British singer Sam Smith is officially addressing his sexuality in a new interview with The Fader. Last week, his implied gayness became a topic of discussion when his latest video “Leave Your Lover” showed him romantically involved with another man.
“In the Lonely Hour is about a guy that I fell in love with last year,” he tells The Fader, “and he didn’t love me back. I think I’m over it now, but I was in a very dark place. I kept feeling lonely in the fact that I hadn’t felt love before.”
He continues:
I told him about it recently, and obviously it was never going to go the way I wanted it to go, because he doesn’t love me. But it was good as a form of closure, to get it off my chest and tell him. I feel better for it. I feel almost like I signed off this part of my life where I keep giving myself to guys who are never going to love me back. It feels good to have interviews like this, to chat about it and put stuff to bed. It’s all there now, and I can move on and hopefully find a guy who can love me the way I love him.
Smith was assumed to be gay for years after revealing himself as a future pop “diva,” aspiring to become like his idols George Michael and Elton John. He also had a personal Twitter account several years ago, on which he was extremely open about being gay.
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He tells The Fader:
I am comfortable with myself, and my life is amazing in that respect. I’m very comfortable and happy with everything. I just wanted to talk about him and have it out there. It’s about a guy and that’s what I wanted people to know—I want to be clear that that’s what it’s about. I’ve been treated as normal as anyone in my life; I’ve had no issues. I do know that some people have issues in life, but I haven’t, and it’s as normal as my right arm. I want to make it a normality because this is a non-issue. People wouldn’t ask a straight person these questions. I’ve tried to be clever with this album, because it’s also important to me that my music reaches everybody. I’ve made my music so that it could be about anything and everybody— whether it’s a guy, a female or a goat—and everybody can relate to that. I’m not in this industry to talk about my personal life unless it’s in a musical form.
On fans being “curious” about his sexuality:
In the short time I’ve lived on this Earth, all I’ve seen are boxes. People put things in boxes; it makes it easier to digest information. People say I’m the new Adele. Why is [gender] a talking point? I’m singing, I’m making music, I’m performing my music—that’s what should be the talking point. If I come on record and start speaking about it in an interview, then mark my words, that’s your time to chip in; I’ve given you the passcode to my business and to my personal life. But I am an artist, and in interviews, speaking like this, it’s not my idea of art; it’s just my idea of exchange, talking human to human. It shouldn’t be an issue, but it will be an issue. It’s always an issue.
Check out the rest of The Fader‘s interview here, along with more stunning exclusive photos.
Cam
Don’t know who he is, but will now look up some songs on iTunes by him.
Congrats on coming out!
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
I’ve given you my money, boy. Now you betta SLAY at those Grammys!
PS so mad at you for putting an inferior version of “I’ve Told You Now” on the album; the live one on youtube is SOOO much better!
redcarpet
I’d be happy to love him back! Dumb queens don’t know what they got!
Ihadtosayit
I already bought his CD and LOVE it…time to kick back and listen to him more today!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=182TRJq9Zt8
Ihadtosayit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0G9T5Bnjlc
Ihadtosayit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB-5XG-DbAA
PRINCE OF SNARKNESS aka DIVKID
Hopefully he’ll now lose that frightened squirrel expression
NG22
@Ihadtosayit: Thanks for the videos. I was not familiar with him or his music. He has a lovely voice, and the songs sound good. I hope he finds mainstream commercial success.
Congratulations to Sam on officially coming out. He wants to love and be loved. So do the rest of us. Call me, Sam.
Sebizzar
Oh man, the news just keeps getting better and better! I’ve loved this guy for his soulful voice which tugs at my deepest emotions. Now I love him even more!
Scott Johansen
This boy is BEYOND talented! He is AWE INSPIRING listening to him live. He’s brilliant!
Congrats Sam for coming out and living your truth! Life will be so much more amazing now!
Mezaien
@Sebizzar: WOW man that is very nice of you to say that about him. I never heard for him till now here. He is very good fore sure all the best for him.
JennyFromdabloc
Love Sam’s soulful voice. He is the heir apparent to Boy George. Great performance on SNL and digging the CD, too.
KDub
He actually didn’t “come out”. He’s just living his life openly, which even this article says he’s pretty much always done. I love it too. Formally “coming out” (via some dramatic, self-serving announcement) is about as old school as cruising rest stops!
Bryguyf69
All good videos, but favorite is his duet with legend, Mary J Blige, at the Apollo. Great blending of voices, and the participation of Blige and the Apollo shows his acceptance by mainstream R&B. And that’s the goal of any Diva, no?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqqOZbMWesI