Since the release of her Mercury Prize-nominated debut album ‘Lost & Found’, Jorja Smith has been relatively quiet. But we are happy to announce she is right back: with a brand new album ‘Be Right Back’ out now. If the artist behind anthems like ‘Blue Lights‘ or ‘Be Honest‘ is not on your radar yet; you need to stop what you are doing and go listen to her new album. If you want to catch up with the R&B Walsall queen – here are 5 things you should know about Jorja Smith.
1. The sooner the better
One of the first things you should know about her is; like other unique talented artists, Jorja Smith was very precocious. Influenced by the constant sound of Soul, Reggae or Jazz at home, she began to write her songs very early. She wrote one of her first songs at eleven years old. Where she expressed her feelings about the economic recession that was hitting her hometown.
2. Children see, children do
If there is still any question about how music flows through her veins, another thing you should know about Jorja Smith is that her father was the lead singer of a soul band in the 80s (2nd Naicha) and that clearly explains a lot. But if we are listing facts to proof how Jorja parents have influenced her creativity we also should talk about Jolene Smith. She is the designer behind the jewellery Jorja wears in some of her public appearances and also her mum. Jolene has been at the forefront of her project since 1984. You should know that her crafted pieces were even exhibited at Paris fashion shows.
3. The Force is Female
You probably already know that Jorja has a great connection with the fashion industry. We could see her walking on the fake beach that Chanel created for their spring 2019 campaign. Or performing at the Bulgari dinner party during the Paris fashion week. But what you should know is she is especially proud of her collaboration with the Nike Air Force One campaign; where the main shout was “The Force is Female”. During this promotion, Jorja was invited to perform for young women. The event was addressed to empowering young women in London and encouraging them to express their creativity.
4. Dress like her
At this point, there is no doubt about how her talent and style have defined herself as a true icon. If you love her clothing, you should know that her fans have created an unofficial Instagram account that collects her best outfits. Some of the brands that she often wears are Missoni, New Bottega, or New York Supreme.
5. FAMM is for family
Since the very first moment, Jorja has kept herself loyal to her independent principles. She has always worked for FAMM and refused to join any other bigger record company. In the artist’s words “I don’t like when people tell me what I can or what I can’t do”. She definitely found her space in this warm and visionary collective. FAMM has been in charge of the promotion of Jorja’s work since the beginning. And they even gave her the opportunity to film her own music videos. In the last months, the label also has become a standard-bearer of the new generation of British R&B encouraging other stars like ENNY or Mychelle.
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