Jorja Smith

Blending classical vocal artistry with beats inspired by modern R&B, reggae, and hip-hop, Jorja Smith has risen to become one of Britain’s most exciting soul singers since her debut single, the searching, Dizzee Rascal-sampling “Blue Lights,” came out in 2016. Born in England’s West Midlands in 1997, Smith began studying music at an early age while listening to reggae, dub, and soul music on her own, and her YouTube covers of hits by Alex Clare and Tinie Tempah garnered her notice from industry bigwigs. Smith’s second single, the glossy “Where Did I Go?”, was praised by Drake that July; a few months later, she released her debut EP, Project 11, and was named to the BBC’s Sound of 2017 long list. Drake invited Smith to tour with her and appear on his project More Life in 2017, and later that year she collaborated with American urbano star Kali Uchis on “Tyrant” and toured the world with Bruno Mars. Smith kicked off her 2018 with the BRIT Critics’ Choice Award, and soon after, she put out her debut full-length, Lost & Found, which showcased her defiantly honest songwriting, effortless genre-mixing, and supple voice on tracks like the soulful “Wandering Romance” and the downtempo “On Your Own.”