Abi Muir’s ‘On One Knee’ Flips Heartbreak Into a Power Play

Abi Muir’s ‘On One Knee’ Is the Breakup Anthem That Bites Back

Abi Muir isn’t just reclaiming power — she’s weaponising it. On ‘On One Knee’, the Cairns-born indie-pop firestarter trades heartbreak for high heels and hesitation for heat. It’s part revenge fantasy, part empowerment sermon, and fully the baddest breakup anthem of the year. Think: sugar, venom, and a glitter-smudged mic drop. Why Abi isn't leading the Aussie pop zeitgeist with tracks like this is beyond belief.

Written in the aftermath of heartbreak and recorded in Tokyo with producer ghostpops at TOKYO DOPE CITY, ‘On One Knee’ marks a bold shift for Muir — sonically, emotionally, and artistically. Where ‘I Forgot About Me’ lingered in the ache, this track struts out the other side, slick with self-assurance and ready for the group chat. It’s pop with posture. Confidence as choreography.

Lines like “If you wanna play games, might let you play with me, but baby, you’ll end up on one knee” don’t just sting — they strut. Muir’s voice drips with cool control as she reshapes pain into power, loss into leverage. This isn’t just a pop song — it’s a transformation.

We caught up with Abi to talk vulnerability, vengeance, and what it means to finally write your own plot twist.

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Hey Abi, for those just meeting you — how would you describe what you do, and what drives your music?

I grew up around music and dance and loved it more than anything from a very young age - I don’t remember having any other “dream job” other than being ‘a pop star’. I grew up in Scotland, on a very tiny island, incredibly sheltered from the big world. My family and I moved to Australia when I was around 10 years old and when i started school, there were more children in the school than lived on the whole island where I was from! I joined my school choir because I wanted to sing so bad, but didn’t have the confidence to do it solo. It’s almost been 10 years now that I’ve been working on the crippling stage fright that I used to struggle with, and I can confidently say now that I slayed that dragon! I would say the best way to describe what I do is; "if a dreamy pop fairy had a baby with a witty (often heartbroken) lover girl and then that baby sang twenty harmonies at a time to a catchy but emotionally driven pop/rnb beat. That’s sort of the vibe if you get me. Music is my passion, it drives me, heals me and is the blood in my veins. If you could see my aura glowing around me it would be made up of musical harmonies constantly vibrating! I believe music is what I was put on this Earth to do, and it would be a waste of my time if I did anything else. 

You’ve called your new single,‘On One Knee’, a total plot twist in your songwriting. What shifted for you — emotionally or creatively — to write something this bold?

I’ve got 13 songs out currently, and in every single one … I’m a victim! Even my most upbeat commercial pop song ‘Blueprint’ has the most depressing lyrics if you read them closely. So ‘On One Knee’ is a total flip because I’m reclaiming my power. It’s not a woe me song, it’s very much boss bitch energy; knowing my worth and that I’m worthy of being the prize. I write most of my music from personal experiences and what I’m going through at the time, and at this point in my life, I’m the happiest and most confident I’ve ever been, so it translates in my music. That’s not to say I don’t love a sad song, but it’s refreshing to have a new energy in my discography. And I definitely want more of those vibes in my music to come. 

It’s such a strut-worthy track — was it always that way, or did it evolve from something softer or sadder?

I actually wrote this song in one afternoon; I think it took me a couple hours to write and then I spent a few days recording and editing a draft track to take with me to the studio. And not a single thing changed about it, it was born strutting and hasn’t stopped since LOL!

The line “If you wanna play games, might let you play with me but baby, you’ll end up on one knee.” is so evocative, it's a killer — what was the moment or feeling that sparked this track?

 I was being sarcastic at the time, basically just bigging myself up to boost my ego. But analysing it on a deeper scale, I think a man getting down on one knee to a woman is probably the biggest symbol of respect we as women ever receive. It may be the one time in our life we feel our partner is ‘bowing down’ to us. In this song, I’m not waiting around for the real deal, because I don’t need to. I have myself and that’s all I need- so if you like it, put a ring on it quick, because I’m not chasing. 

You’ve been described as a “tropical breeze” in the music world, but this song comes with a storm warning. How do you balance sweetness and bite in your songwriting?

