18-year-old Jorja Smith was born and raised in Walsall before relocating to London late last year. Before she left her hometown, she recalls time and time again sitting on the Number 4 bus home from town, watching people and taking in their stories. It was this, coupled with a school project that involved analyzing Dizzee’s “Sirens” video, that lead to the birth of her first single — one that would rack up almost half a million plays on Soundcloud along with support from the likes of Stormzy and Skrillex.
“‘Blue Lights’ is a song I wrote around a year ago. It questions why you should have a guilty conscience if you’ve done nothing wrong.” She explains. “The video is about a black male who portrays three different paths he could’ve gone down in life… as a boxer, a police officer and just a guy in a hoodie. This man is fighting with himself and the perception that society and authority have given to him. How can a young black male run away from the stereotypical stigma and hatred towards police if it is on every screen or paper they see? The boxer is quite literally being beaten up by society’s perceptions. The video’s narrative is just one example of the negative stereotypes many people suffer each and every day.” Directed by Drew Cox, the striking black and white visuals for ‘Blue Lights’ complement Jorja’s already powerful social commentary and hugely impressive debut. Keep an eye on this one.