Songs of the year, number 10: Childish Gambino - In the Night ft. Jorja Smith & Amaarae (Audio)

This stylish collaboration between US rapper and auteur Childish Gambino, UK R&B diva Jorja Smith and American-Ghanian singer/songwriter Amaarae has all the hallmarks of a summer anthem. Which is saying something in a year that was really quite crowded with summer anthems (shame there was no summer really...). 'In The Night' has an irresistible hook that really complements the light, bouncy energy of the track overall, guaranteeing it will be stuck in your head for days afterwards. 

Songs of the year, number 20: Jorja Smith - Little Things

Jorja Smith's 'Little Things' was a particularly stylish summer bop this year. It had everything from atmosphere, hedonism, carnival and hints of jazz tinged sophistication and it really reflects the extent to which Smith is not your average diva. Her music is built to last. 

Jorja Smith - Little Things

A fun party song from Walsall queen Jorja Smith, who always delivers. The songs video tells the story of the song, with a boy and a girl attending a party, eyes meeting across a crowded room... and so on. This tale of giddying attraction is wrapped up in a highly energetic dance track that has carnival echoes and strong dance floor potential. A perfect summer anthem.

Songs of the year, Number 8: Ibeyi - Lavender and Red Roses feat. Jorja Smith (Official Music Video)

Afro-French-Cuban twin sister duo Ibeyi released their third album Spell 31 back in May. The title is a reference to a passage in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, which is quoted within the album's soundscape. 

On 'Lavender and Red Roses' they perform three part harmonies with Walsall superstar Jorja Smith and the effect is stunningly good. Minimal beats and subtle instrumentation serve to provide a bed for the vocals, which are very much the star of the show here. Lyrically, it seems to be about the anguish and powerlessness that comes from trying (and failing) to save a loved one from an indeterminate darkness while knowing that, sooner or later, you will have to cut the chord. 

That Smith's vocals blend and weave so seamlessly with those of Lisa-Kaindé Diaz and Naomi Diaz is at the heart of the tracks success. It would be nice to hear future collaborations between the three of them in the future, either as an Ibeyi release or as a Jorja Smith release, but independently and together, all three artists are always worth a listen. 

Songs of the year, number 6: Jorja Smith - Rose Rouge

Originally recorded and released as part of the Blue Note Reimagined project, which saw the current crop of young UK jazz artists re-working some of the labels earlier hits alongside jazz favourites from elsewhere, Smith's gloriously expansive and soaring version of St Germain's 'Rose Rouge' gathered a new significance after the death of George Floyd in the US at the end of May. In early July Smith unveiled a video to accompany the track in which she collaged footage of #BlackLivesMatter protests across the UK and US alongside historic footage of civil rights marches in the 1960s. She also announced that she would be donating all proceeds from sales of the track to Kwanda.

Kali Uchis and Jorja Smith - Tyrant - Later 25 live at the Royal Albert ...

This is Kali Uchis performing her single 'Tyrant' with Jorja Smith as part of Later Live at the Royal Albert Hall back in 2017. While there are quite a few live full set recordings of Kali on YouTube, they're all really bad quality, so I haven't been able to bring myself to link to any of them here. Meantime, here's a link to her lockdown EP, To Feel Alive, which you can hear in full on her YouTube channel.

Jorja Smith - Teenage Fantasy (Glastonbury 2019)

This is Jorja Smith performing her song 'Teenage Fantasy' at Glastonbury 2019. You can watch a short fragment of her set for MTV Push in early 2019 here.

Fantasy Festival number 14: The Lineup

Koffee: Koffee is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, rapper, DJ and guitarist. She released the critically acclaimed EP Rapture in 2019. You can find out more about her here.

Suzi Wu: Suzie McDermott from North London signed to Def Jam last year and has, to date, released two EP's, Teenage Witch (which included 'Taken Care Of') and Error 404 (which included 'Highway'). Her oeuvre is very much in the line of world weary vocals and crunchy beats. You can find out more here.

Jorja Smith: Walsall singer Jorja Smith is on the rise. Her debut album was critically and commercially well received, and everyone either has collaborated with her, or wants to do so. She writes unflinchingly about social issues and has the voice of an angel. You can find out more here.

Estelle: Hip Hop, R&B, soul and reggae singer Estelle lives in the US these days. Her most recent album was a slice of pure lovers rock (called Lovers Rock) in 2018, and she stamped her identity on that genre of music perfectly. You can find out more over on her Insta.

Lykke Li: Swedish born singer and songwriter Lykke Li creates sophisticated left of centre pop music with seemingly effortless ease. All of her four albums have been well received and she continues to climb the ladder. You can find out more here.

Jessie Ware: Londoner Jessie Ware makes smooth pop soul and dance floor bangers with irresistible hooks. She also does a rather fine food podcast with her mum. You can find out more about Jessie's music here.

Solange: The goddess that is Solange Knowles was initially better known for her songwriting than for her singing, but her classic third album A Seat At The Table changed all that. Since then, she's appeared at quite a few festivals and it's very likely that you would have had the chance to see her this summer, promoting her current album When I Get Home. You can find out more here.