Flo (group)

Flo (stylised in uppercase) is a British girl group from London, consisting of members Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer. They formed in 2019 and signed with Island Records. The group gained popularity on social media with their debut single "Cardboard Box". They released their debut EP, The Lead, in 2022. They topped the BBC's Sound of 2023 poll and won the 2023 Brit Award for Rising Star.[4][5]

Flo
Flo performing on their Tour in 2023 (left to right: Stella Quaresma, Jorja Douglas and Renée Downer)
Background information
OriginLondon, England
Genres
Years active2019–present
Labels
Members
  • Stella Quaresma
  • Jorja Douglas
  • Renée Downer
Websiteflolikethis.com

Members

I saw the girls and we screamed across the room. I knew from that moment we were about to start something big.

— Douglas on when the members met for the first time[6]

Stella Quaresma was born in Kingston upon Thames, and at four weeks old, she moved to Mozambique. She moved back to the British countryside at the age of five, before returning to London, where she began attending the Sylvia Young Theatre School, where she met bandmate Renée Downer.[7] Quaresma was a year above Downer. She grew up listening to African musical artists and her mother later introduced her to Etta James and British artists like Amy Winehouse. Prior to being in the group, she worked as a waitress.[8]

Jorja Douglas was born in Eastern Germany, before moving to Hertfordshire at eight months old.[6] She grew up listening to R&B music introduced to her by her mother.[8] She is the daughter of former sprinter Stephi Douglas, and in 2017, she competed in and won the second series of the CBBC competition series Got What It Takes?.[9][10] Prior to being in the group, Douglas worked for an accountancy firm.[8]

Renée Downer was born and raised in North London. She attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School, where she met bandmate Stella Quaresma, who was a year above Downer. She grew up listening to R&B, house and church gospel. Prior to being in the group, she worked at H&M on Regent Street.[8]

Career

2019–2022: Formation and The Lead
Main article: The Lead (EP)

Flo formed in 2019.[11] Quaresma and Downer knew each other having met studying at Sylvia Young Theatre School and discovered Douglas from her singing videos on Instagram.[8] Their debut single, "Cardboard Box", was produced by British record producer MNEK and was released on March 24th 2022 after they signed to Island Records.[12] The song performed well on social media,[13] and weeks later, an accompanying music video followed in April 2022, which amassed 900 thousand views in a few days.[14][15] An acoustic version of the song was released the following month.[16] Also produced by MNEK, their second single "Immature" and its accompanying music video was released in July 2022,[17] ahead of their debut extended play The Lead on 8 July 2022.[18][19] A music video for "Summertime", also produced by MNEK, was released.[20] Flo re-released The Lead in September 2022 along with a promotional single, "Not My Job".[21]

Flo performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for the first time on 6 October 2022, which was their television debut.[22] They made their UK television debut on Later... with Jools Holland the following month.[23] On 1 November 2022, they were included in Vevo DSCVR's Artists to Watch 2023.[24] They performed their songs "Feature Me" and "Not My Job" on the channel.[25] The same month, they took to social media to announce their upcoming concert tour in North America and Europe during spring 2023.[26][27]

Flo then made their first award show performance at the 2022 MOBO Awards with a medley of the songs "Immature" and "Cardboard Box".[28][29] In December 2022, Flo became the first female group to top the BBC's Annual Sound of... poll and win the Brit Rising Star at the Brit Awards in the same year.[4][5]

2023: Forthcoming debut album
Main article: 3 of Us

In early January 2023, Flo were featured on "Hide & Seek" by British rapper Stormzy. The song is from the latter's third studio album, This Is What I Mean (2022).[30] In an Apple Music promotional interview with Elton John, Flo revealed that their debut album is expected to be released in 2023, adding that "There sure is. It's going to be amazing".[31]

In late January 2023, Flo joins the line-up of a number of Summer 2023 festivals including: Big Weekend, Isle of Wight, Longitude, Park Life, TRNSMT, Wireless Festival, and the 2023 Summer Sonic Festival in Osaka, Japan.[32][33] On 23 March 2023, Flo released the single "Fly Girl", featuring American rapper, singer, songwriter Missy Elliott. The song interpolates Elliott's 2002 single "Work It", plus a new rap from her.[34][35]

On March 30, 2023, Flo embarked on the "Flo Live" tour, which sold out all tickets in North America and Europe.[36] Prior to their next show in Chicago, Flo made an appearance on The Tonight Show, performing "Fly Girl" for the first time on television.[37]

Flo at Mighty Hoopla in 2023, which took place in Brockwell Park
Flo at Mighty Hoopla in 2023, which took place in Brockwell Park

On June 11, 2023, Flo performed at Capital's Summertime Ball at Wembley Stadium in London, in front of 80,000 people.[38] On June 23, 2023, they played at the Woodsies stage at Glastonbury, Britain's biggest Festival.[39] In the same month, they received their first three nominations at the 2023 BET Awards, including Best Group, which they lost to Drake and 21 Savage.[40][41]

