Jorja Smith finds her place with ‘Where Did I Go’

Every weekday, DIY’s new music know-it-all Neu brings you one essential new release to get obsessed with. Today’s Neu Pick comes from Jorja Smith.

Jorja Smith’s early impact on 2016 can’t be understated. The Walsall-born, London-based newcomer paints emotions in the most striking of shades, and her debut single ‘Blue Lights’ was no fluke. She followed it up with the Henry Purcell-nodding ‘A Prince’, and now she’s joined the dots with another huge track, ‘Where Did I Go’.

BBC Radio 1Xtra’s MistaJam just given the song it’s first play, and DIY has the exclusive below. It finds Jorja linking deft, open-ended piano notes with another example of her note-bending, adventurous songwriting. Cadenza produces, splintering deft beats into unknown places.

Get to know the 18-year-old star with our new Neu interview. She talks considering a life in the force before taking the plunge with music.

This summer, Jorja Smith plays Wild Life (11th-12th June), Wireless (8th-10th July) and Lovebox (15th-16th July).

Photo: Chloe Newman.