“Don’t worry, she’s very well prepared,” a crew member assured me as I waited on Jorja Smith at the HKT x WestK POPFEST: Popnorama—a 2-day music programme of local and global talents. It was moments before soundcheck and I was sitting backstage alongside Smith’s unopened bottles of Pei Pa Koa and Hong Kong snack packs. I wasn’t quite sure what the staff had meant, but when I later told Smith that we’d need to cut the interview short due to time constraints, she reassured me then said, “You’ve missed like three questions.” And it was true; I had skipped exactly three.
“Hi, I’m Jorja.” Finally, Smith stepped into the room and introduced herself with a wide endearing smile, reaching out to shake everyone’s hand before sitting down. She wore a loose blue Ganni shirt and flared black leggings with her hair slicked back into a long braid. It was her first time in Hong Kong, and we chatted about a good Pakistani–Indian restaurant that she had found, the stunning harbour view, how hot it was outside, and the traffic that was exceptionally brutal on this Sunday afternoon.
On July 23, 2024, Jorja Smith joined the BRIT Billion club with over one billion UK streams
Photo: @jorjasmith_ via Instagram
For almost a decade, Smith’s face has been ubiquitous: magazine covers, billboards, phone screens…and her voice has boomed from radios and music platforms everywhere. The Grammy-nominated R&B artist and Brits Awards winner first blew up on Soundcloud as a high-schooler with her single “Blue Lights“, leading to collaborations with music giants like Kendrick Lamar, and a successful Lost & Found album which debuted at No.3 on the UK Albums Chart and No.1 on the UK R&B Chart. Her honest lyrics have chronicled her growth throughout the years, speaking to listeners as if they were her trusted confidants. “My safe space is in my music, and that’s where I like to just be myself,” Smith revealed.
On September 29, 2024, Jorja Smith stands before a billboard that features her second studio album, "Falling Or Flying".
Photo: @jorjasmith_ via Instagram
Yet in this age of heightened access where Instagram reels can relive a person’s whole day (from their “9-6 after their 6-9”), and where revealing far too many details on Threads has become the norm, Smith has taken a step back.“I’ve got a weird relationship with social media, a bit of a love-hate relationship because it’s a lot,” Smith said, “I think it can be an amazing place. That’s how I got discovered, because of being on Soundcloud, but I just think it’s intense and I’m still trying to navigate my way around it and get back on there a bit.”
At the same time, she’s traded the bustle of London living for the relative calmness of the West Midlands where her hometown Walsall is. “I felt like London was great, but where I began creating was home,” Smith explained. “I think I’ve needed to come back home for years. I just feel more myself, a bit more grounded.” At home, she’s planning to build a studio and has returned to playing on the keys — something she always used to do as a teenager before moving to London. And as though reconnecting with her inner child, Smith started Blue Lights, an all-girls choir in Walsall.
On December 16, 2022, Jorja Smith snaps a group photo with the girls of the Blue Lights choir
Photo: @thebluelightschoir via Instagram
“Hopefully when I finish this tour, I can get back to seeing the girls, and I want to have them play with me at a show or something which will be really good,” Smith beamed like a proud older sister, “But they’re loving it. They’ve been doing loads of pop performances here and there, and it’s just great because I never had this when I was younger.”
Speaking with an unbridled enthusiasm that might be akin to flying, the “Falling Or Flying” singer spoke of fellow artists like she wasn’t a global sensation herself. When asked about an artist she would love to perform for, she said Frank Ocean in a heartbeat, “I love him so much, I’d love to work with him.” Then, she named Adele as the person she would love to perform for, “I love Adele. I want to go to her show and I’d like to invite her to mine,” Smith confessed.
On November 3, 2024, Jorja Smith performs on the Wonderland stage in WestK
Photo: Karrie Lam
And with the same conviction, she shared the most valuable lesson she has learnt in her 20’s so far. “I’ve realised I don’t owe anybody anything,” Smith said, “I used to be such a people pleaser, and only as I’ve gotten older I’ve realised not everybody deserves your energy or time and to try and protect that.”
She continued, “I don’t overthink as much, and that’s something that has come with age. I’m still young, I’m still 27, but I think I’m really proud that I don’t overthink so much, because I’d be worried about absolutely everything, like too many things to name.”
Later that night, she walked onto the Wonderland stage, performing songs from her latest album Falling Or Flying and some of her biggest hits. Every bit as prepared on stage as she was off, Smith nailed every note while the captivated crowd swayed to her voice. As she sang “Teenage Fantasy” with her head back, eyes closed and arms sprung wide, I couldn’t help but imagine that she was singing to her 21-year-old self who wrote the song: “There’s no need to rush. Take your time. Life’s a big old ride. Sit back and enjoy the vibe.”
Editor
Karrie LamCredit
Lead Image: HKT x WESTK POPFEST: Popnorama Courtesy of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority
