FEATURE:
Fashionably on Time
PHOTO CREDIT: Alice Backham
Why the Rise of XO and Other Amazing Girl Groups Is Timely and Very Much Needed
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I guess there was a fashion…
IN THIS PHOTO: FLO/PHOTO CREDIT: Melanie Lehmann for NOTION
in the 1990s and 2000s for girl groups to perhaps copy those that were successful and came before. There were some attempts at Spice Girls or All Saints clones. The originals always endure. However, there is something about an amazing new girl group that reminds me of both, though they also have their own patented vocal and songwriting blend that mixes the modern with a glorious era for girl groups. They are called XO. I shall come to them and source some recent interview soon. I think that next year is going to be huge, as there are great British girl groups like Say Now and FLO who will be putting out new singles and touring. I think that the past few years, or maybe longer, has been dominated by female solo Pop artists. It is brilliant to see, though there is a sense of homogenisation. A lot of same-sounding artists and a few that are unique. On 8th July, it will be thirty years since Spice Girls’ globe-conquering debut single chart smash, Wannabe, was released. The album it is from, Spice, turns thirty on 19th September. I do hope that the group reunites for some gigs. There is something about Wannabe that heralded in a new sound in British Pop. At a moment when Britpop reigned and was starting to fade, I feel there was a need for girl groups. In the same way there was this slow build of girl groups in the 1990s that continued into the early-2000s (the likes of Little Mix picked up the baton later on), I do think we will see more come through. Not that the likes of Sabrina Carpenter, Dua Lipa or Addison Rae are in danger of being replaced or overlooked. Instead, I think it will add more balance, diversity and different dynamics to the Pop scene. Mixing in R&B and other genres, I do think that a lot of ‘traditional’ bands are separate from the Pop scene.
Girl groups do offer that sense of nostalgia. However, the crop of great British girl groups coming through are distinct and their songs rich with personality and importance. At a time when many solo female artists are singing of female empowerment, tackling misogyny and abuse against women, in addition to send positive messages to their young fans, I feel that is something that would be at the core of a new girl group revolution. I do love FLO and Say Now. They are not the only ones. However, with XO, there is this holy trinity of girl group queens that will build through this year. Summer Askew, Shali Bordoni, Zoe Miller, Emmy Statham, and Reanna Sujeewon are primed for huge success. XO are signed to Polydor Records. Their Fashionably Late E.P. came out late last year. I do think there is a nod to girl groups and how they are coming through now and perhaps this is something the industry needed years ago. They have been lkened to groups like BLACKPINK because of their shared all-choreo. There is a bit of Gwen Stefani, some Sugababes too. However, now that XO are here, they are going to make an impact and turn heads. The group have influences but they are very distinct and themselves. I will end with Spice Girls and why next year will be a vital one in terms of remember their legacy and also welcoming in girl groups. I do think there is too much sameness in Pop. A lot of competition for sure, the sort of sounds and sensation you get with girl groups is much needed. Let’s start out with Rolling Stone UK and their interview with XO. Definitely on their ones to watch radar, they commended a girl group primed for the big leagues:
“Hello, XO! Excited to have the EP out there?
Emmy: Yes! It’s our little intro to this group. In the time we’ve been together we’ve had so many different eras of music and I think we’ve found a place in this EP where we’ve our little journey and every song has a piece of us all in there. So that’s special, but also seeing the reaction that has come from our headline tour and the fact that a lot of people had learnt the lyrics. We’re dying to get it out.
What’s the story behind your formation and how did you land on your sound?
Shali: Do you know what’s really weird, with the music, we never had a conversation about what it was exactly that we wanted. We all come from performing backgrounds and we’e all danced a lot, so whenever we heard a track it was case of wondering can we groove to it? That was a question before we even assessed genres.
Zoe: That’s it with the EP as a whole, it’s so important to us that the music is just fun and we’re trying our best not to overthink anything because we grew up with the 2000s era, people like Fergie. They just did what they wanted, they had a good time and it was all the vibes in the world. We want to bring that back and just have fun. Make people feel good, let loose and let your hair down.
The Fergie comparison is interesting. Was there any other girlbands you liked growing up?
Zoe: We’ve got to give a nod to the Spice Girls, because they’re iconic.
Shali: Girls Aloud, the Sugababes, Pussycat Dolls. like they’re so iconic.
What’s the things you’ve bonded over aside from music?
All: Food!
Zoe: Horrible taste in men!
Summer: It’s funny because we were lucky enough to go on a schools tour which we were quite sceptical of to begin with, because we had no fan base and we were starting from the ground up with no idea of how these songs were gonna sound. But that was so important, because we built our bonds that way and that was really important for us, going from London to Glasgow for 8 hours. You’ve got to get along and then on stage as well, it was such a great opportunity and something happened. The first time we got on stage was in a school in the middle of Birmingham and to see the journey from that first performance is mad. We’re interacting with each other, we’re a team on stage.
What’s the role of a girlband in 2025 when groups like Blackpink and Katseye have shown that the whole sound and image of such a thing has changed?
