[REVIEW] JORJA SMITH AT BRIXTON

As I pen this review, I’m still kind of in awe of what I witnessed this past Thursday night. That’s saying a lot, because I’m rarely in awe of anything. But at London’s Electric Brixton, Jorja Smith brought intimacy, innocence and utter command to the stage as she wowed a loyal audience, both young and….not as young.

Coasting through her repertoire in an hour and 15 minutes, which included cuts from her ‘Project 11’ EP and a number of unreleased tracks, the 20-year-old didn’t put a foot wrong as she strutted across the stage with confidence and seduction.
While I have always been a fan of hers, I definitely got a newfound appreciation for Smith after seeing her live. Setting the scene throughout with a number of home videos across a backdrop, the audience were made to feel right at home with Smith, and the gentle nature of hers that the visuals portrayed was as endearing as her vocals.

Aided by a live band, her vocals pierced through them as she brought her tracks to life. Set opener ‘Something In The Way’ was a perfect introduction, before she visited latest singles ‘Beautiful Little Fools’ and ‘Teenage Fantasy’. Crowd reaction reached its apex with Smith’s cover of the Mario classic ‘Let Me Love You’ and their ecstasy was manifested as the Walsall-born singer finished her set with her debut, ‘Blue Lights.’

She wasn’t short of guests either, bringing out Maverick Sabre for a duet of ‘Carry Me Home’ and spoken word artist Thea Gajic for the track’s opening interlude.

But the night belonged to Smith, who cemented her position in my mind as one of the country’s most exciting talents. It’s really exciting to see where the future lies, but after such a captivating performance, the only way is up for Jorja Smith.

Photo by Jason Williamson.