If you didn’t believe us when we said British R&B trio FLO are a rising act to watch, maybe you’ll take Missy Elliott’s word for it. The iconic rapper-singer guests on the group’s new song “Fly Girl,” inspired by the Supa Dupa Fly artist herself.
Despite its name, “Fly Girl” actually references (and samples) another Elliott song, 2002’s “Work It.” “If you a fly girl, get your nails done, get a pedicure, get your hair did,” FLO sing, before adding their own original flair: “You’re telling me I’m pretty but it’s obvious/ I don’t need a man to tell me where the party is.” Blending old school hip-hop production with R&B vocals, the song instantly becomes an empowering girls night anthem — and that’s before Missy lays down a verse of her own.
“‘Fly Girl’ is all about confidence, good vibes and feeling your best,” FLO said in a statement. “It’s a lively, feel-good song that still incorporates clever lyrics and fire vocals, if we do say so ourselves. It’s quite literally a perfect fusion of old-school meets modern-day R&B, with a nod to and feature from the original fly girl Missy Elliott herself. We love it and are so happy to be putting out a song that can hopefully make whoever plays it feel confident and most importantly, FLY.”
FLO members Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer broke out last year with the single “Cardboard Box,” and their rising fame quickly caught the attention of Elliott. “I remember a few of their fans sent me clips of their performances, and I immediately felt the authentic ’90s vibe,” the artist recalled. “I loved the fact they all sang lead so well — great vocal control — so when I was asked to be a part of the ‘Fly Girl’ record, it was a no brainer.” Watch the singers team up in the track’s Tajana Tokyo-directed music video below.
Since coming up with “Cardboard Box,” FLO have shared the EP The Lead. The group has tour dates coming up across North America, Europe, and Asia. Check them out below, and grab tickets via StubHub, where orders are 100% guaranteed via StubHub’s FanProtect Program.
Missy, meanwhile, last appeared at the Grammys’ crazy 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop performance, and is up for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
FLO 2023 Tour Dates:
03/30 — London, UK @ HERE at Outernet
04/03 — Manchester, UK @ New Century Hall
04/13 — Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
04/15 — Washington, D.C. @ 9:30 Club
04/16 — Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry
04/18 — Toronto, ON @ The Opera House
04/19 — New York, NY @ Webster Hall
04/25 — Chicago, IL @ Thalia
04/27 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
04/30 — Sacramento, CA @ Sol Blume Festival
07/02 — Dublin, IE @ Longitude
07/07 — Glasgow, UK @ TRNSMT
07/08 — London, UK @ Wireless Festival (Finsbury Park)
08/19 — Chiba, JP @ Summersonic Tokyo
08/10 — Osaka, JP Summersonic Osaka