FLO has been taking the world by storm, and they’re only just getting started. The British girl group, made up of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer, has been steadily redefining what modern R&B girl groups can sound and feel like. Influenced by the greats like Destiny’s Child, Brandy, and SWV, the ladies have found their own lane with melting harmonies, rich vocals, and a sisterhood that’s undeniable.

Their debut album, Access All Areas, dropped with confidence and care, offering the kind of emotional storytelling and vocal tightness that usually takes artists years to build.

With their first American tour and BET Award nominations for Best Group and Best New Artist under their belt, it’s clear FLO isn’t just next up — they’ve already made it.

In conversation with REVOLT, the trio reflected on the impact of Access All Areas, the surprising song fans can’t stop playing, and how social media has shaped their journey. They also shared which artists they feel deserve way more credit vocally, pulling back the curtain on who really moves them as singers.

Touring is a whole different world. What was the most unexpected part of sharing your first major tour together, and how did Josh Levi, Chxrry22, and Jae Stephens’ presence add to the energy off and on stage?

Renée Downer: I feel like nothing's really been unexpected. This is our third tour, so I feel like we're quite used to being on the road. How much fun [it is] might be something that’s unexpected.

Jorja Douglas: The after parties have been a lot of fun. It’s great to interact with the fans and also tease a lot of music, too. We tease a lot of new music at these after parties.

Downer: We have a lot of music, so sometimes it's nice to just play music that we love and just enjoy it in that moment for what it is, rather than releasing it.

You’ve taken a traditional route with a full tour instead of the usual viral-first strategy. Why was that important, and what has that decision done for your connection with fans?

Douglas: The most important thing for us is longevity and also just really building the foundation of being a proper artist. When we reflect on the people before us and the people that inspire us, we're really just like it's not a rush. We look at them and like we're looking at people that have been around for 10+ years, even 20+ years, even 30+ years.

Downer: Really, for us, it's slow and steady. It’s also important for us to nourish niche markets. A lot of people don't get to see live music in those smaller areas. When we go there, they're like, “Thank you for coming.” And it means so much more.

In “I’m Just a Girl,” you touch on how London doesn’t always celebrate Black girls on the biggest stages. As your star rises in the United States, have you started to feel that recognition shift globally?

Stella Quaresma: In some places, like Brazil loves us. They've been a big supporter of us for a long time. When we went to Japan, they were really cute there. Definitely the U.S. gives us the most love, though. So, we want to reach the other markets.

What’s a record from your discography that you would play first if you were introducing someone to your music?

Quaresma: If they look like they like R&B, I would probably play “Shoulda Coulda Woulda” or “On & On.”

Douglas: I would like “Get It Till I’m Gone.”

Downer: “Bending My Rules” would be my choice.

What’s a song from the album that fans have, shockingly, in your opinion, turned all the way up way more than you expected?

Downer: “Nocturnal” because they always tell us this at every meet and greet.

People love the Destiny’s Child comparisons, and I definitely hear a bit of 3LW in your blend of edge and harmony, too. But if FLO became the blueprint for the next era of girl groups, what do you hope they’d take from your approach, and what do you hope they’d push even further?

Downer: Definitely to say what they want to say in their music, and have music that you can connect to and that means something to you.

Quaresma: Also driving their own projects. I think a lot of people think that we just like being told what to do and where to go, and what to sing about. Even the look of things, like the artwork... be integral in the process, and just say what you want.

Douglas: For me, it would be the relationship amongst the group, like make sure that they just focus on their relationship, and obviously kind of undo that notion that there needs to be a lead in a group.

“On & On” is a personal favorite — it feels like a return to R&B that’s lush, romantic, and real. How do you see it shaping what the next wave of R&B should sound like?

Douglas: It’s very difficult making quality R&B music because there's such a fine line between like... sounding corny or dated. There's such a fine line. That’s why we have so many songs... because we're always in search of something that sounds progressive and fresh. You just have to kiss a lot of frogs and like to work with so many different people that just really understand R&B.

Quaresma: They also have to love R&B. We worked with a lot of people who have done incredible things in the ‘90s and stuff. So, it's actually about [whether they’re] just obsessed with R&B and who just wants to make the next best thing, the new age R&B.

Will we get a music video for “On & On”?

Downer: Unfortunately, I don’t think so. We are so sad about it. There were so many songs on the album that we wanted to bring to life, like once the album was out, and that hasn't happened. We’re going to continue to make music, and the more we make, the more possibilities for bringing it to life.

Douglas: Who knows, 10 years from now we may circle back and make a video for it.

