Don’t underestimate her age – the 16-year-old musician flowerovlove is not only an emerging fashion icon, but a quickly evolving songwriter who champions self-love and womanhood. Portraying her own growth like the unstoppable and beautiful growth of a flower, the London-based singer and schoolgirl has captivated the hearts of Gen Z with her relatable lyricism and sunny personality.
Let her take you on a wander through the meadows in her mind, from her roots in nature to her latest singles I Love This Song and Will We Ever Get This Right. Today she launches the candid music video for Will We Ever Get This Right skipping in reverse through the historic Brixton covered market.
Hi, Joyce! You’re the 16-year-old London-based musician better known as flowerovlove, releasing vibey and nostalgic tunes that flicker between dream-pop and trap influences. You’re also making waves in the fashion world, appearing at London and Paris Fashion Week, on top of modelling for Gucci and Pangaia. Can you describe your music and your style to us?
I’d describe my music as nostalgic, a breath of fresh air. My style is very Flowerovlovey.
Can you talk to us a little about the name flowerovlove? I read that the flower represents women, and the love represents spreading joy to all. Can you expand on that and why you choose this to be your artist’s name?
For one, flowers I love. Flowers represent growing and blossoming as a person but also the power of womanhood, love represents spreading love!
Is it true that you only work with women and have an all women team? It must feel so rewarding to raise up other female creators and producers with similar mindsets to yourself through your work!
To an extent as much as I can I’ll have as many women as possible!
How does it feel to be releasing music at the age of 16?
It feels really good to be able to live my dreams.
Who is the ideal audience for your mellow music that promotes growth and reflection?
Gen- z! My peeps.
Your first EP Think Flower was cited as a mix of hazy psychedelic soul, and featured the track Malibu, which was one of your first big successes. This song has more of a lo-fi trap or rap influence than the rest of your music – what inspired this? Is it a reflection of your roots writing music for yourself as a child being rap?
I’ll forever and always have a love for rap. An indescribable one. I grew up in areas of London you’d usually avoid!
Your image has always been fixed in nature – in your name and in your EP especially, using your symbol of the flower. What is it about nature that calls to you? How do you fuse it with your music?
The power of nature is what calls me. It’s unstoppable which makes me feel unstoppable.
Your recent hit I Love This Song follows your single Saturday Yawning – the chilled-out reflection of days without school on the weekends. I Love This Song is a feel good and danceable mixture of bedroom pop and lo-fi, and reminds me of songs from PinkPantheress. I love the fact that this track is quite flowy and mellow but compels you to dance along with it. What was the idea for this song?
There was no original idea when making ILTS. My brother and I just went with the flow and wrote the most random stuff that came to our minds and had the most fun and I enjoyed making the song so I called it I Love This Song.
I love the music video for this song. Escapism into music is obviously very important to you, as a young student in an overstimulated modern world. In the video, listening to your song transports you from your school desk into a journey around your neighbourhood, where you and your desk float around as you dance. How did the vision for this video start?
It’s definitely inspired by my real life. Whenever I’m in school my mind escapes to thinking about music.
While we’re talking about school, I saw you express in a previous interview your views that the academic system only promotes one route to success, and usually this isn’t leaving school to become a full-time musician. You have really seemed to find your passion and your place through music, however! Do you think you’ll continue with schooling or take the leap to music full-time?
I’ll continue with school for a while because I still want a glimpse of childhood.
You released your music video for Will We Ever Get This Right today and it is the perfect sequel to the vibes of I Love This Song, dipping into dream pop, meandering through London. What is this upcoming song about?
Oh well this one is different it’s about being obsessed with a person but just the idea of them so they live in your daydreams.
Of course, you have become a name in the fashion world as well as musically, modelling in campaigns for Gucci and Pangaia, wearing Valentino in Paris Fashion Week, and wearing a street-style schoolgirl looked compared to Janelle Monáe in London Fashion Week 2022. How did you get into the world of fashion?
I got scouted for PFW at a party in Paris!
Do you intend to also keep moving forward in the fashion sphere?
Absolutely!
What’s next for flowerovlove?
To continue having fun.
