Sam Smith

Despite its flaws, 'Gloria' serves as a colorful new chapter in Sam Smith's ongoing personal and artistic evolution. Read our review.

The acoustic “How to Cry” details the end of an emotionally unsatisfying relationship with a refreshing amount of sympathy toward the other party, while the R&B-infused “Six Shots” finds Smith finally getting down and dirty instead of simply tip-toeing around sexual subject matter like so many other tracks on Gloria. Similarly, the Calvin Harris-produced “I’m Not Here to Make Friends,” a disco-influenced dance cut, ranks as one of Smith’s most joyful vocal performances to date. While the opening track, “Love Me More,” is reminiscent of the type of conventional material that might have handily won Smith multiple Grammys just a few years ago, the rest of Gloria serves as a colorful new chapter in the singer’s ongoing personal and artistic evolution.

"Gloria" is projected to debut at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.

[Ava Max](https://www.billboard.com/artist/ava-max/) is heading for a No. [Academy Award nominations](https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/oscars-nominations-2023-complete-list-1235204199/), the King of Rock & Roll is making a move on the U.K. [Uriah Heep](https://www.billboard.com/artist/uriah-heep/) (Chaos & Colour at No. rapper [Lil Yachty](https://www.billboard.com/artist/lil-yachty/) (Let’s Start Here at No. 1 on the Official U.K. [Elvis Presley](https://www.billboard.com/artist/elvis-presley/)’s Elv1s – 30 Number 1 Hits (RCA) lifts 23-20 on the chart blast, and Elvis On Tour (Sony Music CG), a six-CD, one-Blu-ray box set capturing performances from Elvis’ 1972 North America tour, is set to bow at No. 1 hit single](https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/sam-smith-gloria-interview-1235204959/) “Unholy,” a collaboration with Kim Petras, Gloria leads the [Official Chart Update](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart-update/). Fragments is set to become Dylan’s 42nd appearance in the U.K. 10 in the U.K. [Bob Dylan](https://www.billboard.com/artist/bob-dylan/) is on track for a No. Albums Chart, following the Brit’s previous leaders In The Lonely Hour (from 2014) and The Thrill Of It All (2017). It’s the followup to 2020’s Love Goes, which peaked at No.

Sam Smith's latest music video has drawn controversy for the kind of in-your-face, sex- and body-positive sensibility that's become commonplace in modern music. The criticism surrounding the pop singer's effort reeks of homophobia, writes Louis Chilton.

Compared to many of their pop contemporaries, Smith is thoroughly unremarkable in their willingness to place sex front and centre. [a three-star review of their latest album, Gloria](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/sam-smith-gloria-review-b2269894.html), Helen Brown describes Smith’s singing as the “aural equivalent of watching a lava lamp” – and she’s right. While Smith is currently facing the sharp end of this double standard, it would be absurd to act as if they are some kind of radical button-pusher. When the act of rebellion has been washed clean, made sturdy by history and the heft of consensus. Musicians should not be forced to tailor their output to the sexless whims of the young. In one of the more extreme reactions, ex-Brexit Party MEP Alex Phillips went on Good Morning Britain and likened the video to porn, linking its content to a wider culture of sexual assaults and “relationships falling apart”. And yet, in poured the outrage, with detractors branding the content “pornographic” and calling for an age restriction to be placed on the video. Sam Smith’s latest music video has drawn controversy for the kind of in-your-face, sex- and body-positive sensibility that’s become commonplace in modern music. The mere suggestion of sexuality does not equate to porn, nor is such a suggestion inherently unsuitable for children. “I’m Not Here to Make Friends” has pretty innocuous lyrics – tamely horny lines about looking to pull in a nightclub. It’s a raunchy, unabashed display of sexuality. It’s an accusation that reeks of homophobia.

Sam Smith released their new album, Gloria, on Friday, and dropped a new music video. It's for the song “I'm Not Here To Make Friends.”.

Just ‘Relax’ for the TikTok generation. Saw the Sam Smith video. HELLO HOMOPHOBIA & TRANSPHOBIA! [January 29, 2023] [January 27, 2023] that’s what it comes down to [January 30, 2023] One commentator said it represented a shift that is “not good for society”. Sam Smith, this is not art. One British broadcaster, Dominique Samuels, led the chorus of disapproval. [January 28, 2023] This is monstrous!

Glory from above! Sam Smith is currently leading the charge to debut at Number 1 on this week's Official Albums Chart. Gloria, Sam's fourth studio album, ...

Gloria, Sam’s fourth studio album, is projected to enter at the top spot this Friday, which would clinch Sam their third UK chart-topping LP. It would be Dylan’s 42nd UK Top 10 record. Sam Smith is currently leading the charge to debut at Number 1 on this week’s Official Albums Chart.

The backlash around the I'm Not Here to Make Friends music video comes after the singer revealed they experience 'abuse on the street' in the UK for being ...

