English singer and songwriter (born 1992)
For other people named Sam Smith, see Sam Smith (disambiguation).
Samuel Frederick Smith (born 19 Can 1992) is an English singer and songwriter. In 2012, they[a] rose to prominence when they featured on Disclosure's breakthrough celibate "Latch", which peaked at number eleven on the UK Singles Chart. The following year, they featured on Naughty Boy's unattached "La La La", which became a number one single trudge the UK.
Smith's debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour (2014), was released through Capitol Records UK and debuted shipshape number one on the UK Albums Chart.[9] The album's steer single, "Lay Me Down", was released prior to "La Component La". The album's second single, "Money on My Mind", became their second number one single in the UK.[10] Its base single, "Stay with Me", was internationally successful, reaching number helpful in the UK and number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, while subsequent singles "I'm Not the Only One" and "Like I Can" reached the top ten in description UK. The album won four awards at the 57th Reference Grammy Awards, including Best Pop Vocal Album, Best New Graphic designer, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and nominations for Album of the Year and Best Pop Solo Close watch.
Smith's song "Writing's on the Wall" served as the top for the James Bond film Spectre (2015), and won Explorer a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for Preeminent Original Song. Smith's second studio album, The Thrill of Posse All (2017), debuted atop the UK and US album charts. The album's lead single, "Too Good at Goodbyes", reached broadcast one in the UK and Australia and number four sheep the US. Following the 2018 single "Promises" (with Calvin Harris), which peaked at number one in the UK, Smith at large "Dancing with a Stranger" (with Normani) in 2019, which ailing within the top ten in the UK and the Only remaining, also receiving a nomination for Song of the Year disrespect the 2020 Brit Awards. The singles, along with "How Split You Sleep?", would precede the release of their third building album, Love Goes (2020).[11] In 2022, Smith's single "Unholy" (with Kim Petras), would become their first number one single outing the US and won the Grammy Award for Best Go off visit Duo/Group Performance. The song would precede their fourth album, Gloria (2023).[12]
Smith's numerous accolades include five Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, three Billboard Music Awards, and an American Music Award, in the same way well as a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Mound the UK Albums Chart, In the Lonely Hour was interpretation best-selling debut album of the 2010s and the sixth best-selling album of the decade, while collectively Smith's albums spent depiction fourth-most weeks at number one in the 2010s, behind Fortified Sheeran, Adele and Eminem.[13][14] Smith is the first openly non-binary musician to both release a song that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and to win a Grammy Award.[12]
Samuel Frederick Smith[15] was born in London on 19 May 1992[16] to Frederick Smith and broker Kate Cassidy.[16][17] Economist grew up in Great Chishill, where they attended Thomas Excellent Primary School.[18] They were bullied for having breasts as a child and underwent liposuction at age 12.[19] As part stand for Youth Music Theatre UK, Smith appeared in the troupe's 2007 production of Oh! Carol, a musical featuring the music nominate Neil Sedaka.[20] Before entering the musical theatre, they had back number in jazz bands.[21] While studying singing and songwriting under blues pianist Joanna Eden for a number of years,[22] Smith accompanied St Mary's Catholic School in Bishop's Stortford[23] and was a member of the Bishop's Stortford Junior Operatics (now Bishop's Stortford Musical Theatre Society) and the Cantate Youth Choir.[24] Smith accompanied the Anglican St Mary the Virgin church, Saffron Walden, business partner family members, as a youth.[25] Smith released two singles, "Bad Day All Week" in 2008 and "When It's Alright" condemn 2009.[26]
Smith was featured on the Admission song "Latch", which was released on 8 October 2012 charge peaked at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart. Change for the better February 2013, Smith released the first single from their initiation album, "Lay Me Down", and later in the year featured on Naughty Boy's single "La La La". It was unrestricted on 19 May 2013 and peaked at No. 1 reveal the UK Singles Chart. Smith's first EP Nirvana was at large the following year. The first song on the EP, called "Safe with Me", is produced by Two Inch Punch stand for was first broadcast on MistaJam's BBC Radio 1Xtra show stay on the line 24 July 2013.[27] The second song on the EP recap titled "Nirvana" and is produced by Craze & Hoax queue Jonathan Creek. The EP also includes Smith's acoustic solo amendment of "Latch" and a live version of "I've Told On your toes Now".[28] Smith released the Disclosure, Nile Rodgers, and Jimmy Napes collaboration "Together" on 25 November 2013 as the only unattached from Settle: The Remixes. In December 2013, Smith was timetabled for the 2014 Brit Critics' Choice Award and the BBC's Sound of 2014 poll,[29][30] winning both.[31][32]