Shali: There’s space for everyone. We all bring something different to the table, whether that’s the size of the group or the genre of music. Because we can never do what they do like them, but we did see them in London and it gave us a little kick up the ass.
And finally, Zoe you’ve talked about world domination in 2026. Tell us more…
Zoe: We’ll have a cozy Christmas, go into hibernation and hit the ground. At New Year you’ll see the fireworks and then just start hearing our song ‘Ponytail’ everywhere. We’ve got more music, bigger tours and 2026 will be the year of XO!”.
As we close a great year for music, many are tipping which artists you need to watch. For the most part, solo artists are recommended. You might get a few bands in the mix. However, girl groups are not often highlighted or talked about. I did forget to mention the amazing K and J-Pop groups who are so important. I am not sure about contemporary U.S. girl groups. Back in the 1990s, we had TLC and En Vogue. Offering something alternative to what was at the forefront that decade, I personally leaned towards girl groups as I loved their chemistry and sisterhood. The beautiful harmonies and the power of blending four or five amazing voices together. How you could have girl groups that were more Pop-orientated. Destiny’s Child, my favourite, were late-1990s and they were an edgier and stronger core. What I see with established groups like FLO is a similar chemistry and power. I would expect FLO to release more singles or another album next year. 2024’s Access All Areas is remarkable and filled with incredible tracks. Walk Like This probably the best track, I feel. Say Now released incredible singles like Supermarket and Brick By Brick. I am not sure whether there is an E.P. coming form them, but there will be a lot of excitement around a potential debut album. There are a couple of other interview with XO that I want to include. They are an incredible group that you need to follow. Mixing choreography and sounds from girl groups like KATSEYE with legendary British acts like Sugababes and Spice Girls with one of their modern U.S. influences, Tate McRae, they are unique and have this heady and unforgettable blend.
I think it is the friendships you get in girl groups that makes the music and their bond so special and wonderful. XO spoke with The Gryphon earlier in the month and talked about their debut E.P. They were asked about songwriting and whether they had a hand in it. I think that is essential. Not to hark to bygone groups, but look at All Saints and Spice Girls for instance and they all collaborated. Maybe Shaznay Lewis was the lead of All Saints in terms of songwriting, but the more groups are involved with their songs, the more authentic and distinct they are. The quintet all adding their voices to the songs:
“Erin: I heard you’re all musical fans, I was wondering if you can think of one which you would cast yourselves in?
Shali: It would definitely need to be one with more POC characters, maybe Hairspray?
Emmy: Hairspray’s one of our favourite films, isn’t it.
Shali: Oh what about West Side Story, that’s a good one! Or In The Heights.
Erin: Stan culture is such a big thing for girlbands, are you guys, or have you guys been stans of any bands?
Reanna: Little Mix. I was a Little Mix STAN. Oh my god, I was literally obsessed with them
Shali: Definitely Destiny’s Child.
Summer: And the Pussycat Dolls.
Emmy: We were all such girlband fans.
Reanna: Girl’s Aloud
Summer: Sugarbabes as well!
Reanna: We saw the Sugarbabes!
Emmy: Spice Girls obviously
Shali: Even like the ones we see today, like Katseye. We saw them two days ago, they were INSANE
Erin: How do you guys feel about maybe being the idols of a standom in the future?
Reanna: It’s a weird concept really, like you can’t really visualise – when you get streams of people looking at your stuff, it’s hard to visualise until you see, like today we’ll see 150 people. Even that’s crazy, like 100 people in a room all looking at us, so it’s hard to conceptualise people supporting you when you can’t see them. That’s definitely a weird thing about music, that you can never see it in person until you do gigs. But it’s definitely cool.
Shali: Yeah and it’s definitely scary because people looking up to you is always scary when you don’t necessarily feel like you should be looked up to… Do you get what I mean? However, I think that as a band we definitely want people to…
Erin: You touched on songwriting there, is that a creative process that you’d all like to have a hand in for the future of the band?
Shali: Yeah for sure! We all write in our free time. I mean we were even fixing one of the demos we’ve been given, today on the bus, we were all doing it together. But on the upcoming EP– which is coming out on the 14th of November, presave in our bio!
Emmy: Fashionably Late!
Shali: Yeah on the EP, obviously Zoe’s co-written on ‘Real Friends’ and then we’ve also written a song called ‘Silly Boy’. So we have two songs that we’ve definitely written on, coming up on the EP and then from this point forward it’s gonna be writing mania.
Erin: Are there any songs on the EP that you guys are especially excited for people to hear? I know there’s a lot of buzz around getting ‘Ponytail’ on streaming services.
Zoe: Yeah everyone’s wanting ‘Ponytail’. I think there’s quite a lot of people excited for ‘Candy’ as well.
Reanna: Yeah, I think that’s going to be the focus of the EP.
Zoe: Until something’s out you don’t know how people are going to react.
Reanna: But we love performing her! If you’re watching tonight, you’ll see. That one is so fun, she’s full-out and the kids loved that one on the schools tour”.
