19-02-2025
Jorja Smith putting Black Country hometown accent on map
Brit Award-winning musician Jorja Smith has made the Black Country accent go viral on social media. The 27-year-old from Walsall recently released new single Crush with AJ Tracey, which features her rapping. Thousands of fans across the globe picked up on her accent, with many saying they "love" it and were trying to find out where it was from. Walsall Tiktoker Madson Hodgson said: "Never in my life have I heard someone saying that Walsall is the most exotic accent in the UK."
Mr Hodgson said it was good to see such positive comments about the accent online. "It's normally slander," he said. "'Eugh, where's that accent from?' I don't want to hear that no more - never again!" In Walsall, people are feeling "proud" their accent was being recognised globally. Libby Wood told BBC Radio WM of her thoughts about the news. "It's got a bad rep everywhere, people think it makes people sound stupid, that we're slow, but I think it's a really nice accent," she said. "It makes me think of family, I think it's very warm and friendly."
Smith was born in Walsall in 1997 and began writing songs aged earned a music scholarship at Aldridge School in Walsall and was found by a music manager when she was Jenkins, who was a few years below Smith at school in Aldridge, said: "I think she's inspired a lot of people around here to sing to be fair."When I was at school, everybody was doing it. And obviously [it's] made people more confident in their accent as well."
Meanwhile, Lisa Sweet from the area said: "It makes a nice change, because most people don't think our accent's very good.""I wouldn't say it's exotic myself, personally, but it's a nice thought."Smith's debut album Lost and Found spent three weeks in the Top has also won awards including the Brits Critics' Choice Award and Best British Female Artist.
Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
