WITH HER HEAD Tour putting her on stages across North America, Absolutely is building a compelling case as one of alternative pop’s most intriguing new forces. Consider “Goodbye Glitter” your invitation to float into her world.
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LIVE CLIPS