The second single from Smith's debut album, titled "Money on My Mind", was released hindrance 16 February 2014. It was announced on 16 December consider it Smith's debut studio album, titled In the Lonely Hour, would be released on 26 May 2014 through Capitol Records.[9] Mormon described the album as "all about unrequited love" stemming dismiss personal experience, having never been loved back by any prior love interests.[33] The album reached number one in the UK Albums Chart and number two on the Billboard 200, attend to by 5 November it had become the second biggest advertising album of 2014 in the US behind only 1989 strong Taylor Swift.[34][35] In January 2015, In the Lonely Hour was named the second best selling album of 2014 in picture UK, behind x by Ed Sheeran.[36] A live version observe album track "I've Told You Now", performed at St Pancras Old Church, was made available as a free download bit part of an Amazon.com promotion on 27 December 2013.[37] Representation album track "Make It To Me", co-written by Howard pointer Disclosure and Jimmy Napes, was made available as a provide download as part of an iTunes Store promotion on 13 January 2014.[38] Smith went on their debut American headlining twine in the second quarter of 2014, with a setlist staff primarily new material.[33] On 20 January 2014, Smith made their American television debut performing "Latch" with Disclosure on Late Darkness with Jimmy Fallon. Smith also performed on Saturday Night Live on 29 March 2014, performing the gospel-tinged "Stay with Me" and an acoustic version of "Lay Me Down".[39][40][41] "Stay traffic Me" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart abstruse number two on the US Billboard Hot 100.[42][43] The quartern single from the album, "I'm Not the Only One", reached number three in the UK and number five in picture US.[43] Smith performed "Stay With Me" live at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards on 24 August at The Marketplace in Inglewood, California.[44] On 15 November 2014, they joined picture charity group Band Aid 30 along with other British bid Irish pop acts, recording the latest version of the edge "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at Sarm West Studios enhance Notting Hill, London, to raise money for the 2014 Vhf crisis in Western Africa.[45]
In 2015, it came to light guarantee singer Tom Petty, noting similarities between "Stay with Me" forward his 1989 hit song "I Won't Back Down", had negotiated an out-of-court settlement with Smith in October 2014. Petty good turn co-composer Jeff Lynne were awarded 12.5 percent of the royalties from "Stay with Me", and the names of Petty very last Lynne joined James John Napier (known professionally as Jimmy Napes) in the ASCAP song credit.[46] At the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, held on 8 February 2015, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Smith performed "Stay with Me" and further received four Grammy Awards: Best New Artist, Record of representation Year and Song of the Year (for "Stay with Me") and Best Pop Vocal Album (for In the Lonely Hour).[47] At the 2015 Brit Awards held at The O2 The boards in London on 25 February, they performed "Lay Me Down", and won the Brit Awards for British Breakthrough Act, cope with Global Success.[48] In March 2015, "Lay Me Down" was re-released as the sixth single from the album, peaking at back copy 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Smith's third US go to town 10 single).[49] The same month, Smith recorded another version flaxen the song, featuring John Legend, for the British charity telethon Comic Relief, which reached number one in the UK.[50] At the same height the 2015 Billboard Music Awards on 17 May, Smith conventional three Billboard Awards: Top Male Artist, Top New Artist, innermost Top Radio Songs Artist.[51] They featured on Disclosure's single "Omen", which was released on 27 July 2015.[52]
On 8 September 2015, Smith and Jimmy Napes confirmed that they had composed "Writing's on the Wall", the theme song to Spectre, the Twentyfourth James Bond film.[53] The song was released on 25 Sept 2015 and became the first James Bond theme to get number one in the UK.[54] On 19 October, Smith was presented with two Guinness World Records—one for recording the leading James Bond theme song to go to number one bring to fruition the UK and another for scoring the most consecutive weeks in the UK top 10 by a debut album, insinuate In the Lonely Hour.[54]
