Title: FLO's Debut Album, 'Access All Areas' (Listening Party)

[music]

Alison Stewart: This is All Of It on WNYC. I'm Alison Stewart. Let's wrap up today's show with a listening party with the London-based trio Flo, who earned the music world's attention in 2022 when they released a single and it went viral. Take a listen to Cardboard Box.

[MUSIC - Flo: Cardboard Box]

I'ma put your shit in a cardboard box

Changing my number and I'm changing the locks

When you can't get in, know your heart gon' stop

You may be crying, but boy, I'm not

I'ma put your shit in a cardboard box

Alison Stewart: Now Flo is back with their anticipated debut album. It's titled Access All Areas. The 16-track R&B project includes songs about love, relationship, success, sisterhood, and navigating the industry as three young Black women. Let's listen to their single In My Bag.

[MUSIC - Flo: In My Bag]

I know you heard it, baby, rhythm is a dancer

Can't nobody do it like I do it, do it better

Alright (Alright), okay (Okay)

All night (All night), all day (All day)

I say (I say) let's ride, it's all on me

My body, mind, and soul connected

What I got is manifested

I don't even got to try

When you see me, know I'm in my bag (In my bag)

My whip (In my bag)

My drip (In my bag)

Alison Stewart: A New York Times review states Flo wants to reinvent the girl group for a new generation. Access All Areas is out now. Flo's member, Jorja Douglas. Hi, Jorja.

Jorja Douglas: Hi.

Alison Stewart: And Stella Quaresma. Hi, Stella.

Stella Quaresma: Hi.

Alison Stewart: And Renée Downer. Hi, Renée.

Renée Downer: Hey.

Alison Stewart: They're joining us now for a listening party. This is a solid RB album. Jorja, what were some of the ideas or concepts the three of you got together? You were toying around when you started working on your debut album?

Jorja Douglas: We've been working on the album for about-- It was probably for two years from the start to finish, but it was a very strange, up and down, back and forth process. It wasn't linear, but obviously, we're inspired by '90s and noughties R&B. We love Brandy, we love Beyonce, we love Mariah Carey. Then also we're extremely influenced by Ariana Grande and Summer Walker and SZA. Really for us, it was striking the balance between nostalgia, but also we want to be looking towards the future, so we tried to experiment with different sounds.

For example, I'm Just a Girl, which is a little bit rock. We just didn't put too much pressure on ourselves and just kept writing, listening to different songs and just seeing where it took us.

Alison Stewart: Renée, you lurked alongside producer MNEK. He produced your Cardboard Box single, but he's also produced Dua Lipa and Little Mix. How did his insight as a seasoned producer help you get the sound you wanted?

Renée Downer: It definitely made all the difference. From writing to recording to production, he's very well-versed in all the different areas. Since we've been working with him really, he's made us feel confident. He's helped us explore different ranges, different points of views, and he's like the secret fourth member. He adds the spice and the--

Jorja Douglas: Je ne sais quoi.

Renée Downer: -je ne sais quoi [crosstalk] because he really knows R&B music and has worked with a lot of our inspirations.

Alison Stewart: I'm very interested in what you think-- Stella, I guess we'll ask you, why so many R&B artists now, folks like Ella Mae and Ray, they're so into the R&B of the '90s. Why do you think it's popular now?

Stella Quaresma: I think that music back then was like-- it was made by people who had such passion for it, and they really studied their craft. Music for us is all about feeling. I think those artists as well, they just want to create music that comes from their heart and they want to say what they want to say. I think it's not all about the numbers and the money. It's just about doing what your passion is. I think they all feel that. That was definitely the vibe back then. We definitely resonate with those artists. The music was just impeccable. We really admire those eyes. It's very understandable why they're inspired by those artists.

Alison Stewart: The first track in the album is this gorgeous introduction from Cynthia Erivo, who recites Flo's origin story. Jorja, whose idea was to have Cynthia come on down and do this.

Jorja Douglas: Everything really is collective, but we were just deliberating on who we wanted to obviously present us to the world, and it was really important that they were blessed Black and that they were British. We've met Cynthia a couple of times and both times we've been extremely fangirling, borderline embarrassed. We're genuine fans of hers and her talent is just unmatched. There's nothing like it in the UK especially. It was a no-brainer.

I don't know why it hadn't clicked sooner that we wanted it to be her, but literally one moment it was, light bulb, "What about Cynthia Erivo?" Then we were like, "Oh my God, duh." It was just the best decision we ever made.

Alison Stewart: Let's listen.

