Vancouver, BC / Canada – November 20 2018: English singer-songwriter Jorja Smith performing at the Orpheum Theatre. James Jeffrey Taylor / Shutterstock.com
2018 Brit Critics’ Choice Award winner Jorja Smith made a splash in the music industry scene when she began to pursue her music career in January of 2016. Today, she boasts over 3 million Instagram followers, 9.2 million Spotify listeners, and 1.07 million YouTube subscribers. Jorja Smith is a British R&B singer who wrote her first song at the age of 11, took piano lessons at 8, and got scouted by a manager at 15. When she won the 2018 Brit Critics’ Choice, she was the first independent artist to be nominated, and then followed that by a breath-taking win. Jorja is best known for her smoky, yet smooth and rich voice, able to convey complexity and profound emotions.
Jorja likes remaining an independent artist, citing the fact that being signed to a label adds pressure and expectations. She likes having control over her own music and image. Her philosophy of slow and steady has worked for her thus far, not giving in to various pressures. The performer was born in the West Midlands to a Jamaican father and English mother. She loved listening to punk, reggae, hip-hop, and R&B during her formative years and has admitted to being inspired by social issues in her own lyrical themes. Jorja cites Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Lauryn Hill, The Streets, and Mos Def as heavy influences.
Her debut single is titled, “Blue Lights,” and hit 400,000 streams on SoundCloud within the first month. Her fan following grew when her second single in May 2016 was named by Canadian rapper Drake as his favorite track in Entertainment Weekly in July 2016. This mellow song, “Where Did I Go?” underscores her strong, buttery vocals and thematically focuses on the concept of letting go. Drake then recruited the young singer for his 2017 mixtape “More Life.” Not long after, Jorga was invited to work with Kendrick Lamar on “I Am,” the 6th track on the Black Panther movie soundtrack. She opened for Bruno Mars on his 24k Magic World Tour in 2017 on the North American leg.
Jorja has since collaborated with artists such as Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Stormzy, Khalid, Burna Boy, Giggs, and Kali Uchis. “Lost and Found,” her debut studio album peaked at #3 on the UK Albums Chart after its June 2018 release. This album is an alluring collection of hip-hop and soul blends and made the shortlist for the UK’s Mercury Prize, a prestigious honor.
Jorja’s 2020 releases include “By Any Means,” “Come Over,” “Rose Rouge,” and “Kiss Me in the Morning,” a track on the Netflix series The Eddy. The first two singles claim 5 million and 6.8 million views on YouTube, respectively. “By Any Means” is a haunting, yet empowering anthem inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement. The entertainer hopes to keep the conversation going and highlight awareness to social justice issues.
