The future is undoubtedly female, and girl groups are playing an important role in ushering in the next generation of artists. As a long-time fan of musical groups, girl groups have a unique place in my heart as many of their musical messages are based on female friendships, women empowerment, and overall confidence in your voice and sound. FLO is a perfect example of this.
For nearly the entire year, FLO has been teasing new projects, finally announcing in August 2024 that they will release their debut full-length album, Access All Areas, which dropped on Nov.15. Leading up to their album release, the group released singles such as “AAA,” “Walk Like This,” and “Check,” but the anticipation for the full album was definitely making me impatient. FLO is best known for their R&B and pop sound, drawing inspiration from the music of the ’90s and 2000s. However, FLO isn’t the only girl group making waves in the entertainment industry. Here are a couple of other girl groups you should check out if you’re a fan of FLO!
- Boy’s World
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To start off the list, Boy’s World is one of the best groups I would recommend for fans of FLO’s sound. Unfortunately, the group disbanded in July 2024, against the members’ wishes, but their music remains timeless. The group was originally formed in 2019 with members Olivia Ruby, Lillian Kay, Elana Caceres, Queenie Mae, and Makhyli, gaining popularity on TikTok. The group’s name is an acronym for “Best of Yourself,” and their music focuses on friendship, empowerment, and overall positivity. I would recommend songs like “Girlfriends,” “So What,” “Wingman,” and “Caught in Your Love,” as they perfectly blend pop and R&B, showcasing the group’s unique sound.
- Red Velvet
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Now looking at the K-pop world, if you’re into girl groups that sounds like FLO, definitely give Red Velvet a try! Red Velvet is a five-member girl group under SM Entertainment, that debuted back in 2014. Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, and Yeri make up the group, and they live up to their moniker in terms of musical artistry. The group’s music has two distinct blends and genres, with the “red” side featuring an energetic and bubbling pop sound, and the “velvet” side featuring a more refined and mature R&B sound comparable to FLO’s tracks.
One of their works that I would recommend is their repackaged second album, The Perfect Red Velvet, which was released in 2018 — particularly the title track, “Bad Boy.” The song is on the more empowering and feisty side, with R&B and hip-hop influences, and even debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard World Album rankings. “Kingdom Come,” “Look,” and “Peek-A-Boo” are some other tracks on the album that I recommend.
- KATSEYE
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Katseye, one of the newer groups on the list, signed to both a US record label and the South Korean entertainment company HYBE labels. The group is made up of Manon, Sophia, Daniela, Lara, Megan, and Yoonchae, who emerged from the talent competition web series The Debut: Dream Academy in 2023.
The group launched their first single, “Debut,” on June 28 and released several projects, including a Netflix documentary, Pop Star Academy: Katseye, on Aug. 21, and their debut album, SIS (Soft is Strong), which dropped on Aug. 16. I would recommend the songs “Tonight I Might” and “I’m Pretty.”
- Aespa
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Aespa is the little sister of Red Velvet, as they, too, debuted under SM Entertainment in 2020. However, in the nearly four years since the group’s formation, Aespa has solidified themselves in the K-pop scene and is recognized for their innovativeness and unique sound that they contribute to the industry. The group consists of four members: Karina, Giselle, Winter, and NingNing. Their concept is a mix of sci-fi and futurism, as evidenced by the group’s name, which is a mixture of the words “avatar,” “experience,” and “aspect.” The group’s songs frequently incorporate elements of Pop, Trap, Techno, Electronic, and R&B sounds.
If you’re looking for a tune that best represents Aespa, I’d choose one of their more recent title tracks “Drama” or “Armageddon,” both of which combine pop, dance, and hip-hop in classic Aespa form. If you’re looking for more R&B-sounding songs like FLO, check out their b-sides, “Lucid Dream” from their first mini album Savage in 2021 and “Thirsty” from their third mini album MY WORLD in 2023.
- IIMAGINE
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As a group that just formed over a month ago, IIMAGINE is already making a name for themselves in the industry while also topping my Spotify playlist. The group was introduced on Oct. 3 by their founder and Grammy-nominated rapper Yung Bleu on Instagram. IIMAGINE released their debut EP, What a Girl Wants?, on Oct. 4, which features three tracks that blend soul and R&B, reminiscent of ‘90s classics.
- LE SSERAFIM
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LE SSERAFIM, which debuted in 2022, is an anagram for “I’m Fearless,” a theme that the group has incorporated into their girl crush sound and empowering discography. Yunjin, Kazuha, Eunchae, Sakura, and Chaewon make up the group. Sakura and Chaewon were already well-known in the K-pop industry, having debuted with the popular project girl group IZ*ONE before the group disbanded in 2021.
LE SSERAFIM’s more popular releases, such as “Crazy,” “Anti-Fragile,” and “Eve, Psyche, and Blue Beard’s Wife,” lean more towards a grungy, club sound, but the group also releases music in a variety of genres while remaining true to the overall message of female empowerment and instilling confidence in their listeners. Songs like “Impurities” and the title track “Easy” from their third mini album, Easy, showcase the group’s perspective on R&B, hip-hop, and trap music.
While you enjoy Flo’s Access All Areas, try checking out the music of these other girl groups. I promise you won’t be disappointed.