Cynthia Erivo: I would like to introduce you to a tenacious trio of talented young ladies, but before we proceed, a brief history lesson. Now, between the years of 2001 and 2002, there simply was not enough brilliance in the world. You see, planet Earth was in dire need of bad bitch replenishment. A trio ready to receive the baton passed on by the likes of Destiny's Child, Destiny's Sugar, SWV, and countless other iconic baddies of the past. Thus, in the fateful year of 2019, a pact was formed. A promise was made, a movement began. Our girls found each other and meticulously prepared a feast for our ears.

Alison Stewart: Who wouldn't want an introduction like that? I'm telling you, every time you walked in the room. Renée, that sounds like a fancy version of it, but what was the reality of what it was like to audition for this group?

Renée Downer: Oh, that's a great question. It was really fun because we were young and we were just posting our videos on social media. When I received an email from Island Records, it felt like, "Wow, this is the real deal." The audition process was quite light-hearted. The first audition was in the Universal building and I saw Jorja there for the first time. It was like, "Oh, we know each other," which was really nice. We just talked about music and what we want to achieve as artists and sung some songs.

Then the second time around, it was pairing girls together. I was with two random girls and it was just about seeing if we had the same musical influences, if we could get along. It wasn't great, but the second time around, it was me, Jorja, and Stella, and it made a lot of sense. We just naturally got along and we all had similar upbringings and similar music tastes. It felt like the perfect fit.

Alison Stewart: We're talking to the group Flo about their debut album Access All Areas. My guests are Jorja, Stella, and Renée. This is a listening party, so let's play a song. Let's take a listen to Access All Areas and we can talk about it on the other side.

[MUSIC - Flo: Access All Areas]

Pa-da-da-da, pam-pam

Ladies, are we ready? (Ah)

Pam, pam, pam (A, A, A)

Pa-da-da-da, pam-pam (Ah)

Okay, let's go

Pam, pam, pam

What's done in the dark

Got me catchin' feelings (Yeah)

This ain't about my heart

It's about the feeling

Oh, when you push up on me

Fireworks (Yeah)

Truth be told, I keep it closed and

What I know for certain

You got me open, let me expose it

Touch it (Ah, ah), feel it, love it

Hit it right on time

No limits (No limits), how you want it (Want it)

Boy, I'm letting you inside

So let's explore (Ah)

Come take a tour

Access all areas (Ah, that's right)

Tonight, it's yours (It's all yours)

Don't waste no time (Don't waste no time)

Waiting at the door (At the door)

Alison Stewart: That's Access All Areas from Flo. Stella, I want to read this comment from YouTube. It says, "I don't think I have in my generation seen a girl group that allows every girl to shine and sing lead. They blend so well, but can still stand out. I look forward to seeing how they continue to build on their legacy." How important is it that each member gets a chance to sing lead?

Stella Quaresma: I think it's very important. We all bring our different strengths to the group, and we do that in so many different ways, and I think that's what makes Flo flow. We all are so in awe of each other's talent, and we're so inspired by each other, so it's only right. We will help write the music that we put out. We all have something to say. Different songs, maybe from someone's point of view, more so what they're going through at the time. We all have to shine, and we love that. We love listening to each other go. We love hyping each other up. It's very important.

Alison Stewart: All right, Jorja, hype up. Tell me what Renée and Stella each bring to the group.

Jorja Douglas: Besides everyone bringing everything, Renée's sweet spot is her basement note that I have to put my chin all the way back into my neck to be able to read. Just having so much power down that bottom end is really special. Then for Stella, for me, it is the agility. The agility to travel through 100 different notes in two seconds. That's it for me.

Alison Stewart: How about for you, Renée?

Renée Downer: For me, I would have to stay, for Stella, it's her tone. I really haven't heard anyone with that tone. I think it's so soulful and rich. For Jorja, I'd have to say the power. Where does it come from? That strength is incredible. You can hold it.

Jorja Douglas: I'm a big girl.

Renée Downer: You could hold it. [inaudible 00:11:34]

Alison Stewart: Stella, it's your turn.

Stella Quaresma: For me, Renée is also the low tones, but she can get the tone-- It's hard to get an amazing tone when you're singing low and a real good feeling down there. I just feel everything she sings-- She's actually very versatile as well. She can be so soft with her voice, but in I'm Just a Girl, she'd be growling. [inaudible 00:12:01] Jorja, the same things. The runs. It's almost like I don't know how her brain moves so fast. "What note is next?"

Jorja Douglas: Literally.

Stella Quaresma: Yes. I'm absolutely in awe. Yes. Very quick, very fast, and very crazy.

Alison Stewart: All right, listeners, take all that you just heard and let's listen to another track from Access All Areas. This is titled Soft.

