FEATURE: Spotlight: Say Now — Music Musings & Such

FEATURE:

Spotlight

Say Now

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THIS is a rare case…

of me spotlighting the same group in a short space of time who have changed their name. I was a little miffed why the former needanamebro couldn’t come up with a name. It is a risk having a jokey/placeholder name and then changing your name. I am not sure what the logistics are when it comes to songs recorded under that previous name. Do you go on Spotify and now add your new name?! It may be the case that people think that this is two separate groups. In any case, I am relieved that the previously uninspired and uncommitted needanamebro are confidently Say Now. The London trio consists Ysabelle Salvanera, Amelia Onuorah and Madeleine Haynes. There are a couple of things I want to cover off before coming to them. Even if they have not released much new music under their new incarnation, I am including songs from the needanamebro period as, obviously, it is the same group – and that is where some confusion may creep in! In any case, we are in a time when girl bands are rarer than they were. Legends like The Sugarbabes are reformed and still going. Girls Aloud are getting back together for a new tour. Spice Girls are an ongoing concern and have been rumoured for Glastonbury 2024. I think that En Vogue, TLC, All Saints and Little Mix are, technically, still going and have not called it quits officially. What about the new crop?! I think a lot of attention has been put on FLO. Perhaps the most comparable group to Say Now, FLO is a London trio of Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma, and Renée Downer.

I wanted to focus on Say Now, as they recently played their first headline set at LAYLOW in Notting Hill. There are other girl bands around at the moment. Most seem to be coming from the U.K. We have K-Pop girl bands who are defining modern Pop in a way. Producing such strong and bright music, there is that difference with the more R&B-influenced sound that comes from groups like FLO and Say Now. That variety is welcomed. I wonder whether there will be a resurgence and fresh flow of girl bands, as these legends and icons who are either established or nearing their end will pass the touch to this generation. I am not sure even whether Say Now would class themselves as a traditional ‘girl band’. Does that term seem reductive and a little outdated?! Maybe slightly sexist, they are a group who incorporate elements of older-days U.S. and U.K. girl bands with something fresh and original. Ysabelle Salvanera, Amelia Onuorah and Madeleine Haynes have an incredible and close band. There is a lot of affection within the group. S.I.N.G.L.E., released last month, is one of the best releases from this year. I know there will be a lot of talk and interest around a debut E.P. from the three-piece next year.

I want to come to some press with them. Again, there is some crossover between needanamebro and Say Now. As I say, as they are the same group, albeit with different names, I can include everything, as they have not changed personnel or made any changes within their ranks. Before getting to them, here is some background detail:

“Yssy, Amelia and Maddie - formerly known as needanamebro - are the new UK girl group aiming for “worldwide domination!” (“humbly…”) and bringing their 300k-strong following alongside them every step of the way. Forget what you thought you knew about girl bands from the ones that came before: Say Now have already switched up the rules.

The evidence is there to be found on the @saynow TikTok account, where the girls have been documenting every step of the process. Over the past two years - inspired by artists like Yebba, SZA, Ariana Grande and the Sugababes - their growing fanbase has witnessed them singing covers of ‘Lost’ by Frank Ocean, dancing in a car park to a sped-up version of Beyoncé’s ‘Crazy In Love’, gaining a new member, moving into a house together, releasing their debut single ‘Better Love’, co-signed by Jack Harlow, Chlöe and Libianca, tipped by The Guardian, The FACE, Spotify and Apple Music, and all the chaotic little moments in between.

For Say Now - a shorthand reference to the band’s values and purpose as artists - inviting the audience to follow along with their progress is a big part of their mission statement, and with oversubscribed shows and songs playing on the radio, it’s already paying off”.

This is a time when a new wave of girl band are establishing their identity. Girls Like You were recently featured by The Guardian, where they spoke about their goals to establish themselves as the first big British Asian girl band. There is not a lot of written about Say Now. Not really any published/spoken interviews at the moment. I featured them as needanamebro back in July. As they have decided upon a name, I wanted to stay fresh and start again. As they revealed to Sam Thompson on Hits UK radio recently, they did struggle to come up with a name. Something that I would have thought would have been easy has not quite been the case. I guess you want something that is simple enough but has not already been taken:

“Say Now, consisting of Ysabelle Salvanera, Amelia Onuorah, and Madeleine Haynes, joined Sam Thompson on Hits UK to talk about their new song 'S.I.N.G.L.E', and how they got their band name.

Originally called needanamebro (Need a Name Bro), because they couldn't decide on their band name, the trio revealed how they asked their fans for some suggestions, with hilarious consequences.

Speaking to Sam, they revealed some of the suggestions were, Green Dragons, Pierce Soul, and Destiny's Sisters. Of course none of them were chosen, with the band deciding on Say Now.

The band have previously revealed that their current name is their 'life moto'.

Who wrote their song 'S.I.N.G.L.E'?

The band have now released their latest song 'S.I.N.G.L.E', which they revealed was written by them because Yssy had just broken up from her boyfriend. She explained: "We wrote it together. It was one of the first few sessions that we did together. Yeah, and I think I just broke up with my ex, who I'm now back with!"

She continued: "Amelia was also single and Maddie was having a rough patch, and we were like, we found a meme that said, 'stress is now gone. Life is easier. S I N G L E'.

"And then immediately we just started chantng S I N G L E and well that's now the chorus”.

There was a lot of excitement surrounding needanamebro when they emerged earlier this year. Guap revealed how they started life as a duo before recruiting a third member – and with it becoming this solid and unbreakable trio:

“The lovable girl group consists of three talented members Amelia, Maddie and Ysabelle – with many being surprised to find out that the tight-knitted trio initially started off with Amelia & Ysabelle being a duo. However, the girls were looking for a final member to complete their girl group which brings us to the addition of Maddie, who was introduced to their supporters via TikTok with a stunning cover of ‘Killing Me Softly With His Song’ on the 22nd of May 2022. The trio’s instant chemistry makes you feel like they’ve been a band forever.

Needanamebro released their first single ‘Better Love’ on the 19th of April 2023. ‘Better Love’ is the epitome of friends through everything as the girls remind each other that whenever you’re feeling too weak to stand, we’ll ‘lift you up’ and hold you through it. More and more fans began gravitating to their relatability, fast forward to the 24th of May 2023 and their second single ‘Not A Lot Left To Say’ was out for everyone to enjoy.

Their most recent single ‘Netflix (Better Now Without You)’ is a song that will have you screaming out the lyrics to your ex as you let everyone know just how good you’re doing without them. It’s catchy, it’s fun and you can’t help but sing along to it.

Needanamebro are authentically building their army of supporters in a way that’s so natural and personal to them, it feels like you already know them. From the TikTok’s to their behind-the-scenes videos. It’s clear to see that what they’re doing now is only the start of their journey so far and we look forward to watching the rest”.

I strongly suspect that 2024 will see more music from this awesome trio - and, with it, more interviews/chat with Say Now. I wanted to come back to them, as the girl band market in the U.K. is still a little under-represented and quiet. There are these new groups coming through still in the early days. Say Now sit alongside contemporaries such as FLO. These promising names that will join other Pop and R&B acts. With the mainstream dominated by huge names like Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa, perhaps there is less room for and attention around these rising groups. Once was the time when girl bands were ruling and at the forefront. Maybe we will return to that time. You get something with them one does not experience with a Pop solo act. Say Now have this chemistry and harmony that came from in their previous skin and has been cemented with S.I.N.G.L.E. This year has been promising (if changeable) for them. I feel that next year is one where they will…