Abby Roberts
A Never-Ending Metamorphosis
Writer: Anya Duncan
There are certain artists who defy categorisation, who refuse to be boxed into a single identity. Abby Roberts is one of them. From the moment she first appeared on our phone screens her face a canvas, her brush a reference to years of creative study she has been more than just a beauty influencer. Her content is an exploration of art. Not just makeup; transformation itself.
“I think I was always a very creative person,” Abby says, reflecting on her childhood in Leeds, England. “When I was a kid, it was all me and Charlotte [her sister] would ever do. We’d be at the house making a mess my mum will tell you!” That early artistic energy, fuelled by an obsession with painting and self-expression, would eventually translate into the bold, boundary-pushing makeup artistry that made her famous.
It seems that for Abby Roberts, Creativity was inevitable.
The First Dream
Before the world knew her as a makeup artist, Abby Roberts was a girl staring at a screen, watching a generation of YouTubers carve out careers from their bedrooms. “I always wanted to be a YouTuber,” she admits, her voice tinged with nostalgia. “I grew up watching the Zoella era, watching NikkieTutorials and other OG YouTubers. I wanted to do that so bad.”
In the digital age, however, careers rarely unfold exactly as planned. It comes as no surprise then, that Abby turned her instinct for reinvention towards her own career. As TikTok rose from the ashes of Musical.ly, Abby found herself swept up in the wave. “I didn’t think my TikTok would take off. It was always seen as cringy, and then all of a sudden, it’s the coolest app.”
She then began to adapt again, evolving her content to be more personality-driven. “There was a time, like 2019 to 2020, when TikTok was really popping off for me. I had a lot of friends who were TikTokers who were known as just personalities. I was doing make up at the time and just wanted to be a bit more like that.”
Breaking the Mold
Then came her leap of faith: music.
“I felt like I was taking a massive risk,” Abby confesses. “Everyone followed me specifically for makeup, so I was worried would anyone care if I transitioned into music?”
But she has never been one to back down from reinvention. “There’s only so far you can go with social media before you’ve done every possible trend,” she muses. “It feels like more of a creative challenge. At least, that’s what it was for me.” She nods to figures like Addison Rae and Nessa Barrett, who have similarly defied expectations. “I love to see people pushing themselves, doing things there was a stigma around.”
Artists who originate from social media face an uphill battle. The industry is sceptical, the audience resistant. “People like to know you as one thing or another,” Abby says. “They don’t always like change. You have to prove yourself all over again. I still have such a long way to go with music. You hear this thing all the time especially for female artists - where it takes 10 years to be a success. You've just got to have so much faith in yourself to do it, especially as it can be soul crushing at times. But, just stick at it.
One moment, in particular, solidified her belief that she was on the right path: opening for Halsey. “I’d only done five shows in my life at that point,” she says, still sounding a little in awe. “Halsey asked me to open for her tour because I’d done her makeup for some TikToks. I remember asking her, ‘Are you sure?’ That’s definitely a top three life moment for me.” For someone who had spent so long hiding behind an online persona, this was a baptism by fire. “I was always really shy, and that was a big reason why I never started music sooner. I was just so nervous. But I think social media gave me the confidence to finally go for it.”
The Album: Another expansion
An album is no small undertaking. “I found it really daunting,” Abby admits. “I didn’t want it to just be a bunch of things thrown together thoughtlessly. I’ve been working on it for the last two years. Most of it got scrapped. But now, I have a solid idea of what I want it to sound like.” She grins. “There’s a theme throughout the songs, but I don’t want to reveal it yet.”
One song, however, holds a special place in her heart: Harmless Fun. “It’s my favourite,” she confesses. “I leaked a little bit of it on my spam account. It’s a response to a song someone else wrote about me, so there’s a little bit of tea in it.” She laughs.
Some might call her steps towards a career in music a rebrand. For Abby , it represents a natural growth. “Going into music doesn’t mean I’m abandoning makeup,” she says firmly. “It’s just a continuous evolution. In real life, if you weren’t on camera all the time, you’d be growing naturally. You wouldn’t have to think about how different people have perceived past versions of you.” She smirks.
“I can’t pretend like I didn’t do those TikTok dance trends in 2020. My digital footprint is there, unfortunately.” A shrug. “It is what it is.”
For Abby Roberts, reinvention isn’t about erasing the past. It’s about embracing it. Every brushstroke, every video, every melody is part of the same story. A story still unfolding. A story still becoming. The metamorphosis of Abby Roberts is not finished just yet.
Team Credits
Photographer: Tasneem Grace
Stylist: Eden Lovesee-Clark
Art Directors: Emily-Grace & Michael Morgan
Styling Assistants: Mryto Peristoani & Rojin Norowzian
Hairstylist: Laura Swaine
Makeup Artist: Abby Roberts
Retoucher: Brad Lacey
Creative Assistants: Georgia Anthi & Anya Duncan
