Abbe Joanna May (born 19 July 1983) is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician and human rights campaigner. From 2002 she pursued her music career in Perth-based groups, The Fuzz, Abbe May and the Rockin' Pneumonia, and The Devil & Abbe May. In 2010 she began to perform as Abbe May and released her solo album, ''Design Desire'', in July 2011. She followed with ''Kiss My Apocalypse'' in May 2013. At the

ARIA Music Awards of 2013 The 27th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) were a series of award ceremonies which included the 2013 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA Hall of Fame Awards, ARIA Fin ...

, May was nominated for Best Female Artist for her album. May has been nominated for a total 27 (winning 21) West Australian Music Industry awards since 2008.

Life and career

Abbe Joanna May was born on 19 July 1983 in Subiaco, a Perth suburb. She grew up in Bunbury, a port city south of the capital. Her mother taught English literature. May has an older brother, Douglas May (born ca. 1980). She attended a local Catholic school. Abbe spent her late teens and early twenties performing in rock venues and studios across Australia, touring around the country in various solo and band incarnations. Throughout her career, Abbe has been an ARIA, WAM, AIR, AMP winning and nominated artist and a dedicated member of the LGBTIQA+ community. By 2002, she had moved back to Perth to further her career in music and performed lead vocals in a music group, The Fuzz, alongside her brother, KT Rumble (aka Douglas May), on lead guitar. The Fuzz had been formed by Douglas with Jiah Fishenden on guitar, Shayne Macri on bass guitar and Ben Mountford on drums. One of their early tracks, "The Bomb", which was co-written by May with her bandmates, won the Western Australian final of national radio station,

Triple J Triple J is an Australian government-funded national radio station founded in 1975 as a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). It aims to appeal to young listeners of alternative music, and plays far more Australian conten ...

's Unearthed competition in October 2002. The Fuzz issued two extended plays, ''Dead on the Road'' (2004) and ''Take the Money'' (November 2004), and a studio album, ''100 Demons'' (8 August 2005). In October 2005 Dylan McCardle reviewed their CD launch of the latter for PerthSounds.com, which was "a return to simple but powerful formula that is rock 'n' roll ... a night where female vocalists came to the fore, and Abbe May is certainly amongst the cream of the crop. She gave 110% percent with her vocals, she jumped up and down the stage like a woman possessed". By 2006, May (on lead vocals and guitar) had formed an "electric blues" group, Abbe May and the Rockin' Pneumonia, with Douglas, joined by Alex Archer on violin; Todd Pickett on percussion and vocals; Alien Smith; and Pete Stone on bass guitar. They issued a self-titled EP in that year and followed with an album, ''Howl & Moan'' in April 2008. Abbe May and the Rockin' Pneumonia released a second EP, ''Hawaiian Disease'', in June 2009. For that disc May supplied lead vocals; wah, delay and slide guitars; and a 70's drum machine. ''

The Sydney Morning Herald ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, Australia, and owned by Nine Entertainment. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuous ...

''s reviewer,

Bernard Zuel Bernard Zuel (born 1965) is an Australian music journalist. Zuel wrote for Fairfax Media newspapers ''The Age'' and ''The Sydney Morning Herald'' from 1992 to 2017. He became their senior music writer and reviewer. Zuel is a judge of the Austral ...

, found the EP was another "hugely impressive release" from "Perth's blues-rock guitarist/tear-down-the-walls singer"; he cited her description of the title track, "Every line is a euphemism for oral sex. I've been collecting sex slang over the years and I've got this great dictionary of sex slang, too, as well as having a general interest in all things sleazy". In 2008, she formed a side project, The Devil & Abbe May, which was a "more country blues outfit", with Douglas, Archer, Pickett and Stone, joined by David Craft on vocals and harmonica; and Jesse Woodward on banjo and bass guitar. This group issued an album, ''Hoodoo You Do'' in that year.