I understand there will be many mistakes and misgendering but all I ask is you please please try. Owen Jones, writer and podcaster, wrote: “Sex has always been a running theme in modern pop music, and music videos often flaunt it. One person wrote: “If Sam Smith were thin, cis, and straight, they wouldn’t be ridiculed for how they present and dress. While Smith’s music video has been criticised by some, many others have jumped to the musician’s defence on Twitter. Smith’s new music video for I’m Not Here to Make Friends has been criticised by some for its supposed sexual nature. Smith released the video for the song from their latest album Gloria on 27 January, and has since racked up nearly 3 million views.

English singer Sam Smith's new music video for their latest song, I'm Not Here To Make Friends, sparked outrage online as soon as it premiered on YouTube, ...

The radio presenter further stressed the fact that "artists like Nicki Minaj, At the peak of the British empire, men were walking around in giant wigs with beauty spots. English singer Sam Smith’s new music video for their latest song, I’m Not Here To Make Friends, sparked outrage online as soon as it premiered on YouTube, with many people still continuing to deplore the singer for its explicit nature. The journalist went on to point out how they are living in an age where p*rnography is normalized in pop culture. To me it is not about how Sam Smith dresses or their pronouns. However, many other netizens called out the blatant disregard and disrespect hurled at Sam Smith for expressing themselves the way they usually do.

Sam Smith is an English singer, popularly known for his worldwide blockbuster song, Unholy, with Kim Petras. Photo: dailyO. 3 ...

For instance, early press photos showed Smith dressed like Michael Buble in a typical uniform of dark suits, and their breakout songs were all lovelorn ballads like Lay Me Down and Stay With Me. Sam Smith is out there producing the most creative and authentic work of their career. In the middle Freddie is writhing with ballet dancers. Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon were in full joyful drag in the I Want To Break Free video almost 40 years ago. In case you didn't know, Sam Smith is an English singer, popularly known for their worldwide blockbuster song Sam Smith was seen wearing nipple pasties, a corset, and having liquid blasted in their face, which was not liked by all.

In the visual for their Calvin Harris-produced disco anthem I'm Not Here to Make Friends, the star proudly and confidently dons nipple-tassles and dances with ...

[said the backlash](https://twitter.com/AyoCaesar) is “amplified by the fact they’re [sic] queer and plus-sized, but all of these music videos generated much in the way of pearl-clutching and outrage,” adding: “Madonna was denounced by the Vatican!” [In a recent tweet](https://twitter.com/samsmith/status/1619658846934540290/photo/1), accompanied by a music video still, Sam seemingly responded to the backlash as they simply wrote, “Never too much.” [During their recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazcJY2lvPM), Sam took the criticism in their stride, saying it resulted in their favourite ever headline: “Sam Smith horrifies OAP’s.” Critics branded the video “pornography”, with one Christian commentator condemning YouTube for not including – a whole bunch of ridiculousness incoming – “age restrictions” on their “degrading sexualised new music video”. In the visual for their Calvin Harris-produced disco anthem I’m Not Here to Make Friends, the star proudly and confidently dons nipple-tassles and dances with an army of scantily clad dancers.

Sam Smith's video for their new song, “I'm Not Here to Make Friends”, has been met with backlash online, with critics calling it offensive, explicit and ...

Then there they were again, in a sparkling 1930s corset and nipple tassles. Then there they were again, in a towering ostrich feather hat, performing on a mansion staircase. [Sam Smith](https://www.nme.com/news/music/fans-defend-sam-smith-in-wake-of-im-not-here-to-make-friends-video-controversy-3389090) had released an “explicit” new music video which was “hyper-sexualised” and had “sparked debate over age restrictions”, I was extremely intrigued.

"If a female artist had done that exact same video, worn the exact same outfits, no one would bat an eyelid," says drag queen Pixie Polite. "I think ...

Others think Sam is a victim of double standards. Kenny say's he's proud of Sam for confidently showcasing their identity in the video and their new album. "The tide of progress always ebbs and flows," says Pixie. And the BBC refused to play the song after one of it top DJs at the time, Mike Read, branded it "obscene". She says: "I watched the video and I was a bit like, 'oh, is this it'? The band had to make two videos for the song, as the first was set in a gay, S&M-themed nightclub and allegedly banned from TV. "I think this is a coming of age moment for Sam Smith as an artist." It wasn't long before Sam was trending on Twitter too, with a lot of posts calling the video "vulgar" and saying it was inappropriate for younger viewers. Some people think the video is "oversexualised" and want it to come with a warning. Since Sam came out as non-binary, fans think the singer has leaned in to their identity and it's had an impact on their music. "I think the outcry just smacks of this sort of homophobia, queer phobia and transphobia." "Sam Smith's early work was very palatable to a mainstream audience, because they didn't celebrate their queerness in the same way," says Pixie.

Singer Sam Smith has entered a new phase of their career with the release of their latest album, 'Gloria.' Perhaps best known for soppy ballads, ...

