Jorja Smith Drops ‘By Any Means,’ First Song From Roc Nation’s Social-Justice-Themed Album ‘Reprise’ (Listen)
Rising British singer-songwriter Jorja Smith — whose 2018 full-length debut, “Lost & Found,” was one of Variety’s top albums of 2018 — today dropped the new track “By Any Means,” the lead single from Roc Nation’s upcoming “Reprise” project. Listen to it below.
Smith has often addressed social issues in her music: her 2016 breakout hit “Blue Lights” speaks to police brutality, and “By Any Means” tackles the urgent energy surrounding 2020’s larger civil rights movement. While the song is a mid-tempo ballad, its message is anything but chill: “I take pride in the things that we’ve done / Side by side in the revolution / Won’t stay silent for things that I love.”
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Smith in a statement, “The inspiration behind ‘By Any Means’ really came from going to the Black Lives Matter protest and leaving thinking, what can I do to keep this conversation going? It’s not just a post on social media, its life.”
According to the announcement, “Reprise,” a collection of songs curated by Roc Nation, is a forthcoming initiative, comprised of multiple artists uniting to let their voices be heard in musical protest. This collection of songs was compiled with hopes to bring awareness to social justice issues. A portion of proceeds will go to funding organizations that support victims of police brutality, hate crimes, and other violations of civil rights.
Since the release of “Lost & Found,” Smith dropped the single, “Be Honest,” with Burna Boy that has become her biggest hit to date, and more new music is in the works for release later this year.
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