THE APEX TIMES
Jorja Smith Announces ‘What Are the Odds’ LP and Releases ‘Alive’ Featuring WizKid
The British R&B singer said her third studio album, What Are the Odds, will arrive Aug. 21, led by a new track with Afrobeats star WizKid.
Jorja Smith announced her upcoming third studio album, What Are the Odds, and released a new single, Alive, featuring WizKid, on July 2. Billboard reported that the album is set for release on Aug. 21 through FAMM, as Smith continued her summer rollout with a second track following the earlier May single What’s Done Is Done.
In its reporting on the announcement, Billboard said Smith worked with producer P2J across the full project. The publication framed the collaboration as a continuation of the sound Smith explored in her 2023 album Falling or Flying, with P2J serving as a primary creative partner.
Billboard also quoted Smith describing how the album came together. She said there was “never a big plan,” describing the process as making music that “felt right in the moment,” and said the sessions involved experimenting with U.K. garage, grime and house elements, including what it described as funky house and Afro house influences.
On the lyrical side, Billboard reported that Smith characterized the songs as emotionally varied, saying the music can feel uplifting while the lyrics include sadness at times. She linked the themes to growing up, love, loss, friendships, and working through changes as she goes, and she said she “trusted my instincts” with the record.
The July 2 single Alive, as described by Billboard, pairs Smith with WizKid for a love-themed collaboration. The outlet said the track leans into the euphoria of what it described as the honeymoon phase of a relationship, building on the broader cross-genre momentum between R&B and Afrobeats.
Billboard noted that What Are the Odds began its rollout in May with the self-assuring What’s Done Is Done. With Alive now released, Smith’s announcement establishes the next scheduled milestone for listeners: the full album release on Aug. 21.
For fans and the broader music market, the timing places a new project squarely in the late-summer release window, following a staged release strategy that typically helps sustain attention between singles and album drop dates. The announcement also keeps Smith’s recording output aligned with a producer-led creative approach centered on P2J, rather than rotating across multiple production teams.
Why It Matters
- The Aug. 21 timing gives Smith an album release in a key mid-to-late summer window, with July singles intended to maintain listener engagement ahead of the full drop.
- A full-project production partnership with P2J suggests a cohesive studio direction, which can influence how the album is marketed, reviewed, and streamed as a unit.
- The WizKid feature reflects continued cross-genre collaboration between R&B and Afrobeats, which can affect audience reach across international markets.
- A staggered release plan, starting in May and continuing with a July single, impacts how streaming platforms and media outlets pace coverage leading into the album release date.
Key Facts
- Jorja Smith announced her third studio album, What Are the Odds, with a planned release date of Aug. 21 via FAMM.
- On July 2, Smith released the lead single Alive featuring WizKid.
- Billboard reported that Smith worked with producer P2J across the entirety of What Are the Odds.
- Billboard reported Smith described the album’s creation as coming together naturally, without a “big plan,” and said she trusted her instincts for the record.
- Billboard reported that the project’s rollout began in May with the single What’s Done Is Done.
- Billboard described Alive as a collaboration focused on the “honeymoon phase” of a relationship.