Once upon a time in London, Jorja Smith was a Starbucks barista writing poetry and stories, and developing her own original songs. Although she was first discovered at the age of 15 after uploading a series of covers to YouTube, her recent ascent has been a precipitous one. It’s on record that Smith has been playing music since the precocious age of 8, but her set at the Tabernacle on a rainy Sunday night was just one of the handful of performances given after it was announced she had been nominated for a Grammy as Best New Artist.

Dressed in a long white dress and matching sneakers, she entered the stage to a raucous crowd chanting her name. This was an all ages event, but unlike so many of these shows, the crowd was not all young and green. There were audience members of all ages, races, and genders present to witness just what the buzz was about England’s current “it” girl. And it was indeed one of the smoothest sets from an emerging star. Smith’s stage presence came with little fanfare—the energy was languid, the sing-a-longs felt like hymns.

Smith’s impressive vocal chops do most of the work for her. Her voice immediately brings to mind the late Amy Winehouse, a comparison Smith has spoken at length about to the press. At 21, she sings about social issues, social equality, police brutality, nostalgia, and love. She seems an old soul, both onstage and off. Perhaps this is why her stage presence is not that one of a Rihanna, or even a SZA, but instead something entirely hers. There’s a demure shyness there, but you have to really squint to see it on her face.

Over the course of the evening, Smith performed favorites like “Teenage Fantasy,” “Where Did I Go?,” “On My Mind,” and “Blue Lights.” The latter provided the most energy, but it appeared Smith’s head was in the clouds for most of the performance. Perhaps this was due to the singer’s recent bouts with tonsillitis and swollen vocal chords, which forced her to cancel a string of shows earlier this month. Or maybe it was because Smith’s band was placed so far behind her as she sung, instead of hugging the vocalist in a “U” shape as is often done. In any case, the production felt somewhat lackluster, although Smith’s stellar vocals were more enough to keep the crowd enchanted throughout the night.

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All photos © Copyright 2018 Wildy Civil. You can connect with him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, or via his website, Civil Creations.

More Info
Web: jorjasmith.com
Facebook: @jorjasmithmusic
Instagram: @jorjasmith_
SoundCloud: @jorjasmith
Twitter: @JorjaSmith