Rising rapper ATO returns to share a special new remix of his introspective banger ‘No Caroline’ with added fire from Flohio, landing alongside a fresh docu-style video shot in sun-soaked Leeds and London directed by Eve Mahoney featuring both artists.
Shot between North-East Leeds (Chapeltown/Potternewton park – the neighborhood where ATO’s dad lived when he was growing up) and around west London (the first area he lived when he moved to the city at 18), both areas feel like home and provide the perfect visual texture for the rebirth of this track filled with real moments that make up life for ATO. In a serendipitous moment of the full circle following the original single taken from his 2021 EP ‘Side A’ via MCMXCV that saw him open up and deep dive into his own emotional shortcomings rooted in his experiences, Flohio’s lyrical addition delivers a strong statement of self-belief backed up by refresh of ATO’s hook.
Speaking on the remix, ATO says: “When ‘No Caroline’ was first made, there were a million ideas for which direction to take the song, so a remix felt inevitable. I wanted it to be in the same world as the original but with a new dynamic, to make it feel more like a rebirth than a remix. I’ve loved Flohio’s music for a minute! I believe she is one of the most unique and authentic artists in the UK. Putting Flo on the first verse felt like a natural way to kick off the song with new energy. Once Flo layed her verse, we started looking at ways to tie the new dynamic together. Following Flo, it felt like the hook needed something new. We came up with a response melody that was initially intended for me. Eden ended up laying down the demo and it just felt great, so we kept it that way. This approach captures the process of making the remix: being open-minded to completely fresh ideas.”
Flohio adds: “Working with ATO made me appreciate the gems we usually have hidden in England when it comes to music, the song was something I gravitated to, so adding a verse was something I knew I wanted to do, definitely check his other projects.”