‘Should’ve Known’ by AMBA Is a Killer Introduction to One of the Hottest New Girl Groups

jun 30, 2022

Emerging U.K. pop group, AMBA, tackles the heartache, regret, shame and self-realization that happen after a breakup in their debut single "Should've Known."

The group, which consists of Aliyah Joel, Mimi Grace and Anouska Vormawah, introduced their talents to us in this soulful, harmonious track, with a chorus that'll get you singing in the shower at the top of your lungs, imagining yourself in a 2000s music video. We got a chance to speak with AMBA and they show us why they are one of the world's hottest new girl groups.

What AMBA Means

Mimi Grace: AMBA, like an amber traffic light, means "always ready to go." We wanted to really make a go of this as a career, but we didn't have a band name for a while! So when AMBA was mentioned, it seemed fitting that we were ready to go and smash it!

The Music Scene in Liverpool

Aliyah Joel: Liverpool's music scene is huge at the minute! It's constantly growing and more diverse than ever before. So many genres of music are thriving, especially in the indie and R&B scenes.

The city has also got a huge musical history with The Beatles, for example. Their legacy continues to majorly influence and encourage the music scene.

Mimi: We would love to be a part of Liverpool's music history in the future.

Also read about: Turkish Singer Aleyna Tilki Shares the Stories Behind 'Take It or Leave It' and 'Diamonds'

How Their Lives Have Changed Since the Song's Release

Anouska Vormawah: We've had our first radio plays and interviews since the release, which is exciting. We've also got a few performances over summer, too, and we've had a lot of people from the music industry worldwide reach out hoping to work with us, which is a great sign for things to come.

Mimi: We wanted our first single to make an impact, and we feel we did with this song.

How They Met

Aliyah: We all met at a performing arts organization called Positive Impact, where we took part in vocal and songwriting workshops with Esco Williams and Barbara Phillips.

We spent a few years writing together, getting to know each other and finding our sound.

Mimi: It was from there that we went on and decided to take singing up as a career together as AMBA.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AMBA (@ambaofficial_)

AMBA's Musical Influences

Anouska: We are majorly influenced by '90s and '00s R&B, like Beyoncé, J. Lo, Aaliyah and Ashanti.

Aliyah: That kind of music is timeless. It will never not be a vibe.

Also read about: ROSIE Gets Real About Body Dysmorphia and Healing in New Single 'Something I Hate'

What Inspired 'Shoulda Known'

Anouska: Bad relationships! Haha! All three of us have been in situations where our gut feeling was telling us something wasn't right and that we were being lied to.

Mimi: This is why this song is so current and relatable. Most girls we know have been through this, where they may have been being cheated on but made to feel crazy by their partner.

Aliyah: We just really wanted to encourage girls who are in the same situation to trust their instincts, because they're nearly always right!

What's Next for AMBA Musically

Mimi: You can be expecting a lot more old-school R&B vibes, with a modern twist. We believe female empowerment is a super important topic right now, so a song about this could be on the cards very soon.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by AMBA (@ambaofficial_)

How 'Should've Known' Represents the Group

Aliyah: The song gives you a glimpse into our friendship—how we support each other and lift each other up through tough situations. Especially in the music video, we wanted it to be authentic in the way that we would just turn up at each other's houses, have a girls' night and vent to each other about our problems.

Also read about: Avery Lynch's 'i'm sorry if i hurt u sometimes' Is an Apologetic Breakup Anthem for Letting Go

What We Can Expect Next From AMBA

Mimi: More music! And more of my amazing dancing! Haha!

Aliyah: Nooo, not more of your dancing, please Mi!

Anouska: Everywhere we go, Mimi's dance moves follow—and they're not particularly good, either! Ha—shh, don't tell her!

Something We Don't Know About AMBA

Mimi: Something you might want to know about us that maybe you don't is, that we're actually best friends. We were before we decided to make a real go of this. We think this makes us a bit different from others, as we're not afraid to give our honest opinions and feedback throughout the writing and recording process without feeling like we're going to hurt anyone's feelings. We enjoy each other's company, and think being able to have a laugh and a cry together makes our music so much more genuine and honest.

Want to know what other new music we're loving? Click HERE to read our interview with Kang So Yeon on her single "Loca Loca."