Abbie Sawyer is a singer-songwriter who captivates live audiences with her stirring lyrics and soulful voice. She performs with several groups with a sonic range from retro soul to New Orleans jazz, Americana and women-led Folk.
Her latest solo LP, Persimmon (2025) was called “a tall glass of hope” by dsm Magazine and a Top Track of 2025 by Iowa Public Radio. The album, funded in part by a grant from the Iowa Arts Council, was recorded over four seasons in her Iowa home as an exploration of the human experience, the creative process and blind faith.
Her debut solo album, Love Is a Flood (2022), also funded in part by a grant from the Iowa Arts Council, illuminates her experiences of motherhood and the pandemic, including postpartum anxiety and depression, joy and healing.
Abbie has shared billings with The Righteous Babes, Will Whitmore, Rufus Wainwright, Leyla McCalla, Lake Street Dive, The New Mastersounds, and Fitz & the Tantrums at venues including Iowa Songwriters Festival, Hoyt Sherman, The Englert, The Ingersoll, Wooly’s, Lauridsen Amphitheater, 8035, Codfish Hollow, Des Moines Arts Festival, World Food and Music Festival, and many other national and regional festivals, venues, events, and series.
Abbie is the founder of Mama Bare Botanicals, a line of natural skin and body care products, and co-founder of Capital Health and Iowa HBOT in Des Moines, Iowa. She’s also a mother, which has greatly informed her art and lifestyle.
Notables
“Sawyer sings as if she coated each word with sugar before offering them; each note a ginger snap, bringing crisp brightness to the ears of listeners.” — Little Village
“She’s not just a remarkable Iowa-based singer-songwriter—she’s someone who lives her life as a creative act.” — Maxwell’s Coffeecast
Persimmon is “a tall glass of hope.” — dsm Magazine
“Top Track of 2025” (Persimmon) — Iowa Public Radio
“Abbie Sawyer delivers her music and lyrics with soul-quenching satisfaction. Hers is an honest connection between her heart and the listener’s being.” — The Culture Buzz
