The format of Saturday Night Live is not new to fans of the show in the United States, but for Brits, the show can feel a little awkward. Live music is included, of course, and that has been somewhat devalued on television. This is where Jorja Smith comes in.
For most of a decade, the singer has been dropping Sade-like singles and a couple of albums. Americans watching SNL UK on replay will learn a few things about how British people see the world, but also hear some musical acts we aren't necessarily used to. Smith is one of those.
Does she have crossover appeal? Maybe. She definitely has a solid voice, and Smith knows how to play off the rhythm of her tracks, but she isn't Sabrina Carpenter, for instance, in terms of delivering candy pop with a heavy dose of sexuality. That isn't a bad thing for Smith, either.
Jorja Smith performs twice on Saturday Night Live UK, but how good was she?
She lets her songs do the talking, and while she is clearly the center of attention, she doesn't want any soft porn elements, at least not on the Jack Whitehall-hosted episode of Saturday Night Live she was on.
"Little Things"
The song begins with congas only but switches quickly into a full band with backup singers. Smith doesn't strain to bring much volume. She isn't a rock star after all. She stands in front of her microphone, dressed in black with a swish of blue on the top, and sings in a somewhat closed-mouth way to emote the melody without screaming. It fits her sound.
She sways, but doesn't dance. The song is club music for the same people who would enjoy their martini shaken, not stirred. There is a coolness to it.
The track is solid, though the chorus is far too repetitive. Around the two-minute mark is a bridge, and she shows off her excellent voice a bit more. The song needs more of that, and the instrumental ending at the end goes on a bit too long without a proper finish.
"Price of It All"
The tune is from the soundtrack of Bait, a series one can watch on Amazon Prime. What the song offers is a very laid-back feel, which one can imagine listening to while holding a glass of wine very late in the evening.
The song is easy to listen to, though without enough character to truly stand out. Maybe that is part of the point of Jorja Smith, however. The music is meant to provide a vibe, and it does so and sounds good.
Vocally, Smith hints that she might be about to break from her pure smooth sound with a bit more ache, but never does. Doing so might have hurt the integrity of the track. The performer and the song are worth a listen, and might soothe someone on the verge of a rage.