While the era of dominant R&B girl groups has faded, UK trio FLO is making waves by bringing back the mainstream essence of that nostalgic early 2000s era.
Fans in Houston and beyond will get to experience FLO live this spring as they embark on their Access All Areas Tour. Following the UK and European leg, the seven-week U.S. tour kicks off on April 9 in Austin, TX, at Emo’s Austin, followed by an April 12 stop at House of Blues Houston.
Formed in London in 2019, FLO—comprised of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renée Downer—first captured attention in 2022 with their breakout single “Cardboard Box.” The track instantly went viral, leading to their debut EP, The Lead and cementing them as a rising force in contemporary R&B.
Rob Harrison, an A&R manager at Island Records, formed the group. Downer and Quaresma previously knew each other from their time at London’s Sylvia Young Theatre School, and they also recognized Douglas from social media.
“I think that’s what people love about girl groups. People look at them and identify with one of them or two of them. That’s what we’ve been trying to do,” Quaresma said. “When people see a girl group, it’s like I’m like them, and they are like me.”
Some might consider them a manufactured group, but they believe that having control from the beginning makes them feel less manufactured and that knowing each other makes the process easier.
“We were put together for the label that we signed with. We definitely had to reclaim a lot of that authority… really putting our foot down when it came to Cardboard Box,” said Douglas. “What’s been amazing about this journey is that there are three of us. Three voices are so much stronger than one.”
Their latest album, Access All Areas, showcases a more mature sound, blending classic 90s influences with modern production. It even features a collaboration with Memphis rapper GloRilla. In the UK, the album entered the charts at number three – making Flo the highest-charting British R&B girl group in 23 years.
“We grew up with Destiny’s Child, SWV, TLC, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey. All of these people are American,” said Douglass. “So when we sing, people are like, why don’t they have a British accent when we sing.”
“We are a girl group of this generation, and it is refreshing to see a different perspective,” said Downer. “One of the big differences is that we all sing. We are a lead. There’s no lead [singer] in FLO.
Cultural critics and fans of R&B have debated whether the genre is dead, but groups like FLO are proving otherwise. They’ve got the look, the sound and the talent to really push the genre forward.
They aim to lead the renaissance of girl groups and create a sustainable identity inspired by cultural blueprints like Black girl groups before them. Despite having few mainstream peers, it only motivates them to work harder.
“Our parents grew up in that era, so I feel like they definitely influenced us. In the 90s and 2000s, music was really popping. Everyone had a big moment,” said Downer. “The videos were fire, the fashion…the sounds were dope, people were experimenting more. Everything in that era was so real and intense and exciting.”
“We are trying to incorporate that. I feel like nowadays, people are trying to play it safe,” Douglass said. “We just want to push ourselves.”
For more information on the Access All Areas tour, visit: Access All Areas Unlocked.
