To come through on such a brave premise, In The Lonely Hour should have been a blinder of a pop album from an artist with a vision so strong he dispelled all doubts that he was doing anything “for the money”.
It was somehow both subversive and totally sincere, but the potential for accusations of hypocrisy loomed larger than the screens showing Smith’s face. The first time I heard him sing these words, he had been brought out onstage with Taylor Swift for the London leg of her Red tour to belt his anti-money, anti-fame values centre stage at the gigantic O2 arena. By directly addressing the hype that he’s been surrounded by ever since appearing on Disclosure’s 2012 chart hit ‘Latch’ and the high stakes of his major label deal, he shoots for honesty and point-scoring self-awareness by staring straight into the many critical eyes that are focused on his next step. And after his fans all gave one collective who-gives-a-damn shoulder shrug, Smith got back to singing.The opening words of Sam Smith’s debut album are “When I signed my deal, I felt pressure”, which is a brave move. Back in May, just weeks before the release of the album, Smith revealed the inspiration behind his hit “Leave Your Lover” was a straight man who didn’t return his love.
After rumors began to swirl about Smith’s sexuality, he set the record straight on his own terms. It seems like nothing can stop this import’s success, not even himself. “Anyone who can tour without fireworks, explosions and thirty dancers and can just stand there alone on stage and capture an audience is the real deal.” “At this point, he’s only competing against himself because there’s no one else like him,” says ‘Stay’ producer Rodney Jerkins. And seconds after hearing his voice tremble with heartache, honesty and vulnerability-we obliged.Īt just 22 years old, Sam Smith’s debut album, In The Lonely Hour, scored the highest first-week sales for a debut album from a male UK artist in SoundScan’s twenty-three year history. While resting in his Cambridge hometown, UK’s latest import gets real on the annoying fame monster, being gay and those constant Adele comparisons. The blue-eyed singer is 2014’s soul controller.
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