Review: Jorja Smith at SWX
Posted on: 11 Oct 2023“A raw honest show that was all about the music”
26 year old Jorja Smith has had a stratospheric rise to fame. She was encouraged to play piano by her father, also a musician, at just 8 and started writing songs aged 11. This led to her earning a scholarship to a music school in her local West Midlands - the rest, as they say, is history.
Jorja found fame at just 15 when her cover of “Earthquake” by Labrinth was uploaded to YouTube and spotted by a producer. Since then, she has collaborated with an astounding list of artists including Stormzy, Rag’n’Bone Man and Burna Boy as well as touring with the likes of Drake and Bruno Mars. The trained ear can also spot her on Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’, soundtrack curated by Kendrick Lamaar.
After reading this list of accolades, it’s easy to see why Jorja has such a massive following and her Falling or Flying album launch show at Britol’s SWX was a complete sell out. Her second album, released on 29th September, has been met with widespread critical acclaim and is a far cry from her bouncy debut, Lost and Found.
Indeed, all six dates of her UK tour to promote the new record are sold out. Jorja has grown up and it shows. The sweet and slow ballads on the new album retain the sharp beats she’s known for but also showcase her smooth, smoky vocals. The lyrics on the new record, showcasing her songwriting talent, highlight a person going through all the inner battles of someone in their latter twenties. The chorus of the album opener, ‘Try Me’, contains the lyrics: "I've changed? There's only been one thing that I've changed, Nothin' is ever enough". It reminds us that she isn’t writing purely for the dancefloor, but for all her critics.
After online backlash for her curvy figure, she seems to want this show to be all about the music. She graces the stage in a huge grey cold shoulder hoody, following Billie Eilish’s ‘listen to me, rather than my costume’ philosophy. Jorja keeps her hood up for the entire show, peeking out from under it at the packed venue full of adoring fans, who sing along to nearly every tune.
That’s not to say the atmosphere was mellow, she performs the songs that shot her to fame, including 'Blue Lights' and her newer, garage inspired banger 'Little Things'. Both of which received delighted screams from the crowd, dancing and plenty of phones held up to capture the moment for the scores of disappointed fans who didn't get tickets. 'Be Honest', her track with Burna Boy, also got the packed room writhing.
Jorja doesn’t say much, and when she does she is reserved and humble. She does introduce and thank her skilled musicians and two backing singers - who are dressed in matching black outfits. They step forward and click during their choruses, reminiscent of the 60s and 70s motown backing singers that came before them. She has been known to nod to Amy Winehouse as an influence and this shows in her crooning tracks, with controlled deep vocals. I hear from her a silky mix of Enya, Lauryn Hill, Toni Braxton, with a little Artful Dodger thrown in there for good measure.
At the end of the set, she resolutely tells us “this is the last song”, which is met with a mourning moan from the crowd. While we all think she is giving us the encore, she sticks to her word. Reminding us that Jorja is a woman who does what she wants and won't bow to pressure. Everyone files out chattering and buzzing, muttering words of adoration and wanting more.
For a comprehensive look at what's coming up at SWX, head to the venue's website.
Read more:
Article by:
Talicza has only lived in Bristol for three years, but has been reviewing gigs, shows and albums for decades as well as writing her own true crime podcast Transatlantic Crime.
