Jorja Smith in Los Angeles (LA)

About the artist

Jorja Alice Smith (born 11 June 1997) is an English singer-songwriter from Walsall, West Midlands. Smith has released several singles since January 2016 and collaborated with other artists, including Drake, Kali Uchis, and Stormzy. She released her debut extended play, Project 11, in November 2016. In 2018, she won the Brit Critics' Choice Award. Her debut studio album, Lost & Found, was released in June 2018 and peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart. Influences : Smith grew up listening to reggae, punk, hip-hop, and R&B, and wrote her first song at the age of 11. She describes being "obsessed" with Amy Winehouse's 2003 debut album Frank as a teenager and was inspired by the singer's raw approach to songwriting. Smith said her songs are about social issues: "When things are going on in the world, I think it's important to touch on them, because as a musician, you can make people listen. As soon as people press play, you've got their attention." She also cites Lauryn Hill, Alicia Keys, Mos Def, and The Streets as influences. Her singing has been compared to Adele and Keys.