The EMI team have spoken to Music Week about their global ambitions for the return of UK R&B sensations FLO.
Today sees the group release their highly-anticipated second album, Therapy At The Club, and if hopes are high, it’s for good reason.
As a quick recap, on the back of their debut album Access All Areas, the former Music Week cover stars not only became the first Grammy-nominated British girl group in 20 years, they also secured the highest charting UK album for a British R&B girl group in 23 years and, in 2025, completed the biggest US headline tour by a British girl group in 20 years.
In my view FLO are poised to lead the way for years to come
Louis Bloom, Island/EMI
Released via EMI Records (and Republic in the US), the Therapy At The Club campaign is already shaping up nicely – not least for pairing Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer with some A-List songwriting talent in the studio (more on which later). Island/EMI president Louis Bloom – who hails the trio as “the architects of everything they represent” – says their growth between albums has been immense.
“What has changed is their confidence which has naturally grown with time and experience,” Bloom told Music Week. “They are total perfectionists. It’s that perfectionism, that constant striving to deliver their absolute best, that has helped them evolve into a sensational act. They really are on top of their game right now – in terms of vocals and performance FLO are outstanding! I just watched the Live Lounge performance, and every time I watch them perform it takes my breath away. They are truly exceptional, both in the studio and on the stage.”
Bloom believes EMI – who notably recently helped Paul McCartney extend his lead in the rankings of most successful albums acts of all time in the UK, and also steered December 10 to landing the biggest debut EP from a boyband in the last decade – is the perfect label match for FLO.
“FLO are world class artists whose talent and ambition make them a natural fit for EMI as the label continues to evolve,” he continued. “We’ve backed them since day one – their appeal was immediately obvious. Since they emerged, there has been a resurgence of pop, particularly girl bands, and it’s exciting to see this genre being celebrated again in popular culture. What separates FLO is that they are coming from an R&B perspective where their unique vocal harmonies really stand out. The genuine bond they share, from working so hard together, and looking after each other like sisters, coupled with their outstanding song-writing ability has produced an album that truly encapsulates their incredible artistry. Not only that, but they are also amazing dancers and know how to put on a spectacular show. For me that all adds up to an act that is phenomenal. I believe we are in a time where music fans want to see stars again – they want to be entertained and in my view FLO are poised to lead the way for years to come.”
Critical to their visibility internationally, Bloom says, was not only their Grammy nomination for Best Progressive R&B album back in November 2025, but also the way in which the wider artist community had embraced them.
“To be recognised by the Grammys is something I think every musician aspires to,” Bloom added. “Watching UK artists like Olivia Dean and Lola Young doing so well internationally and having FLO building on that momentum is really promising. I think what’s particularly special is that they are a British act who are being recognised, lauded and respected in the US, the birthplace of R&B. And it’s not just awards but also the artist community, everyone from Brandy to Stevie Wonder. And that’s what you see when they perform live in the US. A large, knowledgeable and cool fanbase who know music, understand what makes a great group, and know that FLO are the real deal. Their extraordinary Tiny Desk Session really kicked off the start of this campaign and made it abundantly clear they are a class act and that they are here to stay. It’s been great to work with Nickie Owen’s International team again on FLO, but I also want to shout out some of the fantastic team at EMI including Sam Adebayo, Lucy Dann, Jackie Eyewe (Makers Agency) and Knacai Ceres-McLeod. The great relationship with management and the support from the wider teams at UMG UK has also been fantastic.”
We've been working closely with our international partners, especially in the US – the fandom they have there is unmatched
Nickie Owen, Universal
To date, FLO have racked up more than half a billion career streams, and over 5 million monthly listeners on Spotify. Therapy At The Club’s lead single, Leak It – which they opened the 2026 MOBO Awards with before eventually winning Best R&B/Soul Act – has also gained traction internationally with streaming peaks in Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Indonesia and the Philippines. In terms of the global campaign, Nickie Owen, president of the Music Week Award-winning International Marketing UMG UK team, told Music Week that the momentum is really starting to build. And hinted at some big looks to come in the following days.
“The global picture is looking great for FLO,” she beams. "Republic are an incredible US partner and FLO have been working so hard – flying backwards and forwards across the Atlantic doing every bit of promotion and meeting with their fans as much as they can. They have an incredible week of promotion lined up around album release, including a special TV performance. We’ve also seen the growth of their audience in new markets on this album campaign which is a huge success! We’re seeing countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines and Australia come to the fore, whilst key markets such as Germany and France from the previous album campaign remain incredibly important – we’ve prioritised taking the trio there for showcases as well as key promotion. It’s so incredibly exciting to have a British girl group that are this talented and who have created such a brilliant album. The world is ready for them!"
For further proof of their impact, FLO were also honoured with the Vanguard Award at the ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) 2026 event. It all builds a picture of a group making waves outside of their homeland.
“For FLO there is lots of love in both existing and new markets on this album campaign,” Owen continued. “We've been working closely with our international partners, especially in the US – the fandom they have there is unmatched. In terms of other markets where they can have big breakthroughs, we believe it’s Brazil. They had previous success in the market with both Cardboard Box and Walk Like This. Brazil is the second biggest streaming market on Spotify behind the US for Leak It. FLO are going to be performing at Afropunk Brazil in November taking them to Brazil for the very first time. Philippines and Indonesia are two markets that are also tipped for success. The Philippines was historically a strong market for FLO where Cardboard Box was a breakthrough. This time we’re seeing Leak It and Don’t Break Her Heart performing really well. FLO will be performing at La La Festival in the Philippines and Indonesia in August so a great opportunity to continue the remote work they’ve been doing so far and also meet their fans in person. We can’t wait to see what happens when they go into these three markets.”
It was imperative that we worked with the best of the best to help bring FLO's vision to life
Sam Adebayo, EMI
Bolstering FLO's efforts to go global is also the pedigree of the talent they have worked with. Notably, Therapy At The Club includes co-writes with superstar hitmakers such as Amy Allen (Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Dean), Steph Jones (Sabrina Carpenter, JADE), Julian Bunetta (Gracie Abrams), and Boy Matthews (TWICE, Zayn). Sam Adebayo, senior A&R Manager, EMI, told Music Week more about the A&R process this time around.
“The bar was already set really high after Access All Areas, which was such an incredible statement of intent from the group,” Adebayo said. “And so with this album the aim was to take things to the next level, to challenge themselves as songwriters and performers, and to make a record that would connect on the international stage. Working with new producers and writers outside of their usual circle was a whole new experience for FLO but they completely embraced the process and have delivered incredible songs and an outstanding album."
Adebayo was full of praise for their powerhouse songwriting collaborators.
“It was imperative that we worked with the best of the best to help bring their vision to life,” he said. “Collaborating with the likes of Julian Bunetta, who worked on Leak It, Don’t Break Her Heart and I Can’t Get High Around You, really helped them combine the best of R&B with the best of pop because he really understands both worlds. Julian’s got soul, but he also has an incredible ear for pop records, which was the perfect combination. The same goes for Amy Allen. Working with her really pushed FLO as writers and helped them find that balance between R&B melodies and concepts, whilst making records that could connect even further.”
“More than anything though, seeing how much they’ve grown as writers has been the most exciting part for me,” Adebayo concluded. “The level they’re writing at now, the confidence they feel and the way they put together records is incredible to watch and hear from session to session. It’s inspiring to hear their collective and individual perspectives on real-life experiences, whether that’s relationships, sisterhood or everything in between. I’m incredibly proud of the album and I can’t wait for everyone to hear it.”
You can revisit Music Week’s FLO cover feature here.
Photo: Alex J. Piper
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