As one of the biggest up-and-comers in R&B, there were high expectations for Jorja Smith’s sold out Manchester show and she certainly did not disappoint.
The Little Things singer broke the internet earlier this year with the release of the lead single for her second studio album, Falling or Flying. Its tour has been highly anticipated and Jorja came to Manchester to show she isn’t messing around.
Smith is the protégé of world class rapper, Drake. She first started to gain popularity after their 'Get Together' collab in 2016 and it’s easy to see the potential he saw in her all those years ago.
READ MORE: Thirty Seconds to Mars announce huge 2024 world tour with Manchester date
Her beautifully soulful voice filled the venue in a way that left you were completely in awe of her talent. The room was filled to the brim with excited fans, wherever you looked there were floods of people with all eyes on her.
The set list was a perfect mix of her back catalogue. She played a combination of the old and new, with the crowd singing along to the likes of Falling or Flying, GO GO GO, Be Honest and Teenage Fantasy.
The new album she is touring comprises a mix of slower paced melodies, songs that make you want to dance and even an indie-influenced banger. Both the album and her performance are a perfect example of the manifold of her repertoire, and just why she deserves these sold out shows.
You couldn’t help but feel captivated by her voice and the atmosphere she created with her stage presence was quite something, leaving people singing and dancing along whilst happily holding each other, it felt like a community where everyone was brought together by a shared love of her music.
She gave a special mention to her supporting artist, Ella More, who opened the show. They have very similar musical sounds, so it made perfect sense that she was the girl for the job. Ella set the bar for the evening high, and Jorja was incredibly complimentary of her set.
A stand out moment was when she began to perform Blue Lights, everyone switched on their phone torches to sway in the air like a sea of lights to her debut single all the way back from 2016. It’s such a powerful song with an even more powerful message about social injustices, and it felt like every single person in that room listened with an understanding.
The West Midlands-born artist, who has amassed over 12 million monthly listeners on Spotify, seemed to be having just as much fun as her fans. As she boogied with her on stage band it was clear to see that she absolutely loves what she does.
Jorja Smith truly is a shining exemplar of modern R&B, and her future shows are definitely not to be missed.