I love how XO call themselves chaotic and they are all about fun and spreading love. Their live version of Real Friends is gorgeous. They have such beautiful, sultry and captivating voices. Beautifully harmonising and each member has such a strong solo voice, it gives them that versatility on an album. They can write these seductive or heartbreak anthems and match the tones of R&B and Popo legends who could buckle the knees. Alternately, they can bring fire and hypnotic punch with Candy. As profound and skilled as any of the U.S. iconic girl groups, they offer a distinct spice and grit that is swaggering, sexy and hugely confident. They are in control! XO are causing trouble and being true to themselves. They have the same energy and determination that we saw with a group whose debut single turns thirty next year. XO come from different parts of the U.K., but they have a shared musical and dance background, so they slot together. Building a fanbase by performing at schools, you know that they will be playing festival main stages very soon. You can check the dates they have for next year. I live near the O2 Academy Islington, so I will see if I can get a ticket (maybe write a gig review and wangle a guest list pass!). You can follow them on Instagram and check out their TikTok. In November, NME put XO on their radar. There is a lot of rightful excitement around them:
“They’re certainly hungry to deliver it. XO’s five-member line-up was pieced together in a single day in September 2024 by Colin Barlow, a record exec who worked closely with Girls Aloud, and London-based Massive Management, whose roster includes All Saints singer Shaznay Lewis. Like hundreds of other hopefuls, the five talented young women talking to NME today answered a “very vague” ad in showbiz newspaper The Stage – “Can you sing and dance? Do you like the Pussycat Dolls?” – and turned up not knowing what to expect.
On the day, prospective band members were whittled down relentlessly as their auditions were filmed on Steadicam. “It was like, bang bang bang. Dance, cut! Sing, cut! Dance, cut!” Miller says. “And then it got to about 8pm,” Bordoni continues, “and [our managers] pulled up five chairs and were like: ‘Congratulations, you’re in the band!'”
The new members of XO were so in the zone that they didn’t realise until later that they already had connections: Askew and Statham used to compete against each other at talent shows. “Literally, as I was about to run off to get my train back to Liverpool, I was like, ‘Can you all just give me your name and number so I can make a group chat?'” Askew recalls.
Four members of XO grew up in different parts of the UK, while Bordoni spent her formative years in Hong Kong. A week after their audition, they reconvened in London for their first official band meeting, where their managers played them a selection of demos. “The very first song they played was ‘Ponytail’,” Sujeewon says, name-checking a rhythmic earworm from the EP, “and we loved it immediately. It’s become a real fan favourite.”
XO have just announced a second UK headline tour for May 2026, including a show at iconic Glasgow venue King Tut’s, and promise more new music “early next year”. They’re not touring schools anymore, but given that grounding, do they think of themselves as role models? “I’m not gonna act any certain type of way just for someone to look up to me,” Miller says. “But I’m not going to act like a dickhead either.” Bordoni chips in: “We’ll never act differently, we’ll always be ourselves. That’s our biggest thing as a band: we want everyone to feel confident in being themselves”.
You look at publicity photos of Summer Askew, Shali Bordoni, Zoe Miller, Emmy Statham, and Reanna Sujeewon, and you can tell they are happy to be here and getting hyped. They are making incredible music and this means everything to them! I feel 2026 will see our greatest girl groups join with J and K-Pop girl groups. Giving Pop this essential extra weight and variety. So much sound copy-and-paste. With girl groups, you have these different groups with their own sound and direction. XO would hate me keep comparing them to the likes of All Saints and Spice Girls. I mean it in the most flattering sense! What you get from the photos is the same sort of chemistry and distinction from those pics. How each member has their own look, voice and attributes that they bring to the fore and make XO what it is. Unlike manufactured groups that are thrust together and they seem interchangeable, XO cannot function without one of its members. They are so tight and interconnected that the full five-piece are at their best when all together (not saying a Geri Halliwell-like departure would damage them, but you don’t see that every happening!). Wannabe turns thirty in the summer. I see Spice Girls reforming for gigs and there will be things to mark that anniversary. The iconic one-take video and the chaos Spice Girls reek on a posh London hotel and its stuff guests! I see XO as a modern embodiment. Perhaps there would not be a 2026 Spicemania – XXXO? XOmania? -, but they have the passion, talent and underlooked qualities – the cover to their E.P. is fantastic, the tracklisting is perfect, and their interviews are real and open -, so they can join fellow Brit queens FLO and Say Now in kicking off a girl group summer of love. The first Summer of Love was in 1967 and was defined by free love, Psychedelic music and was U.S.-led. The next Summer of Love was in the late-1980s and was U.K.-led but was the opposite of 1967: this was hedonistic, Acid House and Rave music-heavy. A third can fit in 2026 in the middle. Pop’s girl group queens from the U.K. and beyond providing defiance, unity, liberation, incredibly powerful message but a Charl xcx-level of chaos, edge and genius that I think we all need. XO commonly means hugs and kisses. This is a group who are here to embrace and spread some modern-day good love and positive vibes, together with some kick, freedom, identity and chaos. Almost unifying two Summer of Loves in their own way, I feel they will help kickstart a girl group revolution…
IN 2026.