Singer Jorja Smith loving life living back in her beloved Walsall after leaving London

The star, who has recorded with superstars including Drake, says she has bought a 'dream home' near to where she grew up in the Black Country.

The 400-year-old farmhouse is currently being renovated but the singer is loving life being surrounded by her family and real friends instead of playing the fame game with her showbiz set.

She told The Sunday Times: "Honestly, I wish I had moved back years ago. At least before lockdown. London made me feel stressed, it never felt like home."

However, her new home has needed a lot of work to make it habitable.

She said: "It fell apart, first the roof collapsed, then the floors. But it is definitely my dream house. It is in the countryside, with lots of farms and fields. It is where I used to walk the dog when I was a kid."

The 26-year-old singer has released a new album, Falling or Flying, the long awaited follow up to her 2018 gold-selling debut Lost and Found.

And she has made it with West Midlands-based female production duo DameDame, one of whom she has known since she was 15.

However, with the new album she has had to do photo shoots and has already been getting abuse online for her image. "Jorja Smith weight gain" trended on Twitter for two days.

The singer told The Sunday Times her new figure is down to being more healthier, eating more and smoking less cannabis.

"I used to smoke so much weed. I never ate a full meal, the whole time I have been putting out music I've only picked at food.

"I don't do that anymore, I have not smoked once since I have moved back to Walsall. Now I eat normal portions. I am now actually healthy but people want to have a go at me. I can't win. I'm never going to win but I want people to know that their comments don't bounce off me."

Flying or Falling will be released on September 29.