Artist Spotlight: Jorja Smith

U.K. born singer Jorja Smith is one of those artists that has effortlessly captured the minds of her listeners with her smooth, mesmerizing voice. It all started when Smith uploaded her self-released single “Blue Lights” to Soundcloud. The song is inspired by the hostile situations that are faced by young black men in her local town of Walsall, but also around the world, and it instantly grabbed the attention of millions, including Drake, who went on to include it on his OVO radio show.

From there, Jorja has been able to parlay her impeccable talent into a budding music career. She has proven to be exceptionally adept at songwriting and creating R&B melodies that truly capture the gritty essence of everyday life, while still delivering silvery vocals tinged with just the right amount of emotion and harmony.

Jorja’s fantasy to pursue a career as a singer began well before her teenage years. At the young age of eight, she began performing, playing piano, and singing in school choirs. She was brought up constantly around a strong musical influence with her Jamaican-born father being in a neo-soul band called 2nd Naicha. Her mother, a jewelry designer, would bring her along to arts & crafts fairs to show off her daughter’s talents. She credits her parents as always being incredibly supportive of her pursuit of music, and even now with her newfound success, she finds herself getting advice from her family for her songs.

Last year, she spent her time coming fourth in BBC’s Sound of 2017, touring the world supporting Bruno Mars in the U.S., and sold out several massive shows several times over. She was featured on Drake’s “Get It Together” on his More Life album, and even performed as a special guest at some of his UK headline shows. Most importantly, 2018 held the release of her debut album “Lost & Found.”

In this 12-song album, it’s clear that Jorja is just starting a long and prosperous career in music. Her effortlessly spellbinding voice is a true anchor without any help from features. In an interview with Crack Magazine, she touches on her current life as a 20-year old, saying, “I never really find myself on the album, and I still feel very lost in this world. But I know that I want to sing, and write songs. I definitely know what I want to do. I know the gift I’ve found.”