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Sam Smith

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Sam Smith
Smith performing at Royale in Boston, on 5 August 2013.
Smith performing at Royale in Boston, on 5 August 2013.
Background information
Birth nameSamuel Frederick Smith[1]
Born (1992-05-19) 19 May 1992 (age 32)
London, England
Genres
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Years active2007–present
Labels
Websitesamsmithworld.com

Samuel Frederick "Sam" Smith (born 19 May 1992)[2] is a British singer-songwriter. He rose to fame in October 2012 when he was featured on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. His subsequent feature—on Naughty Boy's "La La La"—earned him his first number 1 single in May 2013.

In December 2013, he was nominated for the 2014 BRIT Critics' Choice Award and the BBC's Sound of 2014 poll,[3][4] both of which he won.[5][6] He released his debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour, in May 2014 on Capitol Records.[7] The lead single, "Lay Me Down", was released prior to "La La La". The second single was "Money on My Mind".[8] The album's third single "Stay with Me" was an international success, peaking atop both the UK Singles chart and the U.S. Billboard Pop Songs chart (along with the Adult Contemporary, Adult Pop Songs and Radio Songs charts); it also reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Early life

Smith was born in London, England.[2] He is an alumnus of Youth Music Theatre UK and starred in their 2007 production of "Oh! Carol".[9] For a number of years he studied singing and songwriting under jazz vocalist/pianist Joanna Eden.[10] He attended St Mary's Catholic School in Bishop's Stortford.[11] He was a member of the Bishop's Stortford Junior Operatics (now Bishops Stortford Musical Theatre Society) and the successful Cantate Youth Choir.[12]

Music career

2012–13: Breakthrough

Smith was featured on the Disclosure song, "Latch", which was released on 8 October 2012 and peaked at No. 11 on the UK Singles Chart. In February 2013, he released the first single from his debut album, "Lay Me Down". He was also featured on Naughty Boy's single, "La La La". It was released on 19 May 2013 and peaked at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. The same year, He released an EP consisting of four tracks. The first, titled "Safe with Me", is produced by Two Inch Punch and premiered on MistaJam's BBC Radio 1Xtra show on 24 July 2013.[13] The second song on the EP is titled "Nirvana" and is produced by Craze & Hoax and Jonathan Creek. The EP also includes Smith's acoustic solo version of "Latch" and a live version of "I've Told You Now".[14] Smith released the Disclosure, Nile Rodgers, and Jimmy Napes collaboration "Together" on 25 November 2013 as the only single from Settle: The Remixes.

2013–present: In the Lonely Hour

The second single from his debut album, titled "Money on My Mind", was released on 16 February 2014. It was announced on 16 December that Smith's debut studio album titled In the Lonely Hour would be released on 26 May 2014 through Capitol Records.[7] He describes the album as "all about unrequited love" because he has never been loved back by any of his love interests.[15] A live version of album track "I've Told You Now", performed at St Pancras Old Church, was made available for free download as part of an Amazon.com promotion on 27 December 2013.[16] The album track "Make It To Me", co-written by Howard of Disclosure and Jimmy Napes, was made available for free download as part of an iTunes Store promotion on 13 January 2014.[17] Smith went on his debut American headlining tour in the Spring of 2014, with a setlist of primarily new material.[15]

On 20 January 2014, Smith made his American television debut performing "Latch" with Disclosure on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He also performed on Saturday Night Live on 29 March 2014,[18][19][20] performing "Stay with Me" and an acoustic version of "Lay Me Down".

In June 2014, Sam Smith first appeared on the cover of The Fader in its 92nd issue.[21] In August 2014, Smith's single "Stay with Me" was named Variance Magazine's Song of Summer.[22]

Smith performed "Stay With Me" live at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sunday, August 24.[23]

Artistry

Sam cites Amy Winehouse as an influence.[24] He further lists Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, and Mariah Carey as influences.

Personal life

In May 2014, Smith disclosed himself as gay.[25] Sam Smith is hot.

