Former Brockhampton member Kevin Abstract announces his new album Blush, along with a new project inviting open-ended collaboration.
Beginning in May, teasers for Blush began on the Instagram account “clifford__73.” These posts included photos of collaborators like Love Spells, Ameer Vann, Truly Young, and JPEGMAFIA with the caption “June 2025” over the photos. Kevin Abstract posted the account shortly after and started appearing in the posts.
This confirmed to fans that he was involved in the project, and the username was a hint to his legal name, Clifford Simpson.
Along with the album to be released on June 27, Abstract posted the goals for his new creative project on Instagram. He stated that Blush is “not a fixed group” and has “no permanent members.”
He says Blush is meant to challenge norms and open up new possibilities through collaboration. The group is open to “musicians, photographers, designers, videographers, models, DJs, etc.”
Buzz for the project increased immensely following the release of the single “Geezer” featuring Dominic Fike and Abstract as a duo. This is not the first time the two have teamed up. Fike appeared on Abstract’s 2019 “ARIZONA BABY” on tracks “Peach” and “Crumble,” both fan favorites on the album.
Fans of Fike flocked to support the new project as he has been relatively quiet about the release of any upcoming solo projects. Fike will also appear on the track “Maroon” to be released with the album.
Brockhampton to Blush
This isn’t the first time Abstract has formed a music group, nor is it the first time he’s utilized the internet to do so.
In 2014, Abstract formed a popular hip-hop group dubbed “boyband”, Brockhampton, partially through the use of online forums. Brockhampton consited of primarily around 13-15 active members through the years. The group encountered a lot of success, but after eight studio albums, it was announced that the group would be disbanding in 2022.
In May of 2024, Abstract opened up to Clash about the “emptiness” he felt following the group’s disbandment. He also revealed that he had plans for more collaborative projects in the future. “I need some sense of community in order to make something I’m proud of,” Abstract told Clash.
In a letter posted to the Clifford account, Abstract describes how a summer of heartbreak and even jail helped him reconnect to his creative passions and find his way back to himself. He describes feeling “17 again even though [he’s] 28.” Abstract even started recording in his friend’s house, where he first made music back in middle school.
It is clear that Abstract has decided to return to his collaborative roots with this new project. Rapper and producer Quadeca posted that “BLUSH is like the home that Kevin built to return to himself.” This is a testament to the fact that Blush is a step for Abstract on a personal level as well as in his career.
Opening up opportunities
Abstract posted the Discord link on his social media for those who wish to get involved in the Blush project. Content from the Discord collaborators can already be seen in the form of promotional graphics and photos posted to the Clifford Instagram page. Some even get posted on Abstract’s main account.
Some of the graphic artists tagged in the posts have less than 1,000 followers. By getting posted to the larger accounts, these small-time creators are gaining more exposure than usual. Abstract’s new project is proving to be a promising opportunity for aspiring creatives.
In an era of nepo babies and an industry based on connections, Blush stands out in terms of accessibility. Getting access to the group is as simple as clicking a link and creating a Discord account. Creatives looking for a network of collaborators can do so without having to have existing connections.
The usage of Discord can sometimes be confusing and chaotic for those who aren’t familiar with the platform. Those who commit time and effort into figuring out how to make the group work for them may end up finding more success than those who don’t.
Since the Blush Discord is still in its early days, only time will tell how the future of the group will play out after the initial album release.
Discovering new voices
The newly released track list for Blush also includes some small up-and-coming artists. The album specifically features a lot of young Texan artists, including E Bleu, SoSogoneSoflexy, and Drigo, to name a few.
Abstract has continued to post that the album will be a new boundary-pushing genre called “Texas Pop.” He also described this as “music that sounds like home.”
Abstract is passionate about mentoring new artists and discovering fresh voices, even behind the scenes. His leadership in the industry is refreshing and inspiring. Especially within such a cut-throat industry culture.
Another young Houston artist on Blush is 20-year-old Love Spells. He appeared on the Zach Sang Show with Abstract and Quadeca to discuss the new album. He told the story about how Abstract reached out to him via Instagram to ask him to collaborate on Blush. Love Spells joined the team quickly to work on the album and now appears on 9 out of the 18 tracks.
Fans await new album and projects to come
As the release of Blush inches closer and closer with new information dropping each day, fans eagerly await to listen. With so many collaborations, Kevin Abstract fans are not the only ones who are excited to listen to the tracks.
With the future of Blush as a “group” being so open-ended, many are excited for whatever new projects the future has in store. You may end up discovering your next favorite underground artist on Blush.
The question is, will “Blush Summer” take over in 2025?
