Top 10 Jorja Smith tracks essential to career before "What Are The Odds?" album
- Victoria Hernandez
- 1 day ago
- 5 min read
What are the odds that Jorja Smith's third album will be on repeat?
Very high.
The British songstress released her new album, "What Are The Odds?" on Friday, Aug. 21. It's her first album in three years, since 2023's "Falling or Flying," although a deluxe edition was released a year later, and eight years since her debut LP, "Lost & Found."
It's a delightful fusion of Smith's ethereal vocals and mechanical dance beats by P2J, who she worked with on the hit "Little Things" off "Falling or Flying." She defiantly calls out an ex-lover, reflects on the loss of a friendship and processes other life stages over the most infectious of garage and funk-infused soundscapes with a sprinkle of jazz.
Olivia Dean has taken over the world with her effortlessly smooth album "The Art of Loving" and RAYE has dominated the airwaves with her hit song "WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!" off her album, "This Music May Contain Hope," which was released in March.
Smith, 29, has been around just as long as her contemporaries in the British Soul/Pop/R&B space, but her cool girl persona isn't one that fights for the spotlight. And the pressures of sudden fame caused her to step back from social media and the rat race of the music industry. In 2023, she moved from London back to her hometown of Walsall, in the middle of England, to get back to her roots.
“I never wanted to be famous,” she said in an interview with The Guardian. “I’ve always been quite private. I just wanted to put music out as a teenager and see what happened. I feel really lucky that I’ve got such an amazing fanbase and people really show me love, but fame was never the goal.”
She released her first single, "Blue Lights," in 2016 after finding her artistic voice in her bedroom in the town outside of Birmingham. In the decade since, Smith has had major features, toured the world and established herself as an honest storyteller and incredible vocalist that everyone wants to engage with. Sign her up to do the next Bond anthem!
With the release of "What Are The Odds?" here are 10 essential Jorja Smith songs:
"Blue Lights"
The one that started it all.
As a teenager, Jorja Smith worked at McDonald's to get some spending money for herself. Her father was a musician before she was born and she sang in Christmas pageants as a kid. She decided to seriously try her hand at the artform, and in 2016, uploaded "Blue Lights" to SoundCloud. She got 400,000 streams in a month, made a video for it two years later, and the rest is history.
The tiptoeing track samples Dizzee Rascal's "Sirens" and is a warning to a loved one about police brutality. She references Mobb Deep's "Shook Ones Pt. II" and had a full circle moment when she appeared on the legendary group's 2025 track "Down For You" with Nas.
"Get It Together"
If Jorja Smith was already bubbling in the U.K. in 2016, she officially made her U.S. splash in 2017 when her angelic vocals appeared on Drake's "Get It Together" off his "More Life" album. The track before is the booming, reflective "Jorja's Interlude," which served as the perfect pique of interest into who the British singer was. Then, once her voice swoops in on "Get It Together," the listener can't help but be mesmerized.
"I Am"
Jorja Smith's appearance on Drake's album wasn't a one-and-done overseas. Kendrick Lamar enlisted her to be part of the Grammy-nominated soundtrack for "Black Panther." The album was a true sampler of who's who in Black culture at the time. Lamar expertly wove together the Bay Area, the South and Great Britain with Smith's inclusion. Her track, "I Am," is haunting and motivating at the same time.
"Little Things"
Jorja Smith continued to exhibit expert musicality with the release of "Little Things," a single off her 2023 sophomore album, "Falling or Flying." She teamed up with P2J for something club-ready, but still with some substance about desire and living in the moment.
Smith and P2J had such great chemistry that they crafted her entire third album, "What Are The Odds?" together.
"Crush" by AJ Tracey
Jorja Smith and AJ Tracey are a dynamic duo. Their friendship is special and it shows in their work together.
It was SUCH a tough choice what song of theirs to highlight here, but we had to pick "Crush" as an essential track because it showed a whole new element of Smith's artistry. She's RAPPING! In her Walsall accent nonetheless. She previously did a bit of a rap on "Blue Lights," but not a whole, confident verse. This was evidence of Smith and Tracey's organic chemistry and trusting each other to try new things.
She's also spitting some bars on the "What Are The Odds?" title track, which shows that her verse on "Crush" wasn't just a one-off thing, but paved a lane for a whole new side of her.
"Ladbroke Grove" is also an important part of Smith's catalog. It helped boost Tracey into the mainstream and is an elite example of the intersection of rap and garage. And definitely check out their flawless cover of UK garage classic "Flowers."
"Let Me Down" ft. Stormzy
This one might not be the most well-known Jorja Smith song, but it is a powerhouse collaboration with Stormzy.
Released in 2018, a year after Smith's appearance on "More Life" and Stormzy's mega debut album, "Gang Signs & Prayer," both artists were stepping into their own spotlight and utilized this song to showcase expert storytelling. It's a back-and-forth between two lovers. The woman knows he's no good for her, and he has nothing but appreciation for her strength and patience. It's very moody and deliciously dark.
Be sure to check out the Shy FX remix for a lighter version fueled by some ska goodness.
"Slow Down" by Maverick Sabre (Slow Motion & Vintage Culture Official Remix)
This one is sure to get stuck in your head.
Jorja Smith graced Maverick Sabre's woeful track "Slow Down" about hoping for resolution with a broken relationship and instead just getting blamed for the problem. The original is a very nice track.
But the Slow Motion & Vintage Culture Official Remix is another level. The way the vocals are woven into the electronic soundscape is incredible. Smith makes her entrance with the watery "When I" repeated and getting clearer until she jumps into her emotive verse... there's nothing like it.
"Be Honest" ft. Burna Boy
Jorja Smith has shown amazing versatility across her career, including making hits with Afrofusion titan Burna Boy. "Be Honest" is a whole vibe where she woos a man with her honey-dripping vocals. And Burna Boy is as smooth as ever, too.
Their other collaboration, "Gum Body" is also worth a listen.
"Finally"
Jorja Smith has appeared in several soundtracks, but her contribution to "The Color Purple" catapults her to a gospel realm. The declaration that she's living for herself and not for the approval of others with the backdrop of an organ and a powerful choir welcoming Jehovah Nissi into the mix is truly inspiring.
"On My Mind" ft. Preditah
Ah, THE Jorja Smith song!
Everyone knows "On My Mind." Even if you didn't realize it's by Smith, this infectious ditty was everywhere in the late 2010s. It is a breakup song where the crooner declares "Don't want to see you/Don't want you on my mind." But the banging production by Preditah lifts this track from sad and looming to empowering and freeing.
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