In an interview with 4Music, Smith opened up about his struggles with obsessive–compulsive disorder. "I actually have OCD really bad, and it's getting a bit worse at the moment," he said. "I have to check taps... before I leave the house, to make sure I've checked everything in case it floods."[26]

He is a third-cousin of singer Lily Allen and actor Alfie Allen.[27]

Discography

Main article: Sam Smith discography

Awards and nominations

Year Organization Award Work Result Ref.
2013 MOBO Awards Best Newcomer Himself Nominated
Best Song "La La La" Won
Best Video Won
2014 BRIT Awards Single of the Year Nominated [28]
Critics' Choice Himself Won [29]
BBC Sound of 2014 Won [4]
MTV Brand New For 2014 Nominated [30]
MTV Video Music Awards Artist to Watch "Stay with Me" Nominated
Best Male Video Nominated
Young Hollywood Awards Song of the Summer/DJ Replay Nominated
Hottest Music Artist Himself Nominated
Breakout Music Artist Won
MTV Europe Music Awards Best New Act Pending
Best Push Act Pending
Best UK and Ireland Act Pending
Best Song "Stay with Me" Pending
MOBO Awards Best Male act Himself Pending
Best Song "Stay with Me" Pending
Best Album In the Lonely Hour Pending
Best R&B/soul act Himself Pending

References

  1. ^ "Songwriter/Composer: Smith, Samuel Frederick". Broadcast Music, Inc. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b Wilkinson, James. "Artist Biography". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Brits announce Critics' Choice 2014 shortlist". BBC. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Sound of 2014 Profile: Sam Smith". BBC. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  5. ^ "Brits Critics' Choice Award 2014: Sam Smith announced as winner". The Telegraph. 12 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  6. ^ "BBC Sound of 2014: Sam Smith". BBC. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Sam Smith announces debut album In the Lonely Hour, shares tour dates". Fact. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  8. ^ "'Money on My Mind' – EP by Sam Smith". Itunes (UK). Retrieved 19 December 2013.
  9. ^ "Alumni Youth Music Theatre UK". 17 December 2013.
  10. ^ "Sam Smith Opens up About Life and Love". The Fader. Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  11. ^ "Former Stortford schoolboy Sam Smith gears up for tonight's Brit awards". 19 February 2014.
  12. ^ http://www.cantate.co.uk
  13. ^ "New: Sam Smith – Safe With Me". Crack in the Road. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  14. ^ "iTunes – Music – Nirvana – EP by Sam Smith". iTunes. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  15. ^ a b Ollman, Jonah (28 March 2014). "The Angel of Cambridge: Sam Smith". Sound of Boston. Retrieved 29 March 2014. Cite error: The named reference "Sound of Boston" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  16. ^ "I've Told You Now (Live at St Pancras Old Church, London): Sam Smith". Amazon.com. 27 December 2013.
  17. ^ "iTunes – Music – Make It To Me – Single by Sam Smith". iTunes. 13 January 2014.
  18. ^ Montgomery, James (27 March 2014). "Meet Sam Smith: The British Bartender Set To Take The 'Saturday Night Live' Stage - MTV.com". MTV. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  19. ^ Exton, Emily (28 March 2014). "Get To Know Sam Smith Before He Plays Saturday Night Live – Music News + Gossip – VH1 Music". VH1. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  20. ^ Tharrett, Matthew (27 March 2014). "Is Sam Smith The World's Next Great Male Diva? / Queerty". Queerty. Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  21. ^ "Cover Story: Sam Smith Opens Up About Life and Love". The FADER. The FADER. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  22. ^ "Readers Select 2014 Songs of Summer". Variancemagazine.com. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  23. ^ "Sam Smith Is Performing at the 2014 VMAs And Tears Are Unavoidable". Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  24. ^ "This Week's Fresh Music". 17 May 2014. 4Music. {{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help)
  25. ^ "Sam Smith Opens Up About Being Gay, Reveals Album Is About a Guy Who Didn't Love Him Back". Retrieved 28 May 2014.
  26. ^ "Sam Smith: 5 things you don't know about me". 4Music. Retrieved 29 May 2014. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  27. ^ "Nick Grimshaw and BBC Sound of winner Sam Smith joke about Lily Allen's 'big mouth'". New Musical Express. 10 January 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  28. ^ "Brit Awards nominations 2014: full list". The Telegraph. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
  29. ^ "Sam Smith wins Brits Critics' Choice award". BBC. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  30. ^ "MTV's Brand New For 2014 Nominees announced". MTV. Retrieved 10 January 2014.

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