Modern R&B sometimes leans into detachment, but your music embraces love, softness, and being wanted. Was that an intentional counter to what’s popular right now?

Downer: I think we just had to be honest with ourselves about where we were at the time. We found it difficult to make really loving songs, but we were all in really loving relationships and we’re all lover girls at heart. You just have to own it. I feel like we explain love in a unique way, like it's never just like, “Oh, I'm in love with you and I am yours.” I'm in love, but yes, I'm still a bad b**ch.

With FLO leading the girl group resurgence — alongside rising acts like Psyrin, OMG Girlz, and new boy bands — do you feel the industry is finally returning to real groups, rather than one-off collaborations?

Quaresma: I hope so. For so many people, girl groups were such a big part of their childhood. We didn't have the huge leading girl groups in our generation, despite us listening to Destiny’s Child. It's such a big part of culture. It's not just music. So yeah, I hope it's coming.

Douglas: The talent is there, so there’s no excuse, but it comes down to the investment. We are lucky to have a label that is committed to seeing FLO’s success. We’ve been together for almost six years now. It was a lot of time and money invested.

You have received multiple BET Award nominations. How did it feel being nominated in a category where not everyone is an established group?

Downer: Clock it (laughs).

Quaresma: We don’t actually get nominated for groups, which is crazy.

Douglas: It's like sometimes we'll be in the best female category, and then we won't be in the best group category. On this occasion, we're in the best group category and not in the best female category. Listen, the biggest gag was the Brits (laughs).

Quaresma: We were under the table holding our hands with our acceptance speech ready, waiting for them to call our names (laughs).

Downer: Whenever our win comes, it will mean much more now because we’ll have a lot to say.

Douglas: That’s definitely the outlook we now have. A nomination is lovely, but we go in there with no expectation to win because, in a way, it doesn't mean anything.

Renée, you’ve stepped into production on this album. Would you want to produce a full FLO project in the future?

Downer: Oh, that's a great question. I feel like I'm not a producer. I definitely love watching people produce, and I wonder how they like to layer everything. In the studio, I’m like, “Oh, we should add this sound in there,” but I want to work on my production skills. I could see myself producing a song, but a whole project... I don’t know, because there’s so many talented producers out there.

Douglas: No, listen, you can do anything you put your mind to. Let’s have you produce it and do the vocal arrangements.

Stella, your range is insane. You glide between softness and power in a way that really echoes vocalists like Brandy and Ariana Grande, both of whom you all admire. So have there been any conversations about collaborating with Brandy or Ariana? Or has either of them passed down any advice that's stuck with you?

Quaresma: Both of them are pretty much at the top of our collaboration list. Brandy’s my favorite artist, and we had a phone call with her one time, giving us so much advice. Their attention to detail, like, you can tell they just are so passionate about every single part of their songs and their lyricism. If either of you are reading this, we’re ready.

Jorja, your vibe on social media is very free and fun. In a world where image is hyper-curated, how do you maintain that rawness, and has it ever backfired in a funny or unexpected way?

Douglas: I'm still navigating this whole social media thing. It’s a bit much for me sometimes (laughs). I like to consume. I'm a consumer. I like to watch and take in... but it's fun. It’s a love/hate relationship because sometimes I’m like, “You’re ruining my life and rotting my brain,” but there are so many people right now doing the absolute most like, I cannot deal with Twitter right now, like the men, the straight men on Twitter right now are actually… (laughs).

You once said, “Nobody cares about singers,” anymore. So, who’s one artist you think sings down and deserves way more love right now?

Downer: Chlöe Bailey. I see her get so much hate, and it doesn't make any sense. She is so talented, and even with her live performances, she's a beast. I just wish people would accept it and take her in. She’s a triple threat. I need people to get behind her.

Quaresma: They need to wake up! I’m going to say Maeta. She can sing down. I feel like her actual vocals are underrated. Her runs are great.

Douglas: My answer is FLO.

Your debut album is called Access All Areas, so what’s one space you haven’t accessed yet, as a group or individually, that you’re aiming to unlock next?

Downer: Welcoming whatever that may come.

Quaresma: Not being sure and that's okay.

Douglas: Being even more carefree.

This era feels bold, almost like your RED era. If you had to pick a color for the next era, what would it be and why?

Quaresma: Definitely blue.

If you could create one new rule for the music industry, something to protect or elevate artists, what would it be?

Quaresma: I feel like we need to allow people to make mistakes, whether it's personally, whether it's musically, I feel like it's such a culture of, like, if you do something wrong, you can't then grow from it.