Admittedly 2022 has been a fantastic year for musical releases, but this can mean some musical talent can be swept under the carpet. In comes British girl group FLO, with their debut EP The Lead. FLO is the future of British R&B, with noughties references seasoned throughout their new EP. Quite honestly, FLO are one of the most interesting and coolest girl groups to come out of the UK in quite some time. The band, made up of members Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renee Downer, has no lead singer, because all three girls can actually sing. FLO feels like a contemporary, effortless mix of the best girl groups of the past two decades. They embody the poise of Destiny’s Child, the outspoken melodies of TLC, and the flair of American duo Chloe X Halle.
FLO’s sound is late 90s/early 2000s R&B, with The Lead earning them the Brit Award for Rising Star of 2023. Their first debut hit ‘Cardboard Box’ went viral on TikTok and earnt praise from iconic music figures such as Missy Elliot and SZA. The song has vibes of Beyonce’s ‘Irreplaceable’, with the girls describing how they’re fed up with their relationships. The next single ‘Immature’ is reminiscent of soulful legend Aaliyah, but dipped into the sleekness of 2022. The song is sultry and reiterates the fact that these girls are here to stay.
The great ‘Feature Me’ is the third track, which highlights the sexier side of the trio above an instantly nostalgic beat. This song feels like both a loving, studied homage and a fresh take on the genre. A hint of more music to come is an acoustic version of their song ‘Another Guy’, which showcases their effortlessly melodic vocals, supplying a Brandy and Faith Evans-esque soulfulness. A breezy interlude (with an incredible music video) is ‘Summertime’. Like all their music thus far, it conjures feel-good memories of a hot girl summer, with the music video being a vlog style recording of the girls’ own holiday to Corfu. However, a personal favourite of mine on the EP is the bonus track ‘Not My Job’. The scathing message here is that girls aren’t waiting for their men to grow up, and their love interests can’t keep up with them. ‘Not My Job’ is a full-throated reminder that women didn’t sign up to be a mother in their relationship.
FLO has such a clear identity of young, black women navigating life and finding their sound. The Lead presents positive vibes that can come from tough relationships. It empowers women to be independent, and to listen to your own truth. Stella, Jorja, and Renee make such a beautiful partnership, radiating the confident energy of superstars which will surely conquer the world.
And yet, thrillingly, they’ve only just begun.
Rating: 10/10
