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- February 7, 2023
Sam Smith Releases Long Awaited “Gloria”
Sam Smith released their long awaited fourth studio album Gloria on Jan.27 via Capitol Records. Gloria sees Sam Smith collaborate with artists such as Calvin Harris, Kim Petras, Jessie Reyez and Ed Sheeran. The album quickly topped the charts following its release, making it Smith’s third album to do so. Along with the album, Smith also dropped the music video for their newest single, “I’m Not Here to Make Friends.” In support of Gloria’s release, Smith will embark on a North America tour that begins in July.25. Smith is also set to perform at 65th Annual Grammy Awards on Feb.5.
Sam Smith is one of the biggest artists in the world. They have over 21.6 followers on Spotify and over 71 million monthly listeners. They are currently the 7th most streamed Spotify artist in the world. Sam Smith’s full name is Samuel Frederick Smith, and they were born in London in May 1992. Before embarking on a music career in the late 2000s, Smith was involved in theatre, choir and jazz ensemble. Smith has gone on to have an astounding career, both critically and from a numbers perspective. Smith has four Grammys, three Brit Awards, a Grammy and album sales that exceed 35 million.
Sam Smith has listed artists such as Robyn, Britney Spears, Mary J Blige and Amy Winehouse as influences. Winehouse’s Frank album is said to be the first album that Smith bought. Among their contemporaries, Smith has mentioned artists such as Adele, Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran as other noteworthy inspirations and muses. In 2016, Smith mentioned Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey as their picks for the best vocalists of all time, while talking to Rolling Stone Magazine.
“Love Me More” opens up Smith’s fourth studio project, a song about loving yourself. Loving ourselves is a challenge, especially in a world where it is so easy to compare yourself to other people via social media. Smith talks about heartbreak and anguish, but remarks that this time it is not so bad. That this time the hurt is not as devastating. They talk about how insults and self-discriminatory words are now things of the past. As the narrator realizes it hurts less now, they realize that they are finally closer to self-love. It is a pleasant understanding, one that the narrator is happy to come across.
“I was not gonna write a heartbreak album. A challenge that was huge! I wanted this to be the opposite. When I was a kid, just walking out of the house, I needed armor. Rihanna, Robyn, Beyoncé, they were my armor. And I feel like Gloria is the album I needed that I never had.”
Sam Smith on Gloria
“Lose You” is a song about breakup and losing a loved one. There is a bouncy beat acting as an instrumental and Sam Smith sings over it. Smith talks about how they are not ready to lose them yet- that the love this person provides them is essential for their life. Smith sings about how they will do anything to make sure that this person does not leave.
The song “Perfect” in some ways goes against the self-love present on “Love Me More.” Perfect revolves around instead of analysing one’s mistakes. Both Smith and Jesse Reyez sing about how they aren’t perfect, but that they are working on themselves. Some of the themes they mention is their love for the nightlife, but how that has cost them and how now even that seems a little boring.
The album also features “Unholy” featuring Kim Petras. The song had been released before Smith’s album and had become instantly viral on TikTok. The dark and brooding instrumental features vocals from both Sam Smith and Kim Petras. The accompanying music video would gain 123 million videos after its release.
“How To Cry” features prominent acoustic guitar. The tempo is more laid back here, as Smith talks about the struggles they are going through. Among all of their worries, all they want to do is be able to cry. However, the tears do not come. In the chorus, Smith asks his audience if they can teach them how to shed some tears. The song is a slight departure in tone from the other tracks, with its acoustic nature sticking out.
Smith will soon embark on a tour in support of their newest release. You can find information about that tour on their website. You can follow Sam Smith on Instagram and Facebook. You can listen to their music on Spotify and YouTube.
