From A Distance
An Original Song Cycle by Keren Abreu
Premiered at the 2018 New York International Fringe Festival
FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND THE TECHNOLOGY THAT CONNECTS US
Known for her vulnerable and empowering music, New York City singer-songwriter Keren Abreu makes her theatrical debut this year in the 2018 New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC)! Swipe right on From A Distance, Keren’s song cycle (a series of original music on a theme) about relationships in the digital age and what it means to stay connected with your loved ones online.
Official Kickstarter “Projects We Love”
Inspired by her song about meeting someone at a party, falling in love with their Facebook profile, and never seeing them again, Keren’s song cycle examines how the internet and technology shape our interpersonal relationships.
KEREN ABREU
Composer/Lyricist
Keren is singer-songwriter born and raised in the Bronx, NY. Her R&B/soul music is infused with various aspects of her upbringing, including but not limited to her Afro-Dominican background, the many years she spent in church, and her love of jazz and musical theater. She currently lives in Brooklyn, where she writes about family hardship, personal growth, relationships, and themes of identity and self-love.
Keren has sung opera, musical theater, and college a cappella before finally stumbling upon her current sound. Since embarking on a professional music career in New York City, she’s performed at Harlem’s Silvana, Pianos, The Bowery Electric, Sidewalk Cafe, Rockwood, Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory, and many other storied New York venues.
At Yale University, where she received a BA in French, Keren was a member of the Shades of Yale, an a cappella group dedicated to singing music of the African Diaspora and the African American tradition, Whim ‘n Rhythm, Yale’s all-women, all-senior vocal ensemble with whom she performed around the world, and several student bands, including an R&B/pop band she formed and music directed. She was also involved in multiple theatrical productions with the Yale Dramat and the Yale Drama Coalition. With these varied ensembles, Keren has sung for audiences such as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as Grammy award-winning Sweet Honey in the Rock. She was also selected as the musical opener for English singer-songwriter Jessie J at Yale’s 2015 Spring Fling.
With her music, Keren sets out to tell stories that are often put aside. She seeks to uplift the personal, and she gets to the root of why music is simultaneously one of life's greatest joys and most powerful methods of processing human emotion.
