On November 24th, 21-year-old England native Jorja Smith performed an unforgettable show at The Warfield in San Francisco, leaving the crowd in awe and simply beaming throughout the night. This tour served as the live debut of her critically-acclaimed and first studio album Lost and Found (2018).
After the opener, Ravyn Lenae, completed her short set, she concluded by introducing Jorja Smith as “one of the most beautiful and lovely performers she has ever worked with,” which does not even begin to credit Smith for her glowing and endearing personal aesthetic. Alongside a simple set that consisted of a glimmering silver backdrop and large round warehouse lights, Smith walked on stage and performed an effortless-sounding set, beginning with the opener from her debut album, Lost and Found, and ending with a encore comprised of an emotional performance of “Don’t Watch Me Cry” and a venue-wide dance party to the beat of the song “On My Mind.” From start to finish, the high hopes of the audience were beyond fulfilled.
Photo by: Zee Khan
Her humble attitude shined throughout the night as she commented on how amazed she was by the crowd’s energy, calling it one of her best shows yet. As the British soul singer continued singing her songs —which undoubtedly resemble the work of Amy Winehouse and Erykah Badu — her band included improvisation which further proved how her and the instrumentalists were on the same wavelength. The talent of the members of her band, four musicians that played the piano, guitar, bass and drums, was especially highlighted through their ability to play along Smith’s improvisations while still mixing in longer solos or soft interludes.
Overall the concert, a direct representation of Jorja Smith’s catalogue, embodied her stories of love, youth and insecurity. The perfect blend of R&B, soul, and hip-hop in company with Jorja Smith’s charming stage presence not only made her sold-out concert one for The Warfield’s book, but one of the best concerts I’ve attended in a while. I think I can speak for myself and the rest of the crowd when I say that her performance left me yearning for more.