Behind the Music: Jorja Smith on “I Lied, You Lied”

I’m Jorja Smith, born and raised in Walsall in the West Midlands, UK. I’m just here to be the soundtrack to parts of your lives.

When I wrote “I Lied, You Lied,” I was thinking about that heavy, exhausting space where attraction runs right into dishonesty. We’ve all been stuck in those cycles—sending mixed signals, holding on because it’s familiar, but knowing deep down that a situation has run its course. It’s not about a clean, easy break. It’s about the messy reality of still caring for someone while realizing that affection alone isn’t enough to fix a broken dynamic.

Stripping It Back

Working with P2J and Marco Bernardis on this record was all about keeping things raw and uncluttered. We didn’t want to overthink it. There are sparse piano chords, smooth sax lines, and clean electronic production that leave plenty of room to breathe, letting the actual emotion of the vocal carry the weight.

With What Are The Odds, I wanted to lean back into the electronic sounds that raised me—pulling from UK Garage, Grime, 2-Step, and House, but keeping that close, personal R&B core intact.

Making this independently has reminded me why I started writing music in the first place: just to capture a moment and share it. Whether you’re blasting this on a late-night drive or sitting with your own thoughts at home, I hope it makes you feel a little less alone.