FLO on Inspiration Behind Upcoming Album ‘Therapy at the Club’: ‘We’re Very Big on Female Pop and R&B’

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Formed in 2019, British girl group FLO has spent the better half of a decade occupying the intersection between R&B and pop music. Early hits like “Cardboard Box” led to their steady rise to fame, as they began making talk show appearances and kicked off a tour spanning both Europe and North America. In 2024, as the girls were preparing for their Coachella debut alongside the release of their first studio album, Variety praised them for having done “what many assumed was undoable” in their revival of the R&B girl group. Now, just over two years later, the trio — Jorja Douglas, Renée Downer and Stella Quaresma — are gearing up to release their sophomore album, “Therapy in the Club.”

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“I’m looking forward to the development and elevation coming across,” Downer tells Variety. “And to look at the new things we’re going to do, and see a clear difference from all of our old work. I feel like the fans would recognize that as well.”

Ahead of the album, the group has partnered with Liquid I.V. for the new Hydration Multiplier Sugar-Free Ring Pop Cherry flavor in a new ad spot featuring the unreleased song “Remedied.” Aimed at tackling dehydration at summer (wedding) parties, the girls combat the unrelenting heat by hitting the drink station. Instead of alcohol, they opt for three sachets of the electrolytes and glasses of water. Reinvigorated (both by the drink and “Remedied” playing in the background), they take to the dance floor and pull other guests along with them, toasting to hydration.

Courtesy of Liquid I.V.

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Liquid I.V.’s newest flavor, as seen in FLO’s ad spot.
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Below, the group delves into the inspiration behind their new song “Remedied,” their sophomore album “Therapy in the Club,” the women who have inspired their careers, what to expect from their upcoming acoustic tour run across the UK and partnering with Liquid I.V.

“Remedied” is incredible. Tell me about the inspiration behind it.

Renée Downer: I think we wanted to make a song that was up-tempo and a little bit more like bridging the gap between pop and R&B. The inspiration for the song was Christina Aguilera, because she actually did the damn thing when it came to making fun pop music. And obviously, she absolutely sings her face off, which is something that we aspire to do. So, she just felt like the perfect inspiration for the song.

There’s been a resurgence of the girl group, but you’re the only ones that are sitting in that intersection between pop and R&B. Is there anyone else, besides Christina Aguilera, that you look to as a beacon of inspiration?

Stella Quaresma: I mean, Rihanna was a pop girly, she really was. She had pop bangers.

Jorja Douglas: When we were writing the album, Kesha came up, and Katy Perry, but yeah, I definitely think Rihanna bridged the cool R&B fusion with pop.

Downer: Dance hall, winding of the waist, just very sexy pop songs. And then obviously we have our inspirations that are embedded into us, like Beyoncé, Destiny’s Child, Mariah Carey, Brandy and Whitney Houston. We’re very big on female pop and R&B.

The new song is very dance-y. When you went into the studio, did you have that intention, or did it just happen that way? What’s that process typically like for you?

Douglas: I think for this project, we definitely had to do that and make it a goal.

Quaresma: It’s been quite hard for us to do [big up-tempo music]. We’re very comfortable in the mid-tempo vibe, the slow jam. So, it was intentional, and it’s fun to have, for sure.

Describe “Therapy at the Club” in three words.

Quaresma: Liberating.

Downer: Thought-provoking.

Douglas: Freeing.

Quaresma: That’s the same [laughs].

Douglas: Club.

Quaresma: Club? Period.

Two of you associated this album with freedom. Why?

Downer: I think it was liberating because we did this; we made this album, we voiced our opinions, we were heavily involved in the writing, even down to the production, we wouldn’t shy away from any opinions or thoughts we had, and it was a very comfortable environment to create.

You’re doing some acoustic shows across the UK this summer. What can fans expect? What was it like to reimagine your songs for that setting?

Downer: It’s like our bread and butter. Being able to just sit down, be super intimate with our fans, sing our songs — especially at that early stage. It’s so special, and it really makes us feel super comfortable. I think they can expect vocals, a bit of a laugh, you know-

Douglas: Reconnection.

Downer: Exactly. That real sense of community.

You’ve done a lot of summer festival shows and have a few more coming up this year. How do you stay hydrated and prepared to tackle a full set in the heat?

Downer: Definitely being healthy, drinking lots of water. We have these vocal tubes that we use to do vocal exercises and warm up. We have this little Chinese syrup drink before we go on stage to keep our throats coated.

Douglas: Liquid is important.

Quaresma: We make sure in our set there’s time to drink water.

Douglas: Yes, it’s choreographed.

Do you have any other pre-show routines? Any superstitions?

Douglas: We always have a hug.

Downer: We like to stay calm, sometimes maybe I’ll do some star jumps or something. But I think this time I’m going to focus on breathing out because our vocal coach said it’s important to exhale. It’s the exhale that relaxes you, so I’m gonna be like [exhales deeply].

What was your favorite flavor of Liquid I.V. before this new flavor?

Quaresma: I actually liked the Sugar-Free Lemon Lime one.

Douglas: I was gonna say. It’s kind of lemonade-ish. And healthy.

Downer: I remember trying the Sugar-Free White Peach. So good.

Was there a reason you chose to work with Liquid I.V.?

Douglas: Well, we use it on tour. It actually does help keep you hydrated. When we do something with a brand, we want it to feel real, like we actually want to use the product and like the product. And then, it being Ring Pop cherry, like-

Quaresma: Iconic.

What excites you the most about what’s next?

Downer: I’m looking forward to the development and elevation coming across. And to look back at the new things we’re going to do, and see a clear difference from all of our old work. I feel like the fans would recognize that as well.

Douglas: Definitely looking forward to performing live. We always set very high expectations for our live shows, and it’s always nice to meet those expectations, or strive to meet those expectations. So that’s going to be fun. Rehearsing is really fun.

Downer: Yeah, it is.

Douglas: It’s not serious. No one’s watching. The way you rehearse is actually so different from the way you perform. There are things that we do in rehearsal that no one ever gets to see because we’re too pussy. Rehearsing is so fun, and we actually get to be with each other and try new things. So, can’t wait to rehearse.