Now we finally know when we’re getting hold of FLO’s debut album (November, ‘FYI’), we can focus on their claim to the throne of the UK’s next great girlband.
Words: Abigail Firth.
Photos: Patrick Gunning.
Two years since they became the hypiest act on the planet with the drop of their massive debut single ‘Cardboard Box’, FLO’s debut album ‘Access All Areas’ is on its way this November. Following a steady stream of single and EP drops, they’ve been perfecting the FLO brand of nostalgic R&B, beavering away in the studio with MNEK.
Just a day after it was announced, they took to the stage at Reading Festival for their only UK festival performance this year, and Dork were right there to get the album scoop straight after their set.
Was this your first live show back in a while?
Jorja: This is our first UK festival this summer, this year we’ve been doing Coachella, we’ve done Lollapalooza. We did a festival in Sweden. It was really nice that the turnout was so good here.
You’ve been a bit low key lately, just dropping the odd single, but we do have an album coming now. What can you tell us about it?
Stella: It’s been a long time in the making. We love it. We’re very proud of it. It’s taken time but necessary time. We think everyone is going to love it, we put our all into it.
Jorja: MNEK executive produced it. He’s been the constant, saying we need to get things done, being patient with us, going back and recording stuff and adding stuff and really pushing through. We thank him for getting through this.
From the singles that we’ve heard so far it feels very 90s R&B with a British edge.
Renee: Yeah, we want to bring a mix of old and new, different sounds because we want to push our sound and explore a bit more. It’s songs that you can feel. The feeling of music is very important.
Jorja: That’s what makes it so nostalgic. That’s what used to really drive music back in the day, especially 90s R&B; it was so emotional. It was so heart on the sleeve—that’s what naturally our music sounds like. It’s ingrained in our system. We’ll make a song and to us it’s like, is this even 90s R&B? Oh, maybe it is, but it’s FLO.
You’ve really come into your own over the past couple of years, how would you describe the FLO sound now?
Stella: I feel like we know the FLO sound a bit differently to our audience because we made the album. We’ve been very experimental. We’ve got different genres in there, all under R&B. It’s just great music, innit really?
Renee: I feel like the name FLO is just free. It’s really hard to put it in a box.
Jorja: It’s really hard to connect with a song that’s not us. No songs necessarily sound the same. We had to throw in the odd little slow jam.
Stella: There’s a couple of wildcards.
With FLO coming around just as Little Mix were calling it a day, so you are the natural successor to the UK girl group title. With that in mind, were you feeling pressure to deliver with the album?
Renee: Not really. At a certain point, it did get a bit stressful because everyone was like, where’s the album?! It was carnage, but we set ourselves the goals and we work towards the goals, so we just had to follow our own timeline, and when it was ready, it was ready.
It’s only been two years since ‘Cardboard Box,’ so it’s still a quick turnaround for an album.
Stella: Yeah, it is actually!
Jorja: And we put another EP out since then. We’ve put two EPs out, for Pete’s sake, in two years. Now you’re getting an album. Please don’t say we don’t feed you. You are fed. We’ve got full mouths in our household.
You’ve also mentioned you want to make girl group history. What are some of your long-term goals?
Jorja: We feel so much love, but we find that the love that we feel doesn’t translate to the other stuff, the numbers side of things. We’re not numbers people. We’re very much feelings people. But we’ve got to keep the lights on, though.
Renee: We’d love a top 10! A number one.
Jorja: We’d really love to break through. We love what we’ve built so far. We’re so appreciative and that has really given us the space and pushed us to create the best music, but we are ready to take it to the next level. We just need to figure out how. Until then, we’re going to keep putting out our absolute best and keep building our true core fans and what will be will be.
What else have you got planned for the rest of the year?
Renee: Kehlani tour and album really, and getting ready for our tour the year after.
You’re also playing an album release show at Colour Factory. What can we expect from that?
Renee: Vibes!
Is it album tracks?
Jorja: Nah, it’s not album tracks!
Stella: There might be a little teaser.
Jorja: An amuse-bouche. We’re gonna sing a few songs. It will be nice to celebrate with the people who have begged us for this album. ■
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