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// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhat did "Need to Know" EP say to the other albums? You need to diskuss this.

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Need to Know
EP by
XO
Released16 October 2026 (2026-10-16)
Recorded2024–2026
GenrePop[1]
LabelPolydor
Producers
XO chronology
Fashionably Late
(2025)		 Need to Know
(2026)
Singles from Need to Know
  1. "Hotline"
    Released: 24 April 2026
  2. "Clique"
    Released: 3 July 2026

Need to Know is the upcoming second extended play by British girl group XO. It is set to be released on 16 October 2026 through Polydor Records. Described by the group as a "mini-album", it is a conceptual project that reframes prompts from advice columns listing "20 Things You Need to Know in Your Twenties" into songs. It has been preceded by two singles "Hotline" and "Clique", with "Stacey" set to follow. XO are set to promote the EP with the Need to Know Tour, as well as various other live appearances.

Background and release

[edit]

XO were formed by Polydor Records in late 2024, selecting auditionees Summer Askew, Shali Bordoni, Zoë Miller, Emmy Statham and Reanna Sujeewon to be in the group.[2] In September 2025, they released the song "Lovesick" as their debut single and the lead single from their debut extended play (EP), Fashionably Late (2025).[3] Fashionably Late was released on 14 November of that year.[4]

"Hotline" was released as the lead single from Need to Know on 24 April 2026.[5] The first release for XO since Fashionably Late, it felt like a "reintroduction" for the group. Despite having already recorded "Hotline" and other unreleased tracks at the time of their debut EP, they had a set release schedule they wanted to follow. Sujeewon explained: "We've been sitting on a lot of these tracks for a really long time, even since the first EP, because we knew the journey that we wanted to take. We've come into this year with a 'boom!'; we know what we're releasing, we're just excited to get it all out. Last year was a lot of research and development in real life, we were learning as we went. Now, we've figured out the plan. We've got such sick things to come!"[6] "Clique" was released as the second single on 3 July.[7] The music video leaned into the group's real-life formation, with it being set in the audition room where the members initially met.[8]

Composition

[edit]

With Fashionably Late, XO felt the music had established their friendships within the group. For Need to Know, they wanted to shift the focus onto their individual characteristics.[6] Miller felt that the EP would defy people's expectations of XO; she stated: "We've got a lot of music coming out that isn't what people are expecting from us. That's really exciting. I don't know how much I'm allowed to say, but we're switching the vibes a little bit".[6] She concluded that XO felt their job as creatives was to make people feel something new through their art.[6]

Need to Know has been described as a conceptual project that takes loose inspiration from advice columns listing "20 Things You Need to Know In Your Twenties".[9] Various prompts were reframed into songs, beginning with opening track "Hotline". The track centres on an advice centre for getting over an ex, while dissecting themes of friendship and sisterhood that have been shown in XO's prior releases.[10] The chorus urges people to "ring on the hot girl hotline" for steps on how to become a better version of yourself following a relationship.[10] "Clique" follows as the second track and was described as a "girl power anthem".[7] Co-written by Willow Kayne, Ryan Tedder and Ellrod, it is a pop song which revolves around belonging to a sisterhood.[1]

Promotion

[edit]

XO initially announced and promoted their Fashionably Late Tour, following the release of their debut EP. Tickets for the tour became available to purchase that same month.[11] They were handled by Live Nation UK and Ticketmaster.[12] It was set to see them visit five venues across England and Scotland throughout May, with the first date hosted by King Tut's Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow.[13][14] However, after the release of "Hotline" and the announcement of Need to Know, the Fashionably Late Tour was retooled into the Need to Know Tour and was rescheduled for November 2026.[15][16][17]

