Jorja Smith’s rising worldwide intrigue stems from her effortless versatility

As the most intimate one on her tour yet, Jorja’s Smith’s concert in Coventry was a poignant one for her since it was the closest she has performed to her hometown of Walsall, where she was spotted with Drake after his own gig in Birmingham.

Following an earlier performance by fellow artist Mahalia, Smith took centre stage in Coventry on February 11^th 2018. At a prompt 9:15 PM start, the set list unravelled with the opening track ‘Something In The Way’, the first release on her Project 11 EP. As soon as the first chord was struck, her vocals melted into a sultry liquid that seemed to drawl the crowd forward, reminiscent of Amy Winehouse’s jazzy tones and soft guitar riffs.

The theatrical lighting of the venue was enhanced dramatically by the comfortable surroundings as Coventry Central Library was transformed into a cabaret. The stage was draped in incarnadine curtains bedecked with hot pink lamp shades that burned more warmly with every note she hit. It sporadically morphed into a cooler blue and mauve when the tone turned more sombre, creating a poetic atmosphere that rivalled the set of ‘Blue Velvet’.

However, neither the gleam of artificial lighting nor the reflection on her highlighted cheekbones was comparable to the incandescence permeating her voice. People of all ages stood in stunned silence amidst rows of children’s books as they were elevated away from their surroundings and into the soiree conjured by her smoky vocals.

Jorja implores girls to succumb to self-love rather than paint themselves into the “Hollywood perception” of perfection

Moving into her second song, ‘Where Did I Go”, the four piece band synchronically picked up the pace of the beat as she rode around the stage, dancing rhythmically as her keyboard player, Amané Suganami helped create an atmosphere of elegance. Her anticipated performance of ‘Blue Lights’, the hit that caught mainstream media adoration, was also accompanied by sensual swaying. The catchy chorus combines a sample of Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Siren’ with ethereal tones that capture the defeat felt by those in under-privileged environments and surrounded by oppression.

The reveal of her tracks from her new album, set to be released in June, was a refreshing addition to her already established oeuvre of love and loss as she launched into a number of songs addressing contemporary social struggles such as wealth and privilege. Smith introduced the striking ‘Lifeboats’ as a critique on the government and benefit system and how “rubbish” they are at present. The quirky and almost satirical rap is catchy yet captures all the seriousness of this lyrical narrative as she rhetorically questions, “why do we all fall down?” The troubling disparage between the minority’s “jump to the next bracket” and the majority’s lack of “life jacket” is explored in the extended metaphor embedded within the melodic flow.

Another prime example of her lyrical diversity is exemplified as she celebrates femininity in ‘Beautiful Little Fools’. It was inspired by a line from Daisy in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fittingly jazzy The Great Gatsby: “I hope she’ll be a fool- that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” In a soprano of bittersweet heartbreak sentimentally released on International Women’s Day, Smith implores girls to succumb to self-love rather than paint themselves into the “Hollywood perception” of perfection.

Charming and soft-spoken, she laughed as she dismissed the pretence of an encore in favour of finishing her set without a pause

The talented artist embodies a continual motif of empowerment with ‘The One’, ‘On Your Own’ and ‘Wandering Romance’, all of which are aimed at independence. Soft spoken and charming, she introduces them with an encouraging prelude just in time for the lonely hearts on Valentine’s Day; she tells her fans they can be happy by themselves, they “don’t need a boyfriend or girlfriend”.

Oscillating between soulful tones and operatic scales, the reveal of ‘Tomorrow’, a personal favourite, showcases the opera training and keyboard lessons that shaped Smiths’s musical background. A tumultuous mix of high energy and even higher keys, the choral harmony ringed in our ears long after it was over as, with a breathless detachment, Smith preached hope, faith and positivity amidst present struggles.

However, arguably the most exhilarating performance of the night was her cover of Frank Ocean’s ‘Lost’, which she announced with a seductive smirk. The crowd seemed to audibly gasp in anticipation, waiting with bated breath for her to cut through the silence in tones deep enough to rival those of Nina Simone. Sporting a sky high ponytail, immaculate makeup, cropped black casual wear and a disarming grin, Smith dipped into the repetitive chorus as soon as the bass dropped to the utmost delight of the uninhibited crowd; they were, indeed, “lost in the heat of it all”.

Smith possesses a unique talent of effortlessly transitioning from effected songstress to burning dance-hall artist all in the same breath

She seemed to chat to them as, dispersed between water breaks, she threw in a handful of good-natured jokes about forgetting a song on her set list. Charming and soft-spoken, she laughed as she dismissed the pretence of an encore in favour of finishing her set without a pause. This was met with bursts of applause and appreciation. In her penultimate ballad, ‘Let Me Down’, Smith refused to “pretend to be Stormzy” and gifted us instead with another verse of vocal elasticity. We all accepted it adoringly without hesitation. The smoky tenor was met with a stark contrast as she plunged into the final piece, ‘On My Mind’, showcasing the fact that her music can also be at home on a dance floor.

Smith possesses a unique talent of effortlessly transitioning from effected songstress to burning dance-hall artist all in the same breath. The vocal talent she possesses remains natural yet this rising level of worldwide intrigue stems from her effortless versatility. What does remain constant, however, is the high-octane voice, lyrical depth and genuinely humble persona that tells a story already wiser beyond her years.