There are artists that you hear one song from and instantly know that you will listen to them forever— Jorja Smith is one of those artists. Smith is an English R&B soul whose voice has truly been blessed and crafted by the Lord himself.
Her first break out into the music industry was on SoundCloud with her song “Blue Lights” which she wrote for a song project when she was 18. According to Smith, the song is pondering the question of why have a guilty conscience when you haven’t done anything wrong. Smith, who was doing media studies at the time, was interviewing some 11-year-olds boys, mostly of color, and she asked them what they think of the police. They replied “[expletive] the police! I hate them.” She asked them why and have they done anything that caused the hate and they said “Nothing, but I hate them.” Thus, inspiring this track because she thought it was sad that there is an instilled fear of the police even if you have not done anything. You feel guilty even if you haven’t committed a crime.
Furthering her success, other artists in the music industry have mentioned or shouted her music out in interviews and on social media. “Blue Lights” received rave reviews for its songwriting from Skrillex and Stormzy. The song following “Blue Lights,” “Where Did I Go?” was mentioned by Drake, in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, as his favorite song at the moment.
Later on in 2017, she released a track with the UK DJ Preditah called “On my Mind”. NYC music and culture magazine, The Fader, called the track “A love letter to U.K. pirate radio culture”. This single lasted 47 days at #36 on the British ITunes chart.
Coming after her 2016 EP titled “Project 11” and 2017 chart-topping single “On My Mind” with Birmingham producer Preditah, Lost and Found is her first debut studio album from English R&B singer Jorja Smith. Released on June 8, 2018, the album hit number one on the UK Independent and R&B albums chart. In addition, the album hit top 50 in both the US and Canada.
This album, a fuse of R&B, soul and hip hop, is full of her thought-provoking questions and musings all the while giving you something to groove and dance to. On her track entitled “Teenage Fantasy,” she reflects on that fact she needs to “…grow and find myself before I let somebody love me/because at the moment I don’t know me,” and then mentions in “February 3” that “I’m constantly finding myself.” She ponders these life lessons and struggles which gives her listeners something they can relate to because they are going through the same issues that every young adult goes through. The album ranges from slow songs, to dance tunes and it even features a freestyle called “Lifeboats.” This album is many things, but it is not lacking in raw human emotion and good music.
Jorja Smith’s music is a must listen. She can make you cry and smile in the same album. Her career will only go up from here. Once you listen to her songs you will get lost in them and not want to be found.