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's editorial review declares " tis a shambolic voodoo blues album that is both hauntingly beautiful and disarmingly humorous. A five star album from a five star eccentric". From 2010, Abbe May performed under her own name and released her debut solo album, ''Design Desire'', in July 2011. Zuel noted that May is "drawing from urban and country blues rather than pub rock boogie, riding on swing rather than just thrust, wearing its open sexiness lightly and its wicked humour comfortably" and she had delivered "a rock album smarter and tougher than the rest". According to May it is "about love and lust and the mysteries and miseries that accompany those things. I didn't consciously sit down and decide to write about these themes but I guess they were playing on my mind at the time of writing these songs". May released another album, ''Kiss My Apocalypse'', in May 2013. Cate Summers at theMusic.com.au felt May had "made a swift U-turn on her previously guitar-heavy style, and this new album highlights her subsequent transition towards what she’s labeled 'doom pop'". Mess+Noise's Kate Hennessey noted that May is "strong, talented, irreverent and sexual; aspects of being a woman that are so rarely role-modeled in a holistic way – or in a way that talks to me – that I want to defend her against comments that seem irritatingly reductive" and despite some fans' fears that "ditching the blues muse and aspiring to a mainstream pop aesthetic would leach her authenticity. The opposite occurs ... By snipping ties to the blues' ground-bound earthiness, May’s self-expression can – and has – soared, and she's transmitting more personally than ever". At the

May was nominated for Best Female Artist for ''Kiss My Apocalypse''. On 2 February 2018, Abbe released her fifth studio album, ''Fruit''. Music critic

said that the album is, "one of the important albums of 2018." Spending four years on its creation, ''Fruit'' boasts a melodic, upbeat and soulful collection of songs. Caitlin Welsh from'' The Australian'' states that, "''Fruit'' settles comfortably into its themes… the thrill of being direct about what you want and who you are." It is her most succinct and powerful declaration of identity yet. Australian digital radio station site Double J said, "Abbe May has been open about this record being her first after coming out, and these short, oblique moments add plenty to that narrative. She speaks of 'private shame' she felt through her life, presumably about her sexuality, before 'Seventeen' reveals intimate details of her life in love." Giving the album four stars, ''The Newcastle Herald'' stated that it "is the Perth singer – songwriter's most accomplished piece of art." ''Fruit'' also received a four – star rating from ''The Music'' stating that ''Fruit'', "boasts the kind of sophisticated songwriting an artist like

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

might once have been responsible for." "Seventeen" is the latest single from ''Fruit'' which debut at #1 on the Australian Independent Record Labels Association's 100% Independent Album Chart.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Music from Abbe May's "Design Desire" single was used in a

Jägermeister ( , ) is a German digestif made with 56 herbs and spices. Developed in 1934 by Wilhelm and Curt Mast, it has an alcohol by volume of 35% ( 61 degrees proof, or US 70 proof). The recipe has not changed since its creation, and the drink contin ...

television commercial in 2012.

Television

Music from Abbe May's "Mammalian Locomotion" single was used in the U.S. television series ''

Entourage An entourage () is an informal group or band of people who are closely associated with a (usually) famous, notorious, or otherwise notable individual. The word can also refer to: Arts and entertainment * L'entourage, French hip hop / rap collecti ...

'' ending credits – Season 8 Episode 6, air date 28 August 2011. Music from Abbe May's "Cast That Devil Out" single was used in the Australian television series ''

Packed to the Rafters ''Packed to the Rafters'' is an Australian family-oriented comedy drama television program which premiered on the Seven Network on Tuesday 26 August 2008 at 8:30 pm. The show continued on Tuesdays in this timeslot for its entire run. The dr ...

'' – Season 5 Episode 9, air date 12 June 2012.

Awards and nominations

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as

AIR Awards The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. History The inaugural 2006 awards were held at Blacket Hot ...

) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector. , - ,

2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...

, Abbe May , Best New Independent Artist , , - , rowspan="2" ,

2011 The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...

, Abbe May , Best Independent Artist , , - , ''Design Desire'' , Best Independent Album , , -

APRA Awards

The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the

Australasian Performing Right Association APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwri ...

(APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982. ! , - ,

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

, "Design Desire" , Song of the Year , , , -

ARIA Music Awards

, - ,

2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...

, , Kiss My Apocalypse , , Best Female Artist , ,

Australian Music Prize

, - ,

, , Abbe May – "Design Desire" , ,

Australian Music Prize The Australian Music Prize (often shortened to the AMP) is an annual award of $50,000 ($30,000 from 2005 to 2023) given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. The award was ...

