After directing a number of superb videos for Jorja Smith, KC Locke accompanied the singer on a nostalgic journey back to Walsall, the West Midlands town where she grew up, for Spotify's new Hometown series.

Locke says that making the film was also a case of him going back to where it all started in covering music on camera. 

"As the launch film for Spotify’s Hometown series, it was an opportunity to get back to my music documentary roots," he says. "It allowed me to spend time with an artist exploring the people, places and experiences that shaped them. With Jorja, that meant returning to Walsall and understanding what home means to her today.

"Having worked together on several projects, we’d built a trust that allowed us to keep things relaxed and open. I wanted to give her room to lead, letting conversations unfold and familiar places bring back memories. The humour, small exchanges and time spent with family gave the film its character.

"What interested me was how that connection to home continues to grow. For Jorja, coming back means reconnecting, but also giving back and creating opportunities for the community she grew up in. I wanted to capture that through her own words and the moments we shared along the way.

"There’s something I’ve always loved about working in music documentary: having a clear idea of what you want to explore, while staying open to what happens in front of you. This project gave me space to return to that way of filmmaking."