Words By Zach Collier
Live music is incredibly important to FLOHIO. The British-Nigerian grew up in an African community where live gatherings were key. “The culture is so live. Everything is live music.You just have to get involved.”
FLOHIO has quickly become one of tmrw’s favorite new hip-hop artists. Redefining the landscape of UK music, she’s emerging as a fierce force with her genre-blurring sound that melds gritty grime with trippy house beats. The rapper, singer, and songwriter is making waves with her high-energy anthems that resonate with a generation hungry for authenticity and self-discovery.
FLOHIO is known for her versatility, seamlessly shifting between rapping, singing, and the spoken word. Her collaborations with icons like Mike Skinner and appearances on global stages such as Glastonbury and Primavera have solidified her status as a trailblazer, earning her acclaim from outlets like The Guardian and Billboard VEVO.
Her latest release, “All The Thrills,” is a powerful showcase of her flow. One of her more straightforward rap tracks, the verses are ferocious and the hook is infectious. When I sat down to talk to FLOHIO, we talked in-depth about the song’s chorus. Though technically spoken and atonal, the chorus is powerfully and hypnotically melodic.
The full interview with FLOHIO will appear in collectible print issue #51 of tmrw. Here’s a glimpse of our exclusive photoshoot with FLOHIO in London, courtesy of photographer Sean Newton.
Photos by Sean Newton
“I’m a rapper. I love rapping. But I’m a true musician,” she told me. “My things are keys and vocals. I've always wanted to melodize on my songs, but I came up rapping. But I always had melodies.”
The way she delivered the hook for “All The Thrills” was intentional from start to finish – a perfect example of FLOHIO’s ability to inject vocal melodies into her music even when she’s rapping.
Lately, there’s been a shift in her sound. Things are getting increasingly melodic, and FLOHIO is getting to show the world her powerful voice. She referenced “Juice,” the single that dropped just before “All The Thrills.”
“I'm intentional because now I would actually like to start putting my melodies out there,” she said. “You know songs, like ‘Juice.’ When we started producing it, I already knew what the vibe was gonna be because there's certain songs that I'm like yes. I need to have my melodies on this.”
Live music is incredibly important to FLOHIO. The British-Nigerian grew up in an African community where live gatherings were key. “The culture is so live. Everything is live music.You just have to get involved,” she said of her time in Nigeria. “This is the culture we grew up in. You know, it was literally just right outside our doorstep.”
When she moved to the UK when she was eight, she realized it wasn’t going to be the same. Since becoming a professional musician, she’s wanted to give people that communal energy that she grew up with.
“These are the things we saw. We absorbed that culture. Now it’s the same energy.”
Make sure to follow FLOHIO on Instagram. FLOHIO will showcase her distinct and evolving sound next week at Cafe KOKO in London. She'll perform live with Karma Kid, Cass Brewster, Fluxotamagotchi, and Moshxon on September 26 at 10 PM. Tickets are on sale now