, , , - ,

2018 Events January * January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency. * January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...

, , Abbe May – "Fruit" , ,

, ,

J Awards

The

J Awards The J Awards are an annual series of Australian music awards, established by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's youth-focused radio station Triple J, and which also extend to sister stations, Triple J Unearthed and Double J. The awar ...

are an annual series of Australian music awards that were established by the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...

's youth-focused radio station

. They commenced in 2005. , - ,

, ''Kiss My Apocalypse'' , Australian Album of the Year ,

National Live Music Awards

The

National Live Music Awards The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are annual Australian music awards, established by Heath Media in 2016. They were preceded by the AU Live Music Awards in the previous two years. The awards are given in categories that recognise the best ...

(NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016. , - ,

2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...

, , Abbe May, , Live Voice of the Year , ,

WAM Song of the Year

The

WAM Song of the Year WAM was originally formed as the Western Australian Rock Music Industry Association Inc. (WARMIA) in 1985, with its main aim to develop and run annual awards recognising achievements within the music industry in Western Australia. WAM first recei ...

was formed by the Western Australian Rock Music Industry Association Inc. (WARMIA) in 1985, with its main aim to develop and run annual awards recognising achievements within the music industry in Western Australia. (wins only) , - , 2006 , "Sidewindin'" , Blues/Roots Song of the Year , , - , rowspan=2, 2008 , rowspan=2, "Howl and Moan" , Blues/Roots Song of the Year , , - , Rock Song of the Year , , - , rowspan=3, 2013 , rowspan=3, "Nourishment" by Mathas (featuring Abbe May) , Electronic/Dance Song of the Year , , - , Urban / Hip Hop of the Year , , - , Grand Prize , , -

West Australian Music Awards

The

West Australian Music Industry Awards The Western Australian Music Industry Awards (commonly known as WAMis) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). History WAM was originally fo ...

(WAMIs) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on annually by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). , - , rowspan=4,

, , rowspan=3 , Abbe May and The Rockin' Pneumonia , , Favourite Newcomer , , , - , Most Promising New Act , , , - , Best Blues/Roots Act , , , - , Abbe May (Abbe May and The Rockin' Pneumonia), , Best Female Vocalist , , , - , rowspan=3 ,

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

, , Abbe May and The Rockin' Pneumonia – ''Howl and Moan'' , , Most Popular Album , , , - , Abbe May , , Best Female Vocalist , , , - , Abbe May and The Rockin' Pneumonia , , Best Blues / Roots Act , , , - , rowspan=2 ,

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

, , rowspan=2 , Abbe May, , Best Female Vocalist , , , - , Best Female Vocalist , , , - , rowspan=3 ,

, , rowspan=3 , Abbe May, , Most Popular Music Video , , , - , Best Female Vocalist , , , - , Best Blues & Roots Act , , , - , rowspan=8 ,

, , rowspan=8 , Abbe May, , Most Popular Live Act , , , - , Most Popular Solo Artist , , , - , Most Popular Single / EP , , , - , Most Popular Album / EP , , , - , Rock Act of the Year , , , - , Blues Act of the Year , , , - , Guitarist of the Year , , , - , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , rowspan=3 ,

, , rowspan=2 , Abbe May, , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , Solo Artist of the Year , , , - , Mathas – "Nourishment" (ft. Abbe May), , Single of the Year , , , - ,

2014 The year 2014 was marked by the surge of the Western African Ebola epidemic, West African Ebola epidemic, which began in 2013, becoming the List of Ebola outbreaks, most widespread outbreak of the Ebola, Ebola virus in human history, resul ...

, , Abbe May, , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , rowspan=2 ,

, , Abbe May, , Female Vocalist of the Year , , , - , Abbe May – "Doomsday Clock" , , Best Single , , , - , rowspan=2 ,

, , Abbe May – "Fruit" , , Best Album , ,

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:May, Abbe 1983 births Living people People from Bunbury, Western Australia 21st-century Australian singers 21st-century Australian women singers Australian women singer-songwriters 21st-century Australian singer-songwriters