Jorja Smith has opened up about recent online commentary about her weight on social media and said sometimes she “can’t escape” negative comments.
The “Be Honest” singer, 26, said the comments were “actually crazy”, adding that she had “never ever been super skinny”.
In a new interview in The Guardian, published today (Friday 14 July), Smith admitted that she wished she had given herself a stage name instead of being known by her real name, “so at least I could detach myself” from social media.
“It’s funny, my friend said, ‘I thought you didn’t read comments?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t, but sometimes it’s like I can’t escape it’,” she said.
A video of her performing a remix of her song “Little Things” with record producer Nia Archives posted on her YouTube channel garnered hundreds of comments about her weight, which continued on Twitter as well.
“There’s loads of talk about my weight, which is actually crazy,” Smith said. “Because, right, I’m 26. I’m not 18. I’ve never ever been super skinny – I’ve been slimmer, but I’ve also been younger, and a kid.”
She continued: “Coming into the campaign, I felt a bit like, I’ve been busy, I haven’t done as much gym. I am eating healthier, but I was chatting to some friends from school and saying that maybe I’ve got to that age where I put on weight a bit more easily now.
“Things change, don’t they, with your body? … I’m like, damn, I feel a bit insecure about it and now people are commenting on it.”
Jorja Smith performs at the Hia Magazine 30th Anniversary Gala on December 07, 2022 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia— (Getty Images for Hia Magazine)
However, Smith appeared determined not to allow the comments to bring her down, adding: “I have to think, ‘What are they going through?’ No one’s ever said anything in person, never. It’s very interesting.”
Following the initial criticism of her appearance, Smith’s fans have defended her against the wave of online negativity.
One person wrote: “I saw tweets complaining that Jorja Smith gained weight. Then I stepped outside and looked at the sky. It was still blue. I touched the ground. It hadn’t crumbled. I opened a tap. The water was clear instead of it being blood. The world did not end because she gained weight.”
Another added: “What does Jorja Smith losing or gaining weight have to do with any of y’all lmao [sic] why is there discourse?”
Smith released her debut album Lost & Found in 2018, which received critical acclaim. The Independent’s Ilana Kaplan gave it four out of five stars and described it as a “slow-burning debut navigating the complexities of young adulthood”.
In May, R&B singer announced her second album Falling or Flying will be released in September and is available for pre-order. Two singles have been released from the album, including “Little Things” and “Try Me”.
