Jorja Smith's Bold Return: New Album & WizKid Collab Drop!

British singer Jorja Smith has officially announced her new album, titled “What Are the Odds LP,” which is scheduled for release on August 21 via FAMM. This highly anticipated project reunites Smith with acclaimed producer P2J, who played a significant role in her 2023 album, “Falling or Flying.” P2J, alongside J Money, has collaboratively shaped the album’s sound, continuing Jorja Smith’s exploration of an inventive U.K. garage aesthetic, seamlessly blending it with elements of grime and house music.

Smith shared insights into the album’s organic creation process with Billboard, stating, “This album came together really naturally. There was never a big plan; it was just me making music that felt right in the moment.” She elaborated on the collaborative dynamic, adding, “Working with P2J, we started experimenting with different sounds, pulling from U.K. garage, grime and house (funky house, Afro house) and it all grew from there.” While the musicality evokes an uplifting feeling, Smith noted that the lyrics often carry a poignant tone, addressing themes such as growing up, love, loss, friendships, and the journey of self-discovery. She emphasized trusting her instincts throughout the making of the record, a quality she believes is evident in the final product.

The rollout for “What Are the Odds” commenced in May with the release of the self-assuring single “What’s Done Is Done.” This was followed on July 2 by the second single, “Alive,” a collaboration featuring Afrobeats pioneer WizKid. “Alive” captures the euphoric essence of a new, love-drunk relationship, with its visual accompaniment set in Paris. Smith expressed her enthusiasm for working with WizKid, noting that the collaboration felt effortless. “We wrote and recorded it together in London. I think we captured that feeling when you’re at the beginning of something with someone and everything feels exciting,” she remarked. Smith also lauded WizKid’s influential role in popularizing Afrobeats globally, considering it a special honor to have a song with him.

“What Are the Odds” marks Jorja Smith’s third studio album and comprises 12 tracks. Beyond the collaboration with WizKid, the only other featured artist on the album is grime artist Devlin, who appears on the track “This City.” Following the album’s release, Jorja Smith is set to co-headline the All Points East festival at London’s Victoria Park on the evening of August 21, sharing the stage with Tems.

Meanwhile, producer J Money has had a notable year, including a musical guest appearance on the debut season of Saturday Night Live UK in April. He also collaborated with Mobb Deep’s Havoc for a remix of Smith’s classic “Blue Lights” and contributed “Price of It All” to Amazon MGM Studios’ “Bait” soundtrack.

The full tracklist for “What Are the Odds” includes: “For Life,” “What Are the Odds,” “What’s Done Is Done,” “This City” (feat. Devlin), “Pretend,” “The Way It Was,” “I Lied, You Lied,” “Dancing,” “Alive”(feat. Wizkid), “Young Heart,” “Make It Your Home,” and “When It Gets Like That.”