[Celebrity](https://www.pajiba.com/celebrities_are_better_than_you/) [Kayleigh Donaldson](https://www.pajiba.com/staff/kayleigh-donaldson.php) It’s a terrifying time to be trans and non-binary in the U.K., which seems to have reinvented itself as the super-villain floating island base of TERFs everywhere. And that doesn’t even get into the fatphobia that Smith has faced. The mere presence of queer people in any form of pop culture leads to weeks of mouth-frothing fury from Fox News hosts and squeaky-voiced YouTubers who have turned hate speech into profit at a record pace. They’re not afraid that the kids will be warped by the implication of pee. We’ve seen how all forms of queerphobia have been wildly inflated over the past couple of years. The video for their newest song, ‘I’m Not Here to Make Friends,’ recently dropped and it’s a bacchanalian frenzy with nipple pasties, chandeliers, and the suggestion of a golden shower. Spend a few minutes on Twitter or browse the expected far-right sandpits if you wish to see it for yourself. Shaking up your image and experimenting is the best part of being a singer. Reviews for the album have been strong, and it’s being sold as a ‘personal revolution’ for Smith. Singer Sam Smith has entered a new phase of their career with the release of their latest album, ‘Gloria.’ Perhaps best known for soppy ballads, Smith is now making more proudly queer music and playing around with their style in music videos like the one for ‘Unholy.’ That song became Smith’s first chart-topper in the U.S.

The singer, 30, released the racy video for their new track I'm Not Here To Make Friends last week, with critics calling for it to be age restricted on ...

Some said the video needs to be kept away from children and is akin to a Playboy photo shoot One said: 'Whether you like Sam Smith or not there were a lot worse videos in the 80s and 90s. Does anyone remember the 70s and 80s. Remember the Tubes or Divine? A third added: 'It's time for standards to be raised regarding pop videos. They are fully available on YouTube and TikTok.'

Sam Smith's video for “I'm Not Here to Make Friends” has been met with backlash online, with critics calling it offensive, explicit, and pornographic.

It is not the sexual nature of the video which is at the crux of the outrage, then, but rather the non-binary person who dares step into it. If a thin cis woman wore a corset with nipple tassles, there would not be this level of pearl-clutching and furious debate—it certainly wouldn’t be described as “pornographic.” We see it all the time. It’s not a stretch to say that beneath so much of this “but what about the kids?” concern lies the thinly veiled presence of queerphobia.

Sam Smith's music video has sparked outrage but the internet has called out the fatphobic comments. Read more on Grazia.

It all feeds into the same agenda: to undermine and erase all forms of non-conformity in the mainstream. The singer previously urged fans to 'love our fluctuating bodies,' and has spoken about their struggles with their body image. The thousands of people writing comments that are aimed to ridicule Sam's body should really think about the long-lasting effects of their words on people. Thankfully, most of Twitter stepped up to defend Sam and call out body shaming, and have pointed out that Sam’s not the only one to rock a sparkly jumpsuit on stage either. In the face of the backlash, the internet has come to Sam's defence and called out the blatant fatphobia. So, the selective online outrage about Sam Smith's music video has sparked conversations about discrimination and fatphobia.

Sam Smith continues to appear to shrug off any controversy surrounding their new music video for "I'm Not Here To Make Friends". Smith caused a stir online ...

We had more "inappropriate " videos in the 80s with Duran Durans Girls on film and Frankies Relax video. Sam Smith has never been marketed towards children or young people What a load of fuss over absolutely nothing how exactly is this music video more morally inappropriate than the thousands of music videos that have come before?

In the visuals, the 30-year-old “Unholy” crooner rocks a series of daring styles by designer Christian Cowan that range from a showgirl-worthy feather headdress ...

“Sex has always been a running theme in modern pop music, and music videos often flaunt it. “If Sam Smith were thin, cis, and straight, they wouldn’t be ridiculed for how they present and dress. If Harry Styles wore the same fits on a magazine cover, y’all would be screaming YAS QUEEN.

Twitter users are calling people out for making fatphobic and anti-LGBTQ remarks about the music video for Sam Smith's 'I'm Not Here to Make Friends.'

“Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon were in full joyful drag in the I Want To Break Free video almost 40 years ago. And to be so utterly terrified of difference.” Because of their body [tweeted @marcusjdl](https://twitter.com/marcusjdl/status/1619771391045419008?s=20&t=yssUnAaPSuKCBsFMz6CdMw). [tweeted @das_penman](https://twitter.com/das_penman/status/1619706052060282880?s=20&t=yssUnAaPSuKCBsFMz6CdMw). [tweeted @gl99dys](https://twitter.com/gl99dys/status/1619866690707419136?s=20&t=yssUnAaPSuKCBsFMz6CdMw).

Sam Smith has been open about their lifelong struggle with body dysmorphia but the "Stay With Me" singer now appears to have it under control.

They told ET Canada, “The last few years I’ve really worked so hard to be able to like, just take my top off and feel good in my body and my skin. “It paid off because I now have the opposite of body dysmorphia,” Smith added. Every time I went to the pool, I felt self-conscious, but I forced myself to take my top off,” they said.

The "Unholy" singer opened up about previously feeling self-conscious about their body at the pool and how they now "have the opposite of body dysmorphia"

It started to awaken this conversation that had always been in the back of my mind." "I have girl's thighs and I have girl breasts too. "I always had body dysmorphia. "It paid off because I now have the opposite of body dysmorphia. Every time I went to the pool I felt self-conscious, but I forced myself to take my top off," they said. "When I was 25 I came off tour exhausted.