1 December 2025
Every Monday I will be bringing you an interview with an independent band, duo or music artist. This week, I caught up with London based artist CARRIE ABYSS to find out more…
Where are you from and how did you first get into music?
I’m from Istanbul, Türkiye. I started music at the age of 7 with classical piano and started writing my own songs at the age of 12.
Who were your musical influences when you were growing up and who are your influences now?
My musical influences growing up were Evanescence, Paramore, and Björk. Now it’s pretty much the same artists with additions like Nine Inch Nails, Tori Amos, Lady Gaga, Chelsea Wolfe, and Lingua Ignota. Aside from music, I am also heavily influenced by the horror genre in general. Any kind of horror media, from books to games, inspires me a lot. I believe it’s the strongest genre to express feelings.
How would you describe your sound?
My sound is a gothic influenced industrial sound at its base and track to track it changes the genre from electronic to alternative rock.
What is your latest release called and what was the influence behind it?
Hey, Sinner – EP
I come from an Assyrian heritage rooted in ancient Mesopotamia. While writing this EP, I drew inspiration from the demons and witches of Assyrian mythology, the stories of angels, and the image of a punishing yet forgiving God from the Torah.
The first track, “Hey, Sinner”, opens with God speaking directly to the sinful main character — a young woman. He condemns her, declaring that everything is lost and that her entire village will be destroyed because of her sins.
In the second track, “Seraphim”, the girl begins to pray to the Seraphim — the six-winged angels. Since I was twelve, I’ve been deeply moved by the Seraphim mosaics hidden within Hagia Sophia — sealed away during 1847–49, later uncovered through the years. The transformation of that sacred space — from a church to a mosque under Mehmed II when he conquered Istanbul, then to a museum under Atatürk, and once again a mosque under Erdoğan — carries a kind of spiritual turbulence that has always stayed with me. When it was turned back into a mosque, many ancient and sacred elements were damaged. For me, its loss as a museum carries a deep sadness, both historically and culturally.
While writing this EP, I kept returning to those angels — beings of light who seem untouched by human pain. Drawing also from Assyrian mythology’s Pazuzu — a figure representing both chaos and protection — and the dual nature of God in the Torah, I wrote my Seraphim as a being incapable of understanding earthly suffering. The angel’s “solution” for the girl’s sins is sacrifice: if she offers herself, her village will be spared.
The third song, “Sacrifice”, was inspired by witch hunts — both historical and modern. I’ve often found myself unjustly labeled or judged, much like the women accused of witchcraft. This track tells of how quickly the villagers agree to offer the girl as a sacrifice, and her desperate attempt to escape.
The final song, “Father, Forgive Me”, is where she turns to the only being left who will listen — Satan. It’s not a story of evil, but of survival. It explores her descent into a forbidden intimacy with the devil, a surrender that feels both defiant and painfully human.
This story is a scathing indictment of religion, morality, and patriarchal tradition; it reflects how civilisations use faith as a weapon to condemn women and absolve themselves. Hey, Sinner explores remorse, instinct, sacrifice, and the hazy lines between sin and salvation through its gothic symbolism and emotional depth.
What’s your local music scene like?
Supportive and open, which are things I am really grateful about.
What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
I’m currently in the process of writing my debut album. I want to tell more of this story, and reach people who resonate with it.
Is there anyone you’d love to collaborate with?
There are lots of artists I would love to collaborate with but my ultimate answer to this will forever be my biggest idol Björk.
Any funny stories surrounding your live performances?
On our live shows, I pop a bag of fake blood on my head in the last song. I’m so used to doing this, I sometimes forget that I have blood on my face and I commute home looking like that. One time, I was going home from a show and the bus stopped and people started saying “Can we talk about the elephant in the room? We’ve all been looking at you to see if you’re fine or not.” I explained what happened to them and everything was fine in the end but it was really not ideal ahaha.
What is the one thing that you want readers to know about you?
I want you to know that I’m a person who sings to your soul, my music will make you feel uncomfortable but you will come begging for more. You’ve never felt this seen before.
You can find out more about CARRIE via Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, X (Twitter) or YouTube.
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