Portsmouth hairdresser to star in grime music video

Abbie, 26, from London Road, is due to appear next month in a music video for London-based grime artist Perry 'PH' Hore's latest track, 'Party'. The hairdresser, who works at Bambinos At Ginos, writes, performs, and records all her own tracks

Abbie, who has worked as a hairdresser since she was 14, said: 'I've loved rap from a young age, but I only started rapping in the last three or four years.

‘I’ve been performing in open mic nights whenever I can ever since.

‘The absolute dream would be performing in front of thousands of people.’

Abbie believes the grime scene in Portsmouth is ‘really growing’, with open mic nights appearing in the Rifle Club in Fratton and the Emporium Bar in Southsea, as well as the 02392 Chart open-mic night.

She said: 'People come from London and all over Portsmouth - there's about 30 people regularly involved.

'And I'm going to apply for Victorious Festival this year...but I'm not sure grime is right for the festival.'

Grime music has been banned by some clubs in the UK in the past due to lyrics glamorising knife crime and guns.

For Abbie, grime music is about life, "not shooting and crime".

She said: 'It's like your writing in a diary.'

'I rap about life, my family, what I want in my future – not shooting and crime.’

‘It helps me release a lot of emotion.’

Abbie hopes that 2019 will see her music go to the next level: 'I was really inspired by Wiley – the dream would be to work with him.’

Abbie will perform at the 02392 Chart night at Zanzi Bar in Guildhall Walk on Tuesday, April 9.