Having recently released the new single “Addicted,” UK soul/R&B singer Jorja Smith has now announced a new eight-song project, Be Right Back, featuring that song and the just-released “Gone.” It arrives May 14 via FAMM (pre-order). Compared to the atmospheric art pop of “Addicted,” “Gone” sounds a little more organic and jazzy, and it’s yet another great taste of this new project.

“There’s something about being able to write about one thing and for it to mean so many different things to others,” Jorja says of “Gone.” “I love that this song, well any of my songs really, will be interpreted in different ways, depending on the experiences of the people listening. This one is just me asking why people have to be taken from us.” Listen below.

Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1 about why Be Right Back is not necessarily her “second album,” Jorja said, “I really was going to call it, ‘This is not my second album.’ I was actually going to call it that. Because I think, so these songs I’ve had, these songs are songs that I love and that I’ve written in the past two years and I’m not ready to do an album. I want to tour my album when I can tour my album. And also I just know that there’s just another level that I feel I can get to musically in all aspects. Creatively as well, vision, everything. But this I feel like, I miss my fans, man. I miss them. I miss shows. I want to give them something. This last year and again this year has been so tough. Music’s great, music’s a little escape and that’s why this little project, I’m calling it Be Right Back. Because I just want to dip in dip out. But I want it to be a little safe escape for right now, for my fans. Because I know they miss me. They say it all the time. Now people expect stuff. There’s so much stuff, music, videos, all the time, that you expect it. And it’s like, I only dropped my first album three years ago.”

Jorja also released the Popcaan-featuring single “Come Over” in 2020 and she appears on the new song “Nobody But You” by Brent Faiyaz’s group Sonder. Be Right Back follows her 2018 debut album Lost & Found.

Tracklist
1. Addicted
2. Gone
3. Bussdown (feat. Shaybo)
4. Time
5. Home
6. Burn
7. Digging
8. Weekend