[MUSIC - Flo: Soft]

Soft

Oh, no

So soft

Oh, oh

Oh, no (Welcome to the camp)

Oh, oh, oh

Baby, how long you been gone? Don't tell me

Hmm, tell me you wanna see me (See me)

Water from the ceiling (Ceiling)

Make me hot like summer rain (Rain, rain rain)

Drippin' boy you trippin'

Trippin' on this fantasy (Yeah)

I'll tell you what's for dinner

I'm flowin' like a river, oh

Hush

Baby, do you wanna touch?

Look at how you make me blush

Soft

Pillow, soft

Never, soft

Touch me, soft

Try me

You ain't had nobody like me (Ah)

Nothing underneath this white tee (Ah)

'Bout to make a movie, Spike Lee (Ah)

Try me, it's godly (Ah)

That's why you wanna be inside me (Ah; yeah)

And I don't wanna bе by myself

Yeah, it's you that I've been waitin' on (Waitin' on)

Tеll you what's for dinner (Dinner, dinner)

Damn, I'm flowin' like a river, baby

Alison Stewart: That's Soft from Flo. My guests are Jorja, Stella, and Renée. The album is called Access All Areas. Why did it take you so long? Why did it take you time to put out a debut album? Jorja, go.

Jorja Douglas: Listen, nobody wanted it to come out sooner than we did. We genuinely thought we would be releasing our debut album last Christmas or beginning of the year, and boy, were we wrong. It was so not ready. I feel like when you're in it, when you're the creator, your perspective is definitely you're seeing through the-- What's it called? The rose-tinted glasses. We're biased or we think a song's really bad, but then there's the perspective that, "Well, the fans might really love it. The public might really love it."

Your perspective is so skewed. I think that's what made us take longer because we had to find people whose perspective that we could really trust, because if we were like, "Cool, if we need to take a step back, who are we going to trust to take a step in?" We found those people at the time, they were this management company called LVRN. They really gave us the honest, real truth and we respected it. That was a turning point for us.

We went back to the drawing board, added new songs, made the songs that we did have the level that they should have been. I think that's what took long. Then obviously all the other stuff, like being signed with a label that always makes things take a bit longer, but it's all in good time.

Alison Stewart: All in good time because we have Access All Areas. My guests have been Jorja, Stella, and Renée. They are Flo. Thank you for your time today. Want to I really appreciate you taking the time to talk to us.

Jorja Douglas: Thank you.

Stella Quaresma: Thank you very much.

Jorja Douglas: Thank you for playing our music.

Renée Downer: Yes, we really appreciate it.

Alison Stewart: Let's go out on Flo.

[MUSIC - Flo: Soft]

Oh, yeah

Mm-mm-mm (Ah)

Mm

Yeah

Yeah

Been lookin' far and wide to find a kind of guy

Who satisfies, I finally think I found him now

'Cause with the guys I dated, probably should be jaded

Feels like I've been waitin' for him all my life (All my life, all for my life)

He's takin' me to cloud nine

I manifested him (Yeah)

I know the best is him

So now my friends ask me, "Is he loyal?" (Check)

"He spoil you?" (Check)

"Does he clear that?" (Check)

"Before you met him, did you do your background?" (Check)

"Is he faithful?" (Check)

"Gentleman?" (Check)

The way I trust him, I ain't gotta check

(Check, check, check, check, ah)

'Cause he give it so good (So good)

'Cause he give it so good, no doubt

(Check, check, check, check, ah) Oh, woah, woah

'Cause he give it so good (So good)

'Cause he give it so good, no doubt

No if, buts or maybes (Yeah)

Confidence, it go crazy (Yeah)

He knows, ain't no wonder why I call him baby (Yeah)

Everything I want, he got it (Yeah)

If I had to put a number on it

I'm lookin' at a perfect ten

I'm tellin' you now, there ain't no way (Way, there ain't no way)

There ain't no way

I'm gonna let him get away (Way, there ain't no way)

There ain't no way

No way he custom made for me (Way, there ain't no way)

There ain't no way

I'm gonna let him get away

There ain't no way

So now my friends ask me, "Is he loyal?" (Check)

"He spoil you?" (Check)

"Does he clear that?" (Check)

"Before you met him, did you do your background?" (Check)

"Is he faithful?" (Check)

"Gentleman?" (Check)

The way I trust him, I ain't gotta check

(Check, check, check, check, ah)

Alison Stewart: That was Flo. Coming up on tomorrow's show, RaMell Ross, the director of the film Nickel Boys joins us. It's an adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.