Next Wave #904: 303

In Association With Tommy Hilfiger

Girl power is here and 303 are at the forefront of the movement.

In an era of grime, trap and mumble rap, this teenage girl band are bringing back the classic RnB that we’ve all been waiting for.

“Drake brought us together,” laughs Chloe, in her Geordie accent. It’s true: the band formed after Maddie and Io, who were already singing and rehearsing together in 2016, spotted Chloe online. Her stripped back mash-up cover of Drake’s ‘Fake Love’ and ‘Come Thru’ on YouTube sparked their interest, and they invited her down to London.

Finding common ground with a group nostalgia of classic R&B from the likes of Mariah Carey, Marques Houston, and Outkast, they instantly knew they were meant to be a trio.

Each of them cites their own influences when it comes to writing their music, from Io’s mum (a jungle DJ), and Maddie’s teenage years listening to classic club tracks from Craig David and Sweet Female Attitude, to Beenie Man (courtesy of Chloe’s mum). It’s this blend of musical influences spanning diverse genres, their grounding in RnB and an appreciation of today’s music, from trap to urban, that cements their unique sound.

Their debut track ‘Whisper’ centres around the girls wanting to tell the story of young teenage love, feeling those “nice vibes on the phone,” and “feeling all warm and fuzzy, talking to someone you love.” With soaring melodies, soulful harmonies and trappy beats from producer Delirious, it’s a certified hit. Coupled with its old-school video featuring flip-phones, fur crop tops, and feather boas, it’s the ultimate ode to the ’90s.

What makes 303 stand out is not only their professionality and passion, but also their charisma, enthusiasm and relatability. There’s a unison of “Destiny’s Child!” when Clash asks for their favourite girl band of all time, and they’re fiercely proud of having an all-female team around them.

Following the success of ‘Whisper’, 303 will soon be dropping their new track, ‘Right This Time’, which they say is about “self-love, making mistakes and learning from them.” Watch this space, 303 are going to be a classic.

What: R&B girl band
Where: South East London and Newcastle
Get 3 Songs: ‘Whisper’, ‘Just A Friend (Mario Cover)’, ‘Right This Time’

Fact: None of the girls like mushrooms.

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Words: Mireille Cassandra Harper
Photography: Sophie Mayanne
Fashion: Zarina Shukri

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