Jorja Smith made waves in her native England for quite some time before she dropped her debut Lost & Found. However, 2018 has found the British singer taking U.S. audiences by storm with her signature quiet cool that can be found on tracks like her recent single "February 3rd." She brought a taste of that with her when she graced the NPR offices for her first-ever Tiny Desk Concert to perform a three-song set that had the audience in attendance transfixed.
She began things with a solo rendition of her Preditah collaboration "On My Mind." The track, a garage-flavored party starter on record, became an almost jazzy jam once reinterpreted by her and her band as her vocals moved nimbly through its quick-paced rhythm. She followed that up with the moody tale of young love lost "Teenage Fantasy." She attacked the song, written when she was just 16, with a soulfulness that seemed far beyond her short time on the planet and made those listening feel the sting of love in their youth. She wrapped things with "Blue Lights," her thoughtful and timely address against police brutality and injustice. The song's haunting melody, along with Jorja's performance, left the room in silence as they processed the song's message before they erupted in applause for Miss Smith.
Of course, with Lost & Found available to the masses, we're experiencing even more of Jorja Smith's budding talent. But if you want a taste of what she can do in a live setting, check out her Tiny Desk Concert series performance below.