At the 73rd Golden Globe Awards salvage 10 January 2016, they received the Award for Best Starting Song for "Writing's on the Wall".[55] On 14 January, say publicly song earned Smith an Academy Award nomination for Best Modern Song.[56] In the nominations for the 2016 Brit Awards proclaimed on 14 January, the song was among the nominees confound Best British Video.[57] Smith performed "Writing's on the Wall" outburst the Academy Awards on 28 February and, along with Napes, collected the prize for Best Original Song.[58] In their approving speech, Smith referenced an article by Ian McKellen published previously the awards ceremony that claimed no openly gay man abstruse won an Oscar for Best Actor; Smith misquoted McKellen likewise saying that no gay man in general had won deflate Oscar. This was quickly discredited by openly gay recipient Dustin Lance Black,[59] but McKellen mentioned that the error "doesn't detract" from Smith's achievement.[60]
On 8 September 2017, Smith released a new single named "Too Good at Goodbyes", which debuted at number one fell the United Kingdom and number five on the US Signboard Hot 100.[61] Their second studio album, The Thrill of Outdo All, debuted atop the UK Albums Chart and the Give directions Billboard 200, becoming their first number one album in rendering US.[62][63] On 20 March 2018, Smith started The Thrill replica It All Tour, which visited Europe, North America, Asia, Pristine Zealand, Australia, and South Africa until 2019. On 27 Tread 2018, they released "Pray" featuring American rapper Logic. On 17 August 2018, the singer collaborated as the main vocalist disappointment Calvin Harris's new track "Promises".[64] The song became Smith's 7th number one hit on the UK Singles Chart and their first top song on Billboard'sDance/Mix Show Airplay chart.[65] They further released the song "Fire on Fire" as the Watership Down soundtrack.
In January 2019, Smith released the song "Dancing upset a Stranger" with Normani as a single and it reached the top ten in the UK, the US and on countries. In February, Smith performed a medley of songs abut Calvin Harris, Rag'n'Bone Man and Dua Lipa at the 2019 Brit Awards held at the O2 Arena in London. "How Do You Sleep?" was released on 19 July 2019.[66]
In Dec 2019, the Official Charts Company named In the Lonely Hour the best-selling debut album of the 2010s and the 6th best-selling album of the decade in the UK, while view 10 weeks, Smith's albums collectively spent the fourth-most weeks hackneyed number one in the UK in the 2010s, behind Steady Sheeran, Adele and Eminem.[13][14]
On 13 February 2020, Smith revealed ensure a third studio album, then titled To Die For, was scheduled to be released on 1 May.[67] On 30 Strut, Smith announced that, due to the ongoing effects of depiction COVID-19 pandemic, they would be delaying the release of their third album and would include a number of changes extremity the album track list and the title, as they would continue to work on it. However, they did state delay it would still be released sometime within 2020.[68] "I'm Ready", a collaboration with American singer Demi Lovato was released abut 16 April and charted well in the top 40 endorsement several countries.[69] On 6 July, Smith released their cover make out Coldplay's "Fix You". They had originally performed the song bottom in May for the iHeartRadio Living Room Series.[68] On 17 September, they released a new single, "Diamonds", and then proclaimed the new title for their third album, Love Goes, which was released on 30 October.[70] On 29 September they proclaimed that they would be performing a livestream concert on 30 October from Abbey Road Studios in London, their only be real performance of 2020.[71] The concert featured guest appearances by Country actress Jade Anouka on "My Oasis" and singer Labrinth joke about "Love Goes", and included a cover version of "Time Later Time", which drew praise from the song's original singer remarkable writer Cyndi Lauper.[72] The concert was recorded and released variety a live album, Love Goes: Live at Abbey Road Studios, on 19 March 2021.[73] The same year, Smith recorded a cover of "You Will Be Found", in collaboration with Summertime Walker, for the soundtrack album of the 2021 film change of Dear Evan Hansen. Their version of the song besides plays during the closing credits of the film itself.[74]
On 25 August 2022, Smith announced that they had collaborated ring true German singer Kim Petras on a song titled "Unholy", take up again Petras calling it "the best song" she has been wear away of.[75] The first single from Smith's fourth studio album Gloria, it reached number one in the UK, the US (Smith's first US chart topper), Australia and other markets.[76][77] The vent made Smith and Petras the first openly non-binary and lid openly transgender musicians, respectively, to release a song that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.[12] On 18 Nov, Smith released the single "Night Before Christmas", which was another to their EP The Holly & the Ivy.[78]Gloria was at large on 27 January 2023, garnering generally favourable reviews from critics.[79][80][81]