I started music really young, and have stuck to my good-girl next door persona even when it felt ingenuine at times. I kept things breezy and held back my thoughts and skill to not intimidate the men around me. But sweetness only takes you so far, and I’m ready to release whatever I want, and say whatever I want. ‘On One Knee’ is an introduction to the grown and capable me that doesn’t need anyones approval. 

Lyrically, ‘On One Knee’ walks that fine line between vulnerability and power. How important is that contrast in your music?

I’m the world’s biggest cry baby. I’m extremely emotional and writing songs has been the creative outlet to get it out of my system since I was 14. I’ve never been scared to show my vulnerability, especially in my music. I think we need more softness and care in the world, so I do my part by not suppressing myself. This is my first song where I am the one in power though, which is new territory, but I’m here to stay. I think having contrast between vulnerability and power in my music is so important to give listeners a good grasp of my brain and to also give everyone something to relate to, whether they’re going through hard or good times, there’ll be something for them.

You’ve won major awards, topped charts, and played international stages. What’s been the most surreal moment of your journey so far?

This is probably the hardest question because every time I’ve performed somewhere, it’s been vital to my growth as an artist. I’ve had stupid technical issues, rowdy hateful crowds, bad vocal performances, being sick and still performing, band breakups and arguments, last minute changes, forgetting lyrics. Ugh! The list goes on and on. But without going through it all, I wouldn’t be the artist or performer that I am today. If I had to pick one single surreal moment though, it would be getting invited as a top 10 finalist to Nashville for my song “I Forgot About Me”. I’d never been to America before and it had been a dream of mine since I was little, and I got to sing at the Exit/Inn, where so many incredible artists have performed before. 

Your backstory is powerful — especially what you’ve shared about losing your cousin in the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing at an Ariana Grande concert. How does that kind of loss continue to shape your music and the way you move through the world as an artist today?

I’m a little bit superstitious that because I’ve never broken a bone before, I’m destined for a lot more emotional trauma than physical harm in this life. And that does check out so far. I’ve lost a lot of important people that I loved very much, but grief is an emotion that makes us human. It’s agony to accept the permanence of it. It’s not something that ever goes away once you feel it. At a young age too, you’re forced to emotionally grow up quickly when tragedy strikes. I’m lucky to have a creative outlet where I can poor some of those feelings into, but I’ll always keep it with me at the same time. I never forget the people that I’ve lost and I do what I can to make them proud. 

Who are your north stars when it comes to pop — the artists who made you want to sing, write, and perform?

Ariana Grande was my absolute idol from about 12 and she’s still a huge inspiration for me. I can also name every Justin Bieber song off the first two to three seconds. I adore SZA’s melodies and lyricism. Sabrina Carpenter—love her! Tori Kelly is such a powerhouse vocalist and I look up to her so much. I love my classic 2000’s Gaga, Britney, One Direction. The list goes on. 

What do you hope ‘On One Knee’ gives to listeners — especially those coming out of a hard breakup or rough season?

If ‘On One Knee’ can make someone feel even a fraction better, or make them bop their head just a little, that would be my biggest wish. I want listeners to feel confident and sexy. Shake some booty, even and believe in themselves.

Do you collect vinyl yourself?

I don’t collect vinyl but I’m jealous of everyone who does. There’s so many I would buy; I can’t start now because I’ll have no money left to feed myself. The one song that's never far from my heart is... 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow', Ariana Grande) and 'Little Things', One Direction and 'Slipping Through My Fingers', ABBA — you never get a single song answer from me!

And finally — what’s next in the Abi Muir universe? More heartbreak anthems, more healing, more heels?

I've actually got two more singles to drop, hopefully both this year. One is proving a little challenging to get the music video done - it's got an alien me in it and it's going to be kind of a mickey take of me being described as needy! it's got some powerful bass in it and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. I also have a much softer heartbreak song, but not sure I'll release that just yet, i'm done being in the heartbreak era for a while. I'm doing lots of gigging locally but other than that I don’t actually know what’s to come but I think that can be the most exciting part. Whatever happens though, you’ll hear about it and I can promise there will definitely always will be more heels.