On July 3, 2023, Flo released the surprise extended play titled 3 of Us, including the tracks "Control Freak" and "Change".[42][43] These songs had already been performed during their previous "Flo Live" tour. The surprise release was a decision made by them while finishing their debut album. On social media, they called it "a gift to the FLO Lifers who have been waiting so patiently for new music."[44][45] Their performance of "Losing You" on the MTV's Push series in June 2023 has been nominated for Push Performance of the Year at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards.[46][47]

Artistry

Musical style

Flo's style distinctly draws upon classic R&B and hip-hop, particularly from the 1990s and early 2000s. The visuals for their debut music video "Cardboard Box" invited comparisons to that of TLC's "Unpretty" (1999) and the Sugababes' "Overload" (2000). In addition to the likes of Destiny's Child and the Spice Girls, H.E.R. was named as a more contemporary influence.[15]

Influences
Aaliyah (left) and Amy Winehouse (right) have influenced Flo.

All three girls described being shaped by the music they grew up listening to; Downer's mother would play Aaliyah and Ciara in the car, and Douglas' mother was into "old school R&B". Quaresma heard African music from her father, while her mother would play Amy Winehouse and Etta James.[48]

Discography

Extended plays
List of extended plays, with selected details
Title Details
Home Session: FLO
The Lead
  • Released: 8 July 2022[50]
  • Label: Island, Republic
  • Format: Streaming, digital download, LP
The Lead (Apple Music Edition)
  • Released: 21 September 2022[51]
  • Label: Island
  • Format: Streaming, digital download
3 of Us
  • Released: 3 July 2023[52]
  • Label: Island
  • Format: Streaming, digital download

Singles
List of singles, showing year released, peak chart positions, and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[53]		 JPN
Over.
[54]		 NZ
Hot
[55]
"Cardboard Box" 2022 761719 The Lead
"Immature" ———
"Summertime" ———
"Losing You" ——— TBA
"Fly Girl" (featuring Missy Elliott) 2023 38720
"—" denotes a recording that failed to chart, was ineligible for the chart, or was not released.

Guest appearances
List of guest appearances, with year released, other artist(s), and album name
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Hide & Seek" (Remix)[56] 2023 Stormzy Non-album remix

Promotional singles
List of promotional single(s), showing year released and album name
Title Year Album
"Not My Job" 2022 The Lead

Tours

Filmography

Television
List of television and films credits
Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2022 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Themselves (musical guest) Episode dated 6 October 2022 [22]
Later... with Jools Holland Themselves (musical guest) Episode dated 29 October 2022 [23]
2023 The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Themselves (musical guest) Episode dated 20 April 2023 [37]

Videography

Music videos
List of music videos, showing year released and directors
Title Year Other artist(s) Director(s) Length Ref.
As lead artist
"Cardboard Box" 2022 — LOOSE 2:47 [58]
"Cardboard Box (Acoustic)" Saorla Houston 2:55 [59]
"Immature" Avesta Keshtmand 2:55 [60]
"Summertime" Saorla Houston 3:58 [61]
"Losing You" Meeks and Frost 3:45 [62]
"Fly Girl" 2023 Missy Elliott Tajana Tokyo 3:32 [63]

Awards and nominations
List of Flo's awards and nominations
Award Year Nominee(s)/work(s) Category Result Ref.
Breaktudo Awards 2022 "Immature" Anthem of the Year Nominated [64]
2023 Themselves International Female Group Pending [65]
Guap Gala 2022 Music Artist to Watch Won [66]
MOBO Awards 2022 Best Newcomer Nominated [67]
Popjustice Twenty Quid Prize 2022 "Cardboard Box" Best British Pop Single Shortlisted [68]
Rated Awards Themselves Female Artist of the Year Nominated [69]
BBC Sound of... 2023 Themselves Sound of 2023 Won [5]
BRIT Awards 2023 Rising Star Won [4]
BET Awards 2023 Best Group Nominated [41]
Best New Artist Nominated
Best New International Act Nominated
Deezer Awards 2023 Artists to Watch Shortlisted [70]
Global Awards 2023 Best Hip-hop or R&B Nominated [71]
Rising Star Won
MTV Video Music Awards 2023 "Losing You" Push Performance of the Year Nominated [46]
Themselves Group of the Year Nominated [72]
MTV Europe Music Awards 2023 Best Group Pending [73]
Best New Pending
Best Push Pending
MTV Push 2023 MTV Push UK & Ireland Won [74]
Urban Music Awards Best Female Act Nominated [75]
Best Group Nominated
“Cardboard Box” Best Single Nominated
Themselves Most Creative Artist Nominated
Most Inspiring Act Nominated

References
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