Jorja Smith’s voice is so powerful, it could halve a mountain.
The UK singer’s latest noire-inspired single, “Let Me Down,” is overwhelming in the best ways—from the soaring high notes to the earthy vibrattos. It will leave you in an emotive vice grip.
The grandiosity of the vocal is matched only by the quite viscera of her writing. “Sometimes, I wouldn’t mind if I was less important / But I’ve got you to let me down,” she sings, fusing despondence and anxiety into a touching hook.
Fellow UK artist Stormzy taps into the somber mood with an introspective verse, taking to task fleeting time and whether or not he deserves a woman “wasting” her love on him. “So girl, don’t love me, I mean it / When I say I love you, I mean it,” he raps, echoing Smith’s sentiments to a T.
Following a series of singles, a Drake feature, and 2016’s Project 11 EP, “Let Me Down” is positioned to be the single that begins her breakout year.