Sam Smith

Who is Sam Smith?

Sam Smith, born Samuel Frederick Smith on 19 May 1992 in London, England, is a British singer and songwriter. Known for a soulful voice and a run of huge ballads and pop singles, Smith is one of the most successful British artists of their generation. Smith is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.

Breakthrough

Smith first reached a wide audience as a featured vocalist, singing the hook on Disclosure's "Latch" in 2012 and Naughty Boy's "La La La". Their debut album, In the Lonely Hour (2014), was a global success, led by "Stay With Me", "Lay Me Down" and "I'm Not the Only One", and won several Grammy Awards including Best New Artist and Record of the Year.

A distinctive voice in pop

From the beginning, Smith stood out for a voice of unusual power and control, often compared to the great soul singers, and for a willingness to write plainly about heartbreak and vulnerability at a time when much of pop favoured bravado. That combination made them one of the most-played artists on radio in the mid-2010s and gave their ballads a lasting presence at weddings, funerals and on countless playlists. It also set the template for a wave of emotive, voice-first pop singers who followed.

Bond theme and later albums

In 2015 Smith recorded "Writing's on the Wall" for the James Bond film Spectre, winning both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Their second album, The Thrill of It All (2017), and third, Love Goes (2020), continued their run of hits, including "Too Good at Goodbyes", "Dancing with a Stranger" with Normani and "How Do You Sleep?".

Gloria and "Unholy"

Smith's fourth album, Gloria (2023), was led by "Unholy", a collaboration with Kim Petras that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance — a landmark moment as Petras and Smith became widely recognised trans and non-binary chart-toppers.

Hazel Eyes and "My Guy"

In 2026 Smith announced their fifth studio album, Hazel Eyes, for release on 21 August through Capitol Records, and shared its lead single, "My Guy". Co-produced with Simon Aldred and David Odlum and featuring contributions from Feist, Shahzad Ismaily and Rob Moose, the album was partly recorded at Electric Lady Studios and described as a heartfelt ode to New York, the city Smith now calls home.

Voice and style

Smith's appeal rests on a rich, gospel-touched voice and a gift for melodies that carry real feeling, whether on a stripped-back ballad or a dancefloor pop record. Early in their career they were known above all for heartbreak — slow, aching songs about longing and loss — but over time their music has widened to take in disco, gospel and bolder, more playful pop, without losing the emotional directness that first won them a following.

Legacy

Across award-winning albums, an Oscar-winning Bond theme and chart-topping singles, Sam Smith has become one of the defining British vocalists of the 2010s and 2020s, and a prominent voice for LGBTQ+ visibility in mainstream pop. Their openness about their identity, alongside their commercial success, has made them an important figure well beyond music, and each new album is treated as a significant pop event.