REVOLUTIONARY R&B WITH JORJA SMITH
RnB may have started in the 40’s, but since then, it has constantly evolved. There have been notable changes over the years, and now we have a new player in the game who has been killing it since she arrived.
We are talking about Jorja Smith, of course!
The 22-year old RnB artist has been releasing great songs since she started. Here’s why we think her music is politically relevant and simultaneously entertaining as well.
Like many other artists, Jorja Smith was discovered when she was fairly young. People found out about her through her videos on YouTube. She began working as a barista to fund her dream of making music that everyone can listen to, appreciate, and groove to.
Her Music Touches on the Experiences of Black Men
The British artist released her first single “Blue Lights” in 2016, which was followed by a music video for the song in 2018. The song was about the relationship between black men and the police – the blue lights are a metaphor for the lights on a police patrol car. Because Smith’s father is Jamaican, the experiences of black people are evidently close to her heart.
The start of her journey was rooted in her identity and the community that she belongs to. This is one of the reasons why we have no choice but to take this prodigy seriously. From a young age, she has been cognizant of the injustices embedded within the institutions in society that put her and other people from minority groups at a disadvantage.
People from minority groups always experience a constant fear – bordering on a form of paranoia, in which you feel like you’re always a target. This is evident in the lyrics of this single, “What have you done? There's no need to run. If you've done nothing wrong.”
Smith highlights how black men feel threatened by the police, even when they’re not at fault. Their shared paranoia urges them to run in the opposite direction when a potential and almost communal threat comes their way. They can’t help but feel that they’re going to be harmed just because of who they are and what they look like.
The arrangement of her debut single also represents the same serious undertones the lyrics have. The solid and clear groove with a crisp backbeat sets the feel of the entire song.
Her Music Critiques the Media’s Role in Perpetuating Unreal Beauty Standards
Jorja Smith continues to use her music to talk about important subjects. In 2017, she released her song “Beautiful Little Fools” on International Women’s Day. The song is critical of the role mainstream media has on determining unreal beauty standards for women. The song encourages girls and women of all ages to start believing that they are beautiful – no one should be able to determine what and who is beautiful.
What makes Jorja Smith’s music so interesting is that she uses her music to spread important messages to people that can possibly help them feel better about themselves. Tracks like “Lifeboats” urge listeners to think critically while they’re being entertained, and that’s nothing short of awesome.
