R&B girlband 303 throws back to the 90s with debut “Whisper”

The subject matter is simple: the excitement of your crush calling, but on a pink rhinestone-studded flip phone with a polyphonic ringtone. The three-piece British girlband's debut single has the pop appeal of Mis-Teeq, the three-part harmonies of Boyz II Men, and the commercial allure of TLC.

Sleazy-cool keyboards, threats of key-changes and catchy built-up choruses all ooze with nostalgic late-90s/early noughties R&B. 303's diamanté-encrusted accompanying video features pink feather boa-lined boudoir robes and fur crop-tops that would make Cher Horowitz proud.

The group's three members, Io, Maddie and Chloe, met after performing stripped-back covers of TLC and Drake, the latter's “Hotline Bling” a clear inspiration for their new track. “Best thing about “Whisper” is that it’s our vibe,” says the girlband. “We wanted something that we and our friends would listen to, so it just felt right to come out with this first.”

“Filming the video was a totally new experience but from the first frame, we felt so at ease and had so much fun, having a female team was amazing too.”