Looking back at her debut single a decade on, Jorja Smith shares a trio of demos from the “Blue Lights” era. But is this trip down memory lane actually a launchpad for her biggest year yet?
Today, 19th January 2026, marks a decade since Jorja Smith released “Blue Lights” via Soundcloud. 10 years later, her debut single is a certified contemporary classic. Written while she was still just a teenager, Smith showed maturity beyond her years in vividly and vitally conveying the vicarious underbelly of British society, touching on policing prejudices, racial profiling, and youthful inner-city turbulence atop watery, emotive keys and snappy hip hop percussion, tastefully sampling Dizzee Rascal’s classic 2007 cut, “Sirens”.
It’s difficult to think of a more impactful first release from an artist since, immediately shooting the West Midlands-native into stardom’s orbit. And her trajectory has risen substantially since; from her monumental Mercury Prize-nominated 2018 debut album Lost & Found and the success of its stunning follow-up seven years later, Falling or Flying, to memorable festival appearances and collaborations with Drake, Burna Boy, Kendrick Lamar, Stormzy and more.
Since “Blue Lights”, Jorja has become, undoubtedly, one of British music’s biggest exports. To celebrate the 10-year landmark, she has rewarded us with some insight into the bygone era. Shared on Soundcloud alone, “Demo Dump ’16” is a trio of demo tracks from the “Blue Lights” time period – untouched, imperfect, raw, an authentic timestamp and a gateway into the artist’s early creative process. Tomorrow, 20th January, fans will vote for their favourite cut via an Instagram post, with the demo that receives the most votes set to be released officially a month later on 20th February.
Also marking 10 years of FAMM, the imprint which she co-founded and has featured on since, which boasts ENNY, Maverick Sabre, Bricknasty and more as label mates. Jorja has announced a four-track “Blue Lights” vinyl, featuring the original version, the instrumental, audio from her performance with the WDR Funkhausorchester for Machiavelli Sessions, and audio from her Tiny Desk performance. The vinyl is due on 13th February and is available to pre-order now.
While she’s looking back and reflecting on the beginning of her journey, this venture from Jorja also very much feels like her kickstarting her 2026. Not much is announced yet – bar a feature on the highly anticipated forthcoming debut album Wesley Joseph – but we’ve got it on good authority that 2026 is shaping up to be a massive year for the global heavyweight. Watch this space…
