On a roll
The UK’s new favourite girl group – and the Brits Rising Star winners – on going viral and big (we mean big) plans ahead
R&B pop trio FLO are a breath of fresh air. Bandmates and BFFs, Jorja Douglas, 21, Stella Quaresma, 21, and Renée Downer, 20, fill a Zoom call with giggles and inside jokes. The band gained traction on TikTok last year, but actually formed in 2019 when their now-manager put them together. Renée and Stella met at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, and the pair knew Jorja through social media. Their music has strong 90s vibes. As for the name? Jorja credits their muse, ‘a random fluffy white cat who Renée called Flo’. They liked it and it stuck.
Who’s your musical inspiration?
STELLA: Mine’s Brandy.
RENÉE: Victoria Monét.
JORJA: Whitney Houston.
How would you describe your sound?
STELLA: Nostalgic… but like a modern-ish fusion. That’s the music we love. We listen to what’s around us, so it’s a nice mix.
What might surprise fans about you?
JORJA: We’re very much the people we present ourselves to be. We find it hard to be fake.
What has been your biggest ‘pinch me’ moment so far?
RENÉE: We have Brandy’s number in our phone now. That’s really cool. Speaking to people that you admire and grew up listening to is just the biggest thing ever.
JORJA: We met Kelly Rowland. That was another ‘pinch me’ moment. She just walked into our session.
How is life in the spotlight?
RENÉE: It’s scary that life is changing so quickly. Knowing that you’re not going to get the same amount of freedom, and invasion of privacy is scary
