Jorja Smith Delivers A Star-Studded All Points East Homecoming

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If there was ever a festival day that felt like a love letter to the sounds shaping modern British music, it was Friday night at Victoria Park. Curated by Jorja Smith and her FAMM label, the opening day of All Points East brought together a generation of artists moving effortlessly between R&B, Afrobeats, garage, jungle and rap, before Smith closed the night with a headline performance that felt like a celebration of her journey.

From Kwn’s understated R&B to Tems’ global presence, every set contributed to something bigger. Kwn delivered an intimate, emotionally charged performance, which includes are of her latest crowd pleasing hits.

Then came Tems, effortlessly commanding the East Stage with her signature blend of Afrobeats, soul and alternative R&B. Performing tracks including ‘Crazy Tings’, ‘Essence’ and ‘I’m Not Sure’, she had the crowd firmly in the palm of her hand before Dave appeared for ‘Raindance’. The surprise arrival sent Victoria Park into a frenzy, making it one of the evening’s defining moments.

Then came the one and only Jorja Smith. Opening with the iconic ‘Blue Lights’, the song that introduced the world to her a decade ago, Smith delivered a set spanning ‘Teenage Fantasy’, ‘The One’, ‘Come Over’, ‘Little Things’, ‘Be Honest' and more.

But it was the guests that made the headline set truly special. Odeal joined Smith before Kyla appeared for UK funky house classic ‘Do You Mind’, while Nia Archives emerged for ‘Get Me Down’, bringing a dose of contemporary jungle to the set.

AJ Tracey followed for ‘Crush’ and ‘Ladbroke Grove’, before Smith shared an old video of herself singing along to Katy B’s ‘Katy On A Mission’ as a young girl. Moments later, Katy B herself appeared on stage to perform the classic alongside her. It was a genuine full-circle moment and one of the night’s most memorable highlights.

Ultimately, Smith’s headline set was more than a greatest-hits performance, it was a celebration of the music that shaped her, the artists she has grown alongside and the sounds that have defined British youth culture.

For the last decade, Jorja Smith has effortlessly soundtracked our lives, moving between R&B, soul, garage, hip-hop and Afrobeats while carving out a sound entirely her own. Her carefully curated night brought together established icons, contemporary trailblazers and the next generation, creating a bill that felt distinctly British, proudly Black and completely of the moment.

A day and night to remember. Roll on All Points East 2027!

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