LOS ANGELES, CA- Music history is full of family trees with branches that reach far beyond a single star. From the Jacksons redefining pop, to the Gallagher brothers reinventing British rock swagger, to the Haim sisters bottling California cool into tight-knit harmonies, there’s something magnetic about siblings who all manage to find their own sound. It’s rare enough when one family member breaks through. It’s rarer still when each sibling steps into the spotlight with a voice and vision that’s unmistakably their own. London’s newest example of this phenomenon comes in the form of the Keen sisters: RAYE, Absolutely, and now Amma.
RAYE is, of course, the household name. The powerhouse songwriter-turned-global pop star who bulldozed her way through industry roadblocks and emerged with the kind of hard-won success that turns a career into legend. Absolutely, who I recently covered on the blog, takes a completely different lane. Her work is experimental and free-form, with textures that lean more toward avant-garde pop and jazz-inspired soundscapes. And now Amma, with her debut three-track project Middle Child, enters the fold. The name of the EP alone feels like a wink toward her place in the sibling constellation, yet the songs carry a weight and perspective that signal she’s no mere extension of her sisters’ careers.
On Middle Child, Amma writes with the instinct of someone who has already cut her teeth behind the scenes. She has penned tracks for FLO, Nao, Sam Feldt, and even K-pop group IVE, but she sings with the urgency of someone introducing herself on her own terms. The three songs don’t play as sketches or experiments; they feel like a manifesto. She admits she doesn’t always know what she’s doing in the spotlight, but that candidness is exactly what makes the music resonate.
The fascinating part of watching the Keen sisters rise is seeing how distinct they are from one another. Unlike the Bee Gees, who famously built their legacy on one blended sound, or even the Jonas Brothers, who function more as a unified unit, the Keens seem to be branching into three wholly different territories. RAYE is firmly in the pop and R&B mainstream, Absolutely crafts bold experimentalism, and Amma’s debut positions her as a songwriter’s songwriter—someone who can pen hooks for others yet still step into the booth to deliver something uniquely her own.
The comparisons across music history are plentiful. The Wilson brothers gave us the Beach Boys, each contributing a different piece of the band’s DNA. The Staples Singers blurred gospel and soul, powered by the familial bond of their voices. More recently, Billie Eilish and Finneas have built an empire together, but what happens when Finneas releases solo material is proof of that same “separate but equal” artistic DNA. With the Keens, we’re seeing a similar dynamic play out in real time: three sisters who share the same roots, yet bloom in different directions.
There’s even another Keen sister…. Katelyn… who I assume is waiting in the wings. Whether or not she decides to step onto the stage is yet to be seen, but if she does, London may have a true four-part dynasty on its hands. For now, Amma’s Middle Child is another impressive release to add to the family canon. It’s bold without being brash, and reflective without being overwrought. For listeners who already fell in love with RAYE’s commanding presence or Absolutely’s unconventional palette, Amma offers another dimension to the story—one rooted in vulnerability and craft.
Musical dynasties don’t come around often, but when they do, they tend to reshape the landscape for years to come. The Keens are quickly writing their own chapter in that history. Each sister has the potential to be remembered not just as part of a family, but as an individual force. And if Middle Child is any indication, Amma is well on her way to making sure the Keen name is spoken in the same breath as the great sibling acts of the past. I’ll be keeping a close eye… and ear… on all of them going forward.
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Amma Joins RAYE and Absolutely: The Keen Sisters Build a Modern Musical Dynasty with Middle Child
