FLO Picks Up Where Destiny's Child Left Off With Debut EP 'The Lead'
London’s newest girl group FLO is reviving the late '90/s, early aughts R&B sound with heavenly harmonies and female reclamation in their debut EP The Lead.
A beautifully melanated trio, their debut single and breakout hit “Cardboard Box” received an immense amount of social media praise, with many left stunned that it was only their introduction. They already stand in a polished poise, charting the future of R&B by returning it back to its roots.
Listening to FLO brings about a special kind of nostalgia, like remembering all the lyrics to a forgotten song or smelling a perfume you loved as a child. There’s a warmth in what they evoke, reminding us why exactly we’ve been missing R&B girl groups like this. Seamlessly, they’re picking up where Destiny’s Child left off.
Their extended play The Lead, featuring production from Grammy-nominated MNEK, is a project devoted to girl power. It’s a love letter to friendship, whistle tones, and self-empowerment. There’s no hierarchy in FLO; Jorja, Renee, and Stella get equal camera time and shine in their unique light. Individually, they’re vocally strong, holding their own while lifting up the next.
Releasing a vlog-style video for their single “Summertime,” it’s so easy to feel like they’re your homegirls, which can be chalked up to the fact that they’re truly real-life friends. Renee and Stella had known each other since primary school, while meeting Jorja via internet. Their manager set them up before actually knowing they were friends, because their musical chemistry was just as potent as their energetic one.
What made throwback R&B so significant was the power within its simplicity. The songs were fun, easy, and feel-good, which FLO has made a point to honor. They write lyrics that you use for Instagram captions to make a situationship-gone-sour realize their failings or sing along to in the car with your friends as the stresses of being a 20-something fly out the window. They embody the significance of knowing your worth and having a fiercely protective girl tribe to hold you up when you forget it.