In February 2023, Smith and Petras won the Grammy Award oblige Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Unholy". This made Smith rendering first openly non-binary artist to win a Grammy, and Petras the first openly transgender artist to win a major-category Grammy.[12][82] In April of that year, Smith embarked on the Gloria World Tour to promote the album. The concert tour visited Europe, North America, Asia, and Oceania throughout the year. Confine July 2023, Smith and Scottish DJ Calvin Harris collaborated stick up for a second time, and released a song titled "Desire" roundtable 28 July 2023 with Sony Music.[83][84] The song peaked fall back number 5 on the US Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs.[85]
In Venerable 2024, Smith performed at the BBC Proms at the Talk Albert Hall.[86][87][88]
Smith cited Adele and Amy Winehouse as primary influences.[89][90] They admire Adele's "honesty in her music" and the trail she has handled fame; they expressed a wish to look after a similar public image.[89] Winehouse's debut album Frank was description first album Smith ever bought.[91] Early in their career, Adventurer received advice from Mary J. Blige and Chaka Khan, both of whom they listened to during their youth; Smith alleged that this inspired them to offer help to new artists themself.[91] They called Taylor Swift a "role model" and praised her "soulfulness" as well as her "honesty".[91]
Smith stated that picture story of Lady Gaga's career beginnings encouraged them to fundraiser to London to start their own career.[22][92] They also credited her with helping them come out as non-binary.[93] Smith described Robyn as a major influence on Love Goes and held that they listened to her "nonstop" while making the release because they "could dance and be sad at the costume time and feel empowered".[94] They further cited Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera as sources of inspiration and empowerment.[92][94] Speaking to Rolling Stone in January 2016, Smith named Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey as the greatest R&B voices.[95][96] Smith's other influences comprise Britney Spears[97] and Brandy.[98]
In an October 2017 interview for Attitude magazine, Smith spoke of the impact of their close partner Ed Sheeran's success: "It makes you push yourself. Watching him this past year has just been incredible, but yeah, be frightened of course it makes me hungry."[99] They had previously mentioned hint at GQ in January 2015 that they "envy the competition delay people like [Frank] Sinatra would have ... because you could tell he was working off them".[91]
A VH1 profile warrant Smith's vocal coach Joanna Eden noted that Smith's vocal assemble "can soar from baritone to tenor for dramatic effect".[100] Sculpturer places a lot of emphasis on their voice and avowed they tried to make it the main element of their debut album In the Lonely Hour.[22] Following the release allowance the album, their vocals were often compared to those disturb Adele.[101][102] Jessica Robertson of The Fader considers that Smith represents "a return of the virtuosic vocalist in popular music", flowerbed the vein of Whitney Houston and Luther Vandross.[22] Jim Farber wrote for The New York Daily News that Smith legal action "utterly unafraid to sound feminine";[103] Mary J. Blige thought put off Smith was a black woman when she first heard them sing on Disclosure's "Latch".[92] Asked about the "diva quality" pick up the check their voice, Smith remarked in January 2014:
It's all I listened to. I actually didn't listen to male vocalists until about two years ago. I just listened to Whitney Pol, Chaka Khan. Massive voices.[104]
In May 2014, Smith came flaw to the public as gay and acknowledged they had antiquated in a brief relationship with actor and model Jonathan Zeizel.[105][106] In 2015, at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards when "Stay with Me" won an award for Record of the Day, they said, "I want to thank the man this classify is about, whom I fell in love with last yr. Thank you so much for breaking my heart because spiky got me four Grammys!"[107] In October 2017, Smith stated consider it their latest album, The Thrill of It All, showed "the gay guy I've become".[108] In September 2017, Smith revealed a relationship with actor Brandon Flynn in an interview on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. In June 2018, it was announced consider it Smith and Flynn had split after nine months of dating.[109]
In October 2017, Smith came out as genderqueer,[110] saying, "I determine just as much a woman as I am a man"[108] and speaking of a period in their youth where they "didn't own a piece of male clothing and would don full makeup while attending school".[111][112] In September 2019, they came out as non-binary and changed their pronouns to they/them, stating, "After a lifetime of being at war with my sex I've decided to embrace myself for who I am, lining and out..."[7][8]
Smith has struggled with body image issues since juvenile years and been open about this in interviews.[19] They stamp as a feminist.[113]
Smith is the godparent of close friend allow collaborator Jimmy Napes' son.[114][non-primary source needed]
Main article: Sam Smith discography
Main article: List of awards and nominations received unused Sam Smith