flowerovlove: the teenage dream pop singer bewitching the music industry

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While most 17-year-olds are busy figuring out their path in life, Joyce Cisse knew her destiny from an early age. As she tells woo, “Ever since I was a kid I was like ‘Oh my gosh, I want to be a pop star’” – and these precocious ambitions have come true, all thanks to Cisse’s flowerovlove project.

Started in the pits of lockdown with a fraternal nudge from her brother (who provided production on her first ever track) it’s under this musical alias that the South Londoner has developed her own unique sound, breaking out from the bedroom pop label to become a serious one to watch in the industry. With a nostalgic sensibility, lush vocals and a luxe preppy style, her persona as flowerovlove sits somewhere in the woozy world of dream pop. And then there’s her lyrics, which chart the nervous flutterings of first love and an adolescent joie de vivre – as if ripped straight from her diary. If it sounds delightful, that’s because it is.

Understandably, all this has attracted a growing number of fans (her IG follow count stands at 120,000) and millions of streams – all before her debut album has even dropped. So far, she’s released two EPs – Think Flower and last year’s charming A Mosh Pit In The Clouds – and was even tapped as one of Vevo’s 2023 Artists to Watch, alongside acts like FLO and Ethel Cain. But while her efforts so far have clearly been working, she’s keen to keep experimenting – describing her next single as a “banger” that switches up the sound she’s come to be known for.

Living my six-year-old self’s dream.

I would say that I'm just having fun!

I've always wanted to do this. As I said, six-year-old me would be really, really happy if she could see me right now. Ever since I was a kid I was like “Oh my gosh, I want to be a pop star.” And I can’t just say it just happened, because that's not what happened. Basically my brother had started producing and one day suggested that we make a song. It was during Covid and I was like, “Yeah, sure.” Then I released it, and people liked it, so I kept making music.

I have a song coming out, very soon. It's quite different, it’s leaning more towards pop and it's a big banger and very catchy. So I'm quite excited about that.

I'd like to see less homelessness. That's something I really care about. I'm not sure if I do anything that helps it apart from contributing in little ways that I can, like if I see someone's hungry, buying them food.

People recognising you in real life. It feels like a real achievement because it's like, oh, this is real.

Probably something about homelessness: just build more houses that people can live in for free. Why not?

Yeah, lots of things because you really have to in this industry. I do lots of yoga and meditate but journaling is my number one source of self care that I do every single day

A good question! Well, just to be grateful for everything. Little things matter, just as much as the big things.

This first time I heard people singing back my entire song to me, and I didn't have to say a word, at my first show.

It would sound like my current unreleased demos.

Probably myself!

My good friend. Actually, no, it's not…it’s my brother

I really like Rosalía right now. I think she's great. The music's good, everything’s great, her live is good, her style is great.

A regular white shirt because my outfits start off with a white shirt, like a button-down white shirt, and then I just put things on top of it so that's my staple piece.

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