FLO

A glossy acoustic guitar hits straight to the heart, the vibe is at its peak, and three friends in their 20s unite in their independence. No, it’s not 1999 but 2024, and if FLO has their way, classic R&B is here to stay. This London trio has already earned praise from icons like Missy Elliot, Victoria Monét, and SZA, and seems well on their way to achieving their goal of "making history among girl groups."

FLO was formed when Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer, friends from theater school, met Jorja Douglas, who had participated as a teenager in the CBBC talent show Got What It Takes? Stella and Renée had admired her voice on social media, and when their manager, Rob Harrison, suggested her for an audition with FLO, they met up. “I saw the girls, and we screamed across the room,” Jorja recalled in an interview. “I already knew then that we were starting something big.” With a shared love for early 2000s R&B, in the style of Destiny’s Child and Mary J. Blige—thanks to their moms—they cemented their friendship with the song Cardboard Box. If it weren’t for MNEK’s fresh production, the song could have been pulled straight from that era. “Changing my number and I'm changing the locks / Never liked your momma, so I guess she's blocked,” the trio sang in soft, confident voices in what became one of the year’s biggest break-up anthems.

All this led to their debut EP, The Lead, released on the legendary Island Records just in time for summer, filling cars, clubs, and park gatherings across the country. Beyond their love for classic girl groups, FLO has also emphasized creating their own unique personalities, with platforms like TikTok allowing them to connect closely with their fan community—known as FLOLIFERS.

The year 2022 was a life-changing one for FLO, capped off with Rising Star and BBC Sound of 2023 awards, yet each year only grows bigger. In summer 2023, the group released the EP 3 of Us, performed at festivals like Isle of Wight, Wireless, and TRNSMT, and received three Soul Train Award nominations. In 2024, a series of singles, including Walk Like This, Check, and Bending The Rules, previewed their debut album Access All Areas, released in November. Buckle up—this British R&B sensation is just getting started.

‍

Organized by Live Nation.