Ahead of the release of her new album, What Are The Odds, we ask the Blue Lights singer about star signs, her earliest memories of making music and life in the public eye
With a voice as distinctive as ever, Jorja Smith returns with her third album, What Are The Odds. Set to release in August, the 12-track album, produced by P2J and featuring Wizkid, spans genres – from garage to funk, soul and blues. “It’s about me and my relationships,” says Smith, cadenced by a Brummie lilt, “which, to be fair, is what I’m always writing about.” From thought to fruition, What Are The Odds has been several years underway, first imagined when working with P2J on her 2023 track Little Things, but actualised in just seven months. She’s excited to speak about it: “I only ever really want to talk about music.” She takes a sip of tea.
Smith rose to fame overnight in 2016 when she uploaded her self-recorded debut single Blue Lights to SoundCloud. Then just 18 years old, the West Midlands-born and at that time London-based barista didn’t anticipate the traction the ballad would gain. Soon after, she released Where Do I Go? and was quickly catapulted into life in the spotlight, featuring on Drake’s More Life album and the album’s accompanying tour. “I didn’t really think about the consequences of what happens if you put out music and it does really well,” says the artist, who has resisted convention, not conforming to the tropes of celebrityhood and the guises of making it big.
Driven by a love of making music over a thirst for fame, in the wake of Blue Lights she released two albums – Lost & Found (2018) and falling or flying (2023) – under her own independent record label, Famm, where she works with a number of musicians, rappers and singer-songwriters. In 2021, Smith left London to escape the pressures of the industry, moving back home to the quiet West Midlands town of Walsall. “It’s only now I think I’m reflecting on it, and thinking about, you know, going from being somebody nobody knows from Walsall to someone people from across the world know. It’s a bit weird, isn’t it?”
Ahead of the album’s release, we ask Smith 20 quickfire questions on her earliest memories of making music, star signs and life in the public eye. After we speak, she’s going to a talk Louis Theroux is giving on the manosphere. “I’m excited,” she says, “I love Louis Theroux.”
1. Your new album, what’s it about?
What Are The Odds is all about relationships – with myself, with friends, family, places. It’s about how they change, how I've grown. So, it’s me and my relationships in the world and my life – which, to be fair, is what I’m always writing about.
2. How would you describe it in three words?
Upbeat, fun and in motion, if that’s a word … Well, it’s kind of two words.
3. Is there a song that you’re particularly excited about? Can you tell me about it?
I’m excited about a song called I Lied You Lied. It’s super funky, and when I say funky, I mean a bit housey funky. It’s just a song about when shit isn’t reciprocated and being fucked about, really. I like it.
4. How long has What Are The Odds been underway? What is the process of making an album for you?
This is my third album and making it was a totally different process to my last two. It’s produced by P2J. We started talking about making this music in 2023 and we were going back and forth for like two years, and then we finally got together in September 2025 and I submitted it in April 2026, so it’s the shortest time I’ve ever spent making an album. Everything felt right, and I just kept moving forward with this energy – I felt really present. My first album was like a collection of songs, and the second, I had decided I’d make an album but hadn’t fully figured it out, so that was a challenge. And now, this third time, I’ve really enjoyed the process.
5. Who, or what, inspires you?
For this album, I was particularly influenced by P2J, who produced the album. His energy, his spirit, his drive to create what we created. So, shout out P2J.
What’s your star sign? “If you know about star signs, and you know me, you’ll know I’m definitely a Gemini” – Jorja Smith
6. Tell me about the work you’ve been doing with your independent record label, Famm.
Famm represents singer-songwriters, rappers, artists and support artists on their creative journey and process when we can. We represent Eni, who’s a rapper, Demay, Michelle, Kanika, Shivani, who are singers, Brick Nasty, a band, and then Maverick Sabre, who’s a singer, to name a few.
7. What is your earliest memory of making music?
I was maybe like eight and my mum took me to some kind of wacky warehouse with a friend of hers who has two sons of the same age. I obviously thought, “oh wow, he could be my boyfriend,” and I went back home and wrote a song about him. I remember the lyrics were like, “Whatever the weather, I love you”.
8. So cute, bring it back. What piece of advice would you give to that girl, young Jorja?
Keep at it, don’t stop, keep going. And trust your gut.
9. What does music offer as a tool for communication?
I like listening to people sing about things they’re going through and relating to them. Maybe I’m going through them too – then I don’t feel so alone. It’s the same when I’m writing music about things I’m going through and people say how they relate to it and that listening to it helped them through something. I also love how songs can take a life of their own. How I interpret a song may be nothing like what it was written about. Sometimes they mean completely different things for other people, and I think that’s beautiful.
10. If you weren't doing music, what do you think you’d be doing?
I think I’d still be writing – maybe I’d be writing books, novels, scripts. I used to write poems. Before I wrote songs, I wrote stories but I never finished them. I’d always do like chapter one and a blurb, then stop.
11. What does a day in the life of Jorja Smith look like?
Depends what type of day it is. Is it a day that doesn’t consist of any work?
Let’s say a day off in the life of Jorja Smith.
A day off ... OK, wake up, go for a walk, come back home, do some form of exercise, like go to the gym or something, then I’ll prepare some food, and then go to the studio – that’s not work, the studio is chilling.
12. What’s the song you’re listening to on repeat at the moment? Can you recall your favourite lyrics?
Offerings by Ibeyi. They’ve just dropped their new album, and that song sounds like a breath of fresh air. Actually it kind of sounds like an actual breath, if that makes sense. There’s something really light about it, but at the same time, what they’re singing about isn’t light at all. They say “You broke my heart so I’d give in offerings, I guess my heart is an offering. I guess my heart isn’t offering.” It’s a really beautiful song, and I’ve got it stuck in my head.
13. What is one thing about you that no one knows?
Well, if it’s something that no one knows and I don’t want anyone to know otherwise it wouldn’t be something that no one knows.
14. What’s your star sign?
Gemini, which is maybe why I said what I said above. If you know about star signs, and you know me, you’ll know I’m definitely a Gemini. I’m indecisive, but at the same time decisive. I definitely have two sides to me – I’ve got that duality shit going on.
How do you find life in the public eye? “It’s not something I wanted as an 18-year-old putting out music. I didn’t really think about the consequences of what happens if you put out music and it does really well. I’m getting to grips with it, trying to take it in my stride, and yeah, I’m still figuring it out” – Jorja Smith
15. What makes you happy?
Time. Time makes me happy, like, just having time for things. Time to think. Time to myself. Time in everything.
16. What makes you angry or sad?
I get angry or sad when I’m doubting myself or not being certain about things, but it’s not really anger or sadness. It’s just life.
17. What is a mantra for life that you stand by?
Lean into the feelings, whatever they are. Whether it’s up, down, happy, sad, just lean into it. It’s your body telling you something.
18. What is one thing you couldn’t live without?
Friends and family. My friends are my family.
19. How do you relax?
Sleep.
20. How do you find life in the public eye?
Strange. It’s challenging. It’s still changing and I’m still figuring it out. It’s not something I wanted as an 18-year-old putting out music. I didn’t really think about the consequences of what happens if you put out music and it does really well. I’m getting to grips with it, trying to take it in my stride, and yeah, I’m still figuring it out. It’s only now I think I’m reflecting on it, and thinking about, you know, going from being somebody nobody knows from Walsall to someone people from across the world know. It’s a bit weird, isn’t it? It’s definitely not normal.
What Are The Odds by Jorja Smith is out on 21 August.
