FLO hopes to follow in the footsteps of OG girl groups as they empower, inspire and innovate
R&B girl groups are making a comeback as Britain’s FLO rises to fame, shakes up the music industry, and brings the nostalgia we all know and love. The young pop stars are reminiscent of an early Destiny’s Child meets 702 with an SWV twist, and the world continues to love on the rising artists. From aesthetic to vocal range and star quality, Renée, Stella and Jorja are well on their way to solidifying themselves as one of the top acts of this decade.
Recently, the trio released their single “Fly Girl” featuring Missy Elliott, which sampled the icon’s record “Work It” and was supported by a sexy visual that served body, looks, and all-around fun. The ladies also partnered up with MTV for its Hidden Healers initiative, which focuses on “uplifting mental health actions that honor the heritage of various BIPOC communities and cultures.”
REVOLT spoke to the ladies about the best part of their friendship, what each member brings vocally, their thoughts on possibly working with Brandy, mental health and a goal they want to accomplish in the next five years. Read the exclusive chat with FLO below!
Your partnership with MTV for their mental health initiative Hidden Healers is so timely and important. With more success and fame, how do you take care of your mental health?
We make sure we get time away from our phone and work — recharge by seeing friends, family and switching off where we can. Sleep and taking care of our mind and body — treating them with kindness.
What’s the key to a solid friendship and sisterhood?
The power of communication — we are all open books with each other.
What’s one thing you all love about one another?
Renée: I love Jorja’s quirkiness, passion and strength.
Jorja: I love Stella’s calmness, emotion and quick wit.
Stella: I love Renée’s determination, empathy and silliness.
If you had to use one of your songs as healing medicine, which track would you choose?
“Losing You”… Teaching you that even though losing someone is painful, sometimes it’s for the best. And that your love — and the love of your friends and family — is enough.
You’re collecting co-signs from top-tier artists like Infinity Stones. Which are you most shocked about?
[That’s a] tough one as we’re obsessed with them all — but Kelly Rowland, SZA, and Brandy are definitely up there!
You capture the essence of girl groups like 702, En Vogue, Total and more. How do you pay homage to those who came before you while staying modern?
We just make music we like and that we grew up on. I guess taking the sounds and influences from that era and matching that with lyrics that tell a story through the lens of the experiences of young women in the world today.
Black Twitter loves your red carpet moments. What’s one that you still think about to this day?
The BRITS of course — this was the first time we did a custom look, by an amazing designer Patryjca Pagas. We had never attended the BRITS before, so this look was important in letting everyone know we had arrived.
Vocally and in general, what would you say is each group member’s best skill?
Renée carries the lower harmony of the group, anchoring our sound and giving depth to our harmonies. She is also the dancer of the group — that girl can bust a move or two! Stella brings the soulful and ballad energy in the harmonies, and the tone in her higher register is to die for! Jorja brings all the power and energy to our performances and with her crazy runs, and really ties it all in together.
Describe FLO’s relationship with social media. How do you manage to not excessively consume but still enjoy yourselves?
Whilst social media is a wild and confusing beast, we believe that it can be a powerful tool in connecting people and creating communities despite the physical distance. You must approach it with a light heart and fun mindset — we love our fans, we think they’re the funniest people in the world; we love the GIFs and memes you all find. We know when it’s time to log off, though, and connect with our fans in the real world too. This is so important to us — we love meeting fans in real life.
Aside from music, what are some other lanes you’re eager to explore?
Renée went to drama school growing up and should have a cameo in a film/TV series one day or run a fashion business. Jorja wants to run a dog sanctuary one day — she has the biggest heart. Stella is incredibly generous and patient — could see her running a charity or teaching one day!
There’s been a lot of hope for a FLO and Brandy collaboration. Have you been in the studio with her, and what do you think a Brandy and FLO record would sound like?
A Brandy and FLO record would sound absolutely incredible. It would be such a huge R&B moment.
For your upcoming album, you’re working with Darkchild, who has produced hits for some of the greatest acts in the world. How has collaborating been?
It was one of the best experiences we’ve ever had. To work with such a legend who has quite literally worked with almost all the people that have inspired us musically was truly such a privilege. He has the best advice, so it was great for us to learn as well as make wonderful music.
Can you each describe your individual personalities?
Stella is the calming energy in the group, but also always the one with the funny one-liners and jokes. Renée is the best organizer in the world — like, we need her to help us stay on track and to be on time to anywhere. Jorja keeps that fire in our belly and is always the first to speak up for us if we need to be heard!
Do you think there will be a renaissance of girl groups again? If so, what’s one element new groups should mirror from the past and one thing they should do differently?
We definitely do and hope there are many more girl groups to come. There are loads of new groups coming up already, like PsiRyn, that we’re really excited about — we’re obsessed with their cover of “Sweet Love.” We think that girl groups have always been empowering for all people, and as young girls and even now as young women, we look up to the girl groups that have come before us for inspiration, so we hope that we can continue that tradition. Can’t think of anything different, but we just hope that [we] and other groups on the rise continue to innovate, and create new and really good music!
In the next five years, where do you see yourselves?
Winning a Grammy.
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