NME’s latest stars of The Cover, Say Now, have curated an exclusive playlist to accompany the story’s launch – check it out below.
The breakout UK girl group are on this week’s (October 20) edition of The Cover, a manifestation of NME’s commitment to supporting emerging talent across the globe. Every week, a rising artist will feature on The Cover – you can read the profile of Say Now here, written by Nick Levine and featuring photography by Tallulah Ballard.
To accompany The Cover, Say Now have shared a dynamic, fiery playlist called ‘Ultimate Crash Out’ for NME. The collection of songs are a rollercoaster ride of emotions, featuring break-up anthems like Rihanna’s ‘Take A Bow’ and Amy Winehouse’s ‘Back To Black’, passionate pop hits such as Little Mix’s ‘Shoutout To My Ex’, and bittersweet ballads like ‘Casual’ by former NME Cover star Chappell Roan. Listen to the full playlist on Spotify below and on Apple Music.
In this week’s The Cover, Say Now – comprising Ysabelle Angeli, Maddie Haynes and Amelia Onuorah – speak on channelling the spirit of the UK’s most iconic girlbands, from Spice Girls to Sugababes. “At the beginning, we were definitely pulling influences from early Sugababes in terms of sonics and, like, Spice Girls in terms of [that] fun, cheeky vibe we had with ‘Trouble’,” Haynes says. “We’ve kind of tested out different influences from different girl bands and different genres.”
The trio even call Little Mix their “most recent mothers” because they grew up listening to them, and praise Girls Aloud’s “incredible vocals” on their 2024 reunion tour; the latter’s Nadine Coyle makes a cameo in Say Now’s ‘Trouble’ music video. “Quite obviously, we stand for diversity,” Haynes says proudly. “I think it’s really nice for young girls – well, young anyone growing up – to see that representation you might not get in other groups.”
Elsewhere, the trio also touch on a multi-song “project” they have planned for early next year. “We have so much music, but we just need to put it together. And we’re writing all the time,” Onuorah says. “We’ve found a sweet spot now where it feels like we’re really embracing R&B melodies, but with pop production that’s fun and upbeat.” US girl group icons Destiny’s Child are a vocal touchstone. “They’re so known for their incredible riffs, and we always try to embody that too,” Haynes says.
Find out more about Say Now in the full Cover story here and see who else has been on The Cover here.