Say Now Releases “Hot & talking” Ahead of November EP

It’s a new era for UK-based girl group Say Now. 

The trio, consisting of members Amelia Onuorah, Madeleine (Maddie) Haynes, and Ysabelle (Yssy) Salvanera, released “Hot & talking” last Friday, notably with Pinkpantheress credited as executive producer. The release of the single was coupled with the announcement of the release date for their debut EP Say What You See, scheduled for November 13th. 

This time, the group started to drift away from the usual R&B influence they’ve showcased in previous releases like “Brick By Brick” and “Supermarket” and have started to go full-throttle with a new sound and identity, starting with their previous single for this upcoming record, “Met My Match.” 

In “Hot & talking,” Say Now talks about an experience that’s all too familiar to women when they go out to a function: discovering that a guy might mistake even a quick glance in his direction as something a little bit more than that. They sprinkle witty humor and sarcasm throughout the song to voice out these frustrations. “Where did you go? I was just playing with you / Let’s take it slow, I wanna make babies with you / Okay, that’s a joke (It’s not a joke), when will you realise / I’m just hot and talking? Hot and talking,” the group sings in the bridge over a very synth-heavy, almost shrill instrumental. 

In recent years, Say Now have started to cement themselves as one of the modern girl group pioneers, alongside fellow acts like FLO and KATSEYE. They’ve become masters in following the classic girl-group formula: stacked, well-crafted harmonies, catchy hooks, and in-sync choreography that has taken the internet by storm a few times. Although Say Now’s past R&B roots were executed very well and drew a lot of people into their music, they never truly had a solid artistic identity, and even they knew it. 

In an interview with Nylon Magazine, they revealed that they previously had a whole record ready, true to their previous R&B pop sound. After a few sessions with Pinkpantheress, though, they scrapped the record completely and rethought their artistic direction. “We always thought, say, in 10 years’ time, we couldn’t see how we would progress musically and what would change. It was cool speaking with Vicky (Pinkpantheress) and figuring out a new world. Then we were like, ‘We can grow in this world forever and ever and ever,’” member Amelia recalls. 

It’s evident that these sessions with Pink led to a huge growth in their evolution as artists, and her influence is all over “Hot & talking.” The punchy, heavy synths and contrasting softer vocal tones with heavy British accents (especially in the second verse) are a testament to Pinkpantheress’s touch. These production choices, along with each of the members of Say Now’s distinct vocal tones, both individually and blended, add a new color to the group’s discography. It’s fresh, but it still has a touch of Say Now’s original charm. 

The visuals are also a distinct factor of this new era. Interestingly enough, for the music video, Say Now teamed up with Crystallized Vision, notoriously known for working with J-Pop group f5ve’s creative direction, to bring their newfound visual identity to life. The members are seen dancing to the song’s choreography in rooms undeniably inspired by 2010s-era British decor—pink and white flowers galore, Victorian wallpapers and chandeliers, and the classic Snapchat-esque early-to-mid-2010s filter as the cherry on top. 

It feels like Say Now are finally starting to grow into the artists that they’ve been trying to be. Their evolution has been a very bumpy one since their original “needanamebro” era, but with this recent release, it feels like Say Now are slowly starting to find their place in the current girl group landscape. I look forward to how they flesh out this new sound in the context of their upcoming EP and how they take this image further. The future of Say Now feels very bright if they keep pushing with this new direction.