FLO at Reading & Leeds 2024 on debut album and their mission to revive R&B
We caught up with FLO at Reading & Leeds after their debut set on the BBC Radio 1 stage. The rising trio talk to us about their upcoming debut album 'Access All Areas', their mission to revive R&B and why Aaliyah was "the original it-girl" of the genre.
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00:00Hi guys, it's Ky and Sian Williams from NME here and I'm here with Flo at Reading Festival.
00:12Nice to see you.
00:13You just did your first ever Reading performance.
00:17How was that?
00:19The crowd was incredible.
00:23For our first performance, we would have hoped that everything would have come together in
00:28terms of production, but the crowd gave us life and they kept us going, which is the
00:31most important thing.
00:32Because, really and truly, a live performance is all about not only the artist but the crowd
00:37too.
00:38Yeah.
00:39So it was great that you had loads of fun.
00:41I also saw that you paid homage to Aaliyah, which you've been doing throughout all your
00:45live sets.
00:46Yes.
00:47What is it about Aaliyah that you really love?
00:50The bass.
00:51The bass is strong.
00:52I feel like she was like the first, like, not the first, but she was such an it girl.
00:57She was so cool.
00:58She did so many things for people like us who love R&B, so thank you, Aaliyah.
01:03Also, like, Timbaland on the production and, like, that's so influential as well, especially
01:09to our sound, so it makes sense to incorporate it into our set.
01:13Yeah.
01:14You guys recently just announced that you're going to drop your debut album.
01:18Why now?
01:19Like, why is it called Access Your Area?
01:21Well, why now?
01:23It's finally ready, so that's why now.
01:26And it's called Access All Areas.
01:28We wanted to be really open and we wanted to dig deep and write music that actually
01:32had meaning to us, so the title explains itself, really.
01:36Yeah.
01:37And what type of themes are you exploring on this album?
01:42Self-love.
01:43Love.
01:44Relationships.
01:45With a whole spectrum of different people.
01:50Work.
01:51Friends.
01:52Boyfriends.
01:53Partners.
01:54Yeah.
01:55So you can just, like, interpret the songs.
01:58Like, the song, we may be saying, like, he, like, referring to a boy or whatever, or a
02:03man or whatever, but you can interpret about your boss, it can be about your boss, it can
02:08be about your colleague, it can be about your mum, it can be about your dog.
02:12It can be about anything.
02:13Whatever feels right for you, like, you're gonna vibe.
02:16Yeah.
02:17You guys have been together for five years.
02:20What do you think you've learnt about each other and what do you think, with the time
02:26together, what do you think this album now represents as you guys as a whole over the
02:30five years?
02:32It definitely represents the hardships we've had to face and you can hear it in the music,
02:37in our blend.
02:38We're so strong and we're so together, so it definitely represents that.
02:43Definitely the growth as well.
02:44Like, a lot of our fans think we've taken so long to drop the album, but I think when
02:48they hear it, they'll really realise why.
02:50Yeah.
02:51Also, over the past five years, we've really just, it's really just reinforced the fact
02:56that we are so similar and we just live the same lives.
02:59Like, all of the songs, like, we all kind of equally relate to because, you know, we've
03:07just been living the same life.
03:08So, yeah.
03:09I love that you guys said that Aaliyah is one of those it girls because I feel like
03:13you guys are the R&B it girls right now.
03:16Oh, wow.
03:18I like complimenting you guys.
03:19Aww.
03:20That makes me feel so sweet.
03:21But, yeah, with other R&B it girls such as JoJo, Victoria Monet, and more just complimenting
03:30you, how does it feel to get that love from other R&B it girls?
03:34It's the best type of compliment.
03:36Yeah.
03:37Like, the respect is just so lovely to receive that from people we actually look up to.
03:42Yeah.
03:44And I think, personally to me, one of the most poignant was when Kelly Rowland said
03:49that you guys are, like, the future of R&B.
03:54How was that for you guys?
03:56Well, we've actually met her in real life a couple times and every time she's just always
04:04so kind and just, like, wants to help, wants us to, you know, like, how's it going, wants
04:10to share some advice.
04:11So, she's so genuine and down to earth, so it's been really nice meeting her.
04:16Because many people compare you three to Destiny's Child.
04:21Do you feel like the comparison is, like, it's okay to compare to, like?
04:26I think our work ethic is comparable.
04:29If anything, ours, their work ethic is a lot more extreme than ours.
04:33But, like, on that level, like, the work ethic and the attention to detail, like, that is
04:40what we take from Destiny's Child.
04:45What other, like, R&B acts do you take from that might have inspired the project?
04:51The project...
04:55Definitely Brandy.
04:57We love her and one song on the album, particularly, just has that essence of R&B that she...
05:04We want that one in so much!
05:05We want that one in Pink Freddy!
05:09I mean, if you had to ask Brandy right now, what would you tell Brandy?
05:13How would you get her on board?
05:14For the fifth time, Brandy, please reply to us.
05:17Please love us back.
05:18We love you.
05:19She's crying really hard.
05:22I'm touching wood.
05:23I hope that happens.
05:24I'm touching wood.
05:25Yeah.
05:26So, late...
05:27Well, next month, actually, you're going to be going on tour with Kalani.
05:30Two weeks.
05:31Yeah.
05:32It's not even a whole month.
05:33That's very close.
05:34You guys ready?
05:36Mmm...
05:38Not completely.
05:39We're ready.
05:40In the flesh.
05:41We're getting there.
05:42Not so much.
05:43Yeah.
05:44And how is it, like, also, like, now you're going...
05:46You're taking on the US.
05:47Like, how are you?
05:48Are you ready to break the world?
05:50I think we are ready.
05:52We know what we want to get out of it.
05:55So, we're excited to experience it, put the work in, learn from it, and then just move
06:01forward, have our album out, and go on from there.
06:05We can't wait to explore other parts of the world.
06:07Yeah.
06:08Even after just getting, like, a taste from Japan of, like, what...
06:13You know, like, the difference in cultures and the difference in fans was so, like, refreshing.
06:17We can't wait to go to Brazil.
06:19We can't wait to actually do a show in Europe.
06:22Mmm.
06:23Like, a proper show.
06:24Poor Paris.
06:25Poor France.
06:26Poor Germany.
06:27Germany, like...
06:28Sorry, guys.
06:29It's embarrassing.
06:30It's embarrassing.
06:31I wanted to ask, what statement do you want to make with Access All Areas?
06:36Like, if I was to listen to it, what do you want me to take away about Flo, learn about Flo?
06:41There's just...
06:42There's so much to know.
06:43There is a lot.
06:44Yeah.
06:45Multi-faceted.
06:46Yeah.
06:47That you can go to the album to feel a whole range of things.
06:49Mm-hmm.
06:50You know?
06:51Feel like a baddie, feel hard, feel like other people are going through the same things,
06:56feel like you're strong.
06:58There's a lot going on.
06:59In a couple of years, if you were to look at yourselves then, what would you hope has
07:04happened for you guys?
07:05What do you guys want to be known as?
07:07Ooh, just the revival of R&B girl groups.
07:10Yeah.
07:11Because they've been gone for a long time.
07:13Yeah.
07:14We want to be known for, you know, R&B album of the year.
07:18Yes.
07:19Trailblazers.
07:20Yes.
07:21Yes.
07:22Yes.
07:23Tastemakers.
07:24No, that's a bit too far.
07:25No, say a little bit.
07:26You never know.
07:27You've got to speak it into existence.
07:28That's right.
07:29Well, thanks for talking to me today, and yeah, I hope you enjoy the rest of Reading.
07:35Bye.
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