THE QUEEN OF BRITISH SOUL
Hooded Jacket STONE ISLAND AW’025 TRANSLUCENT COVER + COTTON MOLESKIN GARMENT DYED LOOK 19 | Glasses RELLIK LONDON | Earrings STYLIST’S OWN
NEARLY TEN YEARS AFTER RECORDING ‘BLUE LIGHTS’ BETWEEN SHIFTS AT HER LOCAL STARBUCKS, JORJA SMITH HAS BECOME ONE OF THE UK’S MOST TREASURED ARTISTS, WITHOUT LETTING ANY OF IT CHANGE HER. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EDIT FROM HARDCOPY VOL.2 WHERE JORJA SAT DOWN WITH TOM GEORGE TO REFLECT ON A DECADE OF MUSIC, GOING BACK HOME AND TRUSTING HERSELF.
Photography and Creative Direction NICK THOMPSON
Fashion Direction JORDAN KELSEY AT CANVAS REPRESENTS
Interview and Words TOM GEORGE Edited by LINA LEVEIN
Hair DANIELLE IGOR
Make up GRACE SINNOTT
Art Direction OLLIE EVANS AT TOO HOT
Production SIAN SAUNDERS
Videographer IVOR LAWSON ADAMAH
Photo Assistant JACK BEERE
Vehicle supplied by MCR 911 ANDY BELLINGHAM
Overshirt STONE ISLAND DENIM RESEARCH AW’025 INDIGO DENIM-RAW LOOK 87 | Jeans STONE ISLAND DENIM RESEARCH AW’025 INDIGO DENIM-RINSED REGULAR STRAIGHT FIT 5-POCKET LOOK 93 | Earrings STYLIST’S OWN | Shoes JIMMY CHOO
Parka STONE ISLAND AW’025 UNEVEN RIPSTOP PRISMATICO GARMENT DYED HOODED LOOK 53 | Ring TOM WOOD | Earrings STYLIST’S OWN | Glasses RELLIK LONDON | Shoes JIMMY CHOO
HardCOPY: It’s been such a packed year for you, touring, festivals, lots of new music. Has it been a bit of a whirlwind?
Jorja Smith: Yeah, it definitely has, but I feel like that’s pretty normal for artists. The last three shows (Paris, Bristol, and Toulouse) were honestly some of the best we’ve ever played. Now that the tour’s wrapped, I’m back in the studio, which I’m so excited about. It feels amazing to be writing again. I’m really in that creative zone again.
HC: What moments make you feel most connected to your music?
JS: You know what? As long as I’m in front of a microphone, I’m happy. Whether it’s on stage in front of a huge crowd or in the studio by myself, those are my favourite moments. People forget that you can actually see quite a lot from the stage. I make eye contact and connect with people, even in those massive venues.
HC: What’s one important lesson you feel you’ve learned so far in your career?
JS: There are a thousand million lessons that I’ve learned. One right now is, I’m just doing me. I trust my gut more than anything. When I started at 18, I was super naive. There wasn’t any noise. Then as things grew and I built a fanbase, other voices came in, and not all of them were helpful. Over the past couple of years, I’ve really worked on tuning out the toxic noise and reconnecting with that original spark of 18-year-old Jorja who trusted herself fully.
Coach Jacket & Utility Vest STONE ISLAND DENIM RESEARCH AW’025 INDIGO POLYPROPYLENE DENIM-RINSED & LIGHT-RINSED LOOK 80 | Cargo Trousers STONE ISLAND DENIM RESEARCH AW’025 LIGHT-RINSED LOOK 81 | Glasses JIMMY FAIRLY | Earrings STYLIST’S OWN
HC: How do you try to reconnect with that 18-year-old spark?
JS: Moving back home to Walsall made a huge difference for me. I’ve reconnected with my inner child. There’s less noise here, it’s quieter, and there’s more space to create. When I send my tunes to my parents or my team, a lot of them say they remind them of the early music I used to make.
HC: When you listen back to songs like ‘Blue Lights’, how does it make you feel?
JS: It just brings out this big smile on my face. I can vividly remember what I was going through when I wrote those songs. It’s such a warm, nostalgic feeling, like, ‘Aww, look at her.’ I’m really grateful to that younger version of me for everything she created.
Hooded Jacket & Utility Vest STONE ISLAND DENIM RESEARCH AW’025 DAVID LIGHT INDIGO-TC GARMENT DYED LOOK 86 | Jeans STONE ISLAND DENIM RESEARCH AW’025 INDIGO DENIM-RINSED REGULAR STRAIGHT FIT 5-POCKET LOOK 93 | Shoes CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Bomber Jacket STONE ISLAND AW’025 NYLON METAL IN ECONYL® REGENERATED NYLON GARMENT DYED LOOK 33 | Jeans STONE ISLAND DENIM RESEARCH AW’025 INDIGO DENIM-RINSED REGULAR STRAIGHT FIT 5-POCKET LOOK 93 | Cap STYLIST’S OWN | Scarf RELLIK LONDON | Glasses GIANFRANCO FROM RELLIK LONDON
HC: What’s one fashion trend you secretly miss from your teenage years?
JS: Jeggings! Though I’m pretty sure someone’s already tried to bring them back.
HC: With the 10-year anniversary of your start coming up, are you planning to celebrate?
JS: We’ve got a lot planned for next year. It’s crazy to think I’ve been doing this for a decade. Looking back, sure, there are things I might rethink or do differently. But overall, I believe everything happens for a reason. I did what I did, wore what I wore, sang what I sang, and that’s how I ended up here.
Read the full feature in HardCOPY Vol.2