This Girl Group has FLO (Opinion)

Spice Girls; Girls Aloud; Little Mix.

These groups all have several things in common. Not only are they Pop powerhouses, some of the most well-known names in the UK music scene (and throughout the world), but they’ve also done it as women, which isn’t always easy in such a male-dominated industry and world.

Following in their footsteps is FLO, an R&B/Pop trio that’s already making waves.

Who is FLO?

Newcomers to the music scene, this trio is already making waves with their dedication to bringing back feel-good girl group music.

FLO is comprised of three talented young women: Renée Downer, Stella Quaresma, and Jorja Douglas. At only 19 and 20 years old, the trio recently released their debut single ‘Cardboard Box,’ and it’s getting rave reviews on social media. The song and its accompanying EP ‘The Lead‘ is already bringing on all the nostalgia. Between beautiful harmonies, lyrics with a touch of attitude, and visuals that remind us of TLC, FLO has taken note of what has worked in the past and is bringing their own fun flair to the table.

According to Jorja, the trio’s connection was instantaneous: “I saw the girls and we screamed across the room. I knew from that moment we were about to start something big.”

And something big is definitely happening.

Why the fuss?

So what’s so appealing about FLO? Well, it’s more than just their retro vibes. The trio is emerging at an interesting time.

FLO has amassed a following of over 197,000 on TikTok, a group of dedicated listeners and viewers that they’ve been growing over the past year. And it all started with these friends sharing covers of artists like Lauryn Hill. Since then, they’ve showcased their individual personalities, making connections with fans via Q&As and viral challenges.

When everyone and their grandmother are trying to go viral, it can be hard to break through the noise on social media, yet FLO has managed to do it. Just look at their first single ‘Cardboard Box‘: its music video hit 900,000 views on YouTube in just a matter of days.

And those numbers? They mean something. They mean something big to this girl group.
But their social media presence isn’t the only reason people are excited about the new girl group.

It’s been a rough few years for everyone, and there’s something comforting in FLO’s entire aesthetic and desire to create feel-good music. Throughout the world, we’re all looking for something to get excited about, to make us happy, and to make us feel seen.

And FLO is bringing us back to a simpler, happier time, and it’s absolutely addictive.

FLO has some big shoes to fill

FLO isn’t the first girl group to make waves in the UK. If they want to go global, they should take notes on these British girl groups:

Girls Aloud

Formed in 2002 via Popstars: The Rivals, Girls Aloud was named the United Kingdom’s biggest-selling girl group of the 21st century. With seven certified albums and five Brit Award nominations, this group are legends in the UK pop scene. They even have a Guinness World Record to prove it: they’re two-time holders of the ‘Most Successful Reality TV Group’ record as well as holding the record for ‘Most Consecutive Top Ten Entries in the UK by a Female Group.’

The Saturdays

This London-based girl group received an instant record deal with Fascination Records, leading to a tour with Girls Aloud shortly after forming. After releasing their debut single (and first top 10 hit) “If This Is Love” in 2008, there was nowhere to go but up for this powerful fivesome. Since then, The Saturdays have achieved over the decade, a platinum album, top 10 singles, and popular arena tours.

Little Mix

These ladies have come a long way since their early days on The X-Factor. Despite announcing their indefinite hiatus in 2022 to pursue solo projects, Little Mix spent a decade at the top, releasing banger after banger—’Salute,’ ‘Black Magic,’ and so many more. They even made history as the first girl group to have five consecutive top-five studio albums in the United Kingdom and the first female group to win the Brit Award for British Group.

FLO is on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok