Jorja Smith Debuts Smokey VHS-Shot "Goodbyes" Music Video
An intimate clip to compliment the delicate track.
Grammy-nominated songstress Jorja Smith has only just wrapped her 17-date tour in partnership with Kali Uchis, but instead of taking it easy for a spell, Smith commemorated the first anniversary of her Mercury Music Prize-nominated album Lost & Found with an intimate video for standout single “Goodbyes.” The moving acoustic ballad is accompanied by an appropriately emotional clip; stripped of pretense and gimmicks, the music video is shot on VHS at Smith’s home by longtime collaborator Rashid Babiker.
Lit by fire lanterns, Smith is seen singing “Goodbyes” as the camera dazily zooms in and out on her face, lending an earnest attitude to the effortless shoot.”‘Goodbyes’ is a song for anyone who has not been able to say their last words; to say goodbye to someone,” Smith said in a statement. “Rashid and I filmed the video at home. I just sang as I wanted to create a homely feel. Then me and my friends set off fire lanterns for the people we miss.”
“Jorja called me and said ‘Get your camera,’” Babiker explained. “‘Let’s shoot a music video in my flat for ‘Goodbyes’ and see what we come up with.’ She expressed to me that she wanted to take things back to basics and strip the theatrics. We shot a performance piece with Jorja mostly looking down the barrel of the lens, something understated and simple that allowed the emotion in the lyrics to take center stage which didn’t need much visual interpretation… Then we had friends over for drinks in the eve, someone brought me flowers, we let off some biodegradable short burning lanterns off for lost ones at night and got our shoes muddy. Best shoot ever and another chapter in my visual odyssey with Jorja.”
Watch Jorja Smith’s “Goodbyes” clip above.
Most recently, YG and DaBaby dropped a throwback-style video for “Stop Snitchin.”