"Clique" was initially performed on their debut tour in late 2025, before its release in mid-2026.[18] In March 2026, XO performed at the Gaydio Awards; there, they debuted "Hotline".[19][20] In June 2026, they promoted Need to Know at the Isle of Wight Festival,[21] as well appearing at the Discovery Festival and All Points East in August.[22][23] Also throughout August, XO held a month-long residency in Colours, Hoxton, throughout which they performed material from Need to Know for the first time prior to its release.[24] They will also perform three shows at G-A-Y in Heaven: the first introduced the group to the audience, the second is set to promote the launch of "Stacey" as the third single, while the third will be in promotion of the EP's release in October.[25][26]

Track listing

[edit]
Need to Know track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Hotline"
  • NUTU
  • Lindgren
2:44
2."Clique"
  • Kayne
  • Lindgren
1:51
3."Stacey"   

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Dee, Vee. "XO Lock In Girlband Energy On New Single 'Clique'". Fame. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  2. ↑ "Introducing XO with their debut single, 'Lovesick'". Music Mafia UK. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  3. ↑ "New Releases". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 18 July 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  4. ↑ "XO share details of their debut EP, Fashionably Late". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  5. ↑ Dee, Vee. "XO Launch 'Hotline' Video, Set Need To Know Mini-Album and UK Tour". Fame. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Smith, Carl. "XO announce debut mini-album Need To Know: "It's vibes on vibes!"". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
  7. 1 2 Smith, Carl. "New Music Friday: Madonna, Snow Patrol & Kylie Minogue, SIENNA SPIRO and more". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Forrest, Jo. "XO announce London residency 'XO PRESENTS". TotalNtertainment. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  9. ↑ ""You have reached the hot girl hotline": XO announce debut mini-album Need To Know, share "Hotline" single". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
  10. 1 2 Forrest, Jo. "XO are back with a brand new single and video, 'Hotline'". TotalNtertainent. Retrieved 2 May 2026.
  11. ↑ "XO announce May 2026 UK Tour". TotalNtertainent. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "XO Arrive 'Fashionably Late'. And Right on Time". Fame. Archived from the original on 22 April 2026. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  13. ↑ "Fun-loving girl band XO are ready to lift our spirits". NME. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  14. ↑ "Scouser's 'crazy' year has set the foundation to become a star". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 2 April 2026.
  15. ↑ Logan, Philip. "XO Turn Up the Heat With 'Hotline,' Their Slickest Pop Statement Yet!". CelebMix. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  16. ↑ ""You have reached the hot girl hotline": XO announce debut mini-album Need To Know, share "Hotline" single". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  17. ↑ XO (24 April 2026). "HOTLINE OUT NOW our new single AND video is out today but we have so much more for youu!! we're so excited to finally announce we're releasing a mini album 'Need To Know' on October 16th to celebrate our mini album release, we're also moving our tour to November so we can put on an even bigger and better show for you all <3". Instagram. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  18. ↑ Levine, Nick. "Fun-loving girl band XO are ready to lift our spirits". NME. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  19. ↑ "We couldn't put on an LGBTQ+ awards ceremony without our girlband fix 😍 Joining the line-up for the Gaydio Awards 2026 is our new obsession, XO ✨". Gaydio. Facebook. Retrieved 6 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "we performed our UNRELEASED SINGLE for the FIRST time !!". YouTube. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  21. ↑ "Artists A-Z - Isle of Wight Festival". Isle of Wight Festival. Archived from the original on 21 May 2026. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "Sigma and XO join Discovery Festival at Mowden Park". Darlington & Stockton Times. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  23. ↑ Noonan, A.L. "All Points East completes lineup for Jorja Smith and Tems headliner". DIY. Archived from the original on 2 August 2026. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  24. ↑ Logan, Philip. "XO Announce London Residency 'XO PRESENTS...' Ahead of Debut Mini-Album". CelebMix. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  25. ↑ "Rising Stars: XO". The Media Eye. Retrieved 7 August 2026.
  26. ↑ Joseph, Jeremy. "2026 G-A-Y launches a brand new Girl Group @xo.co.uk". Instagram. Retrieved 8 August 2026.
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