Photo courtesy of www.samsmithworld.com
TEISHA MCELFRESH
Special to the Leader
Sam Smith is possibly one of the youngest old souls that we have in pop music today. According to Biography.com, he is a four-time Grammy winner and has also won an Academy Award. Between his romantically desperate crooning ballads and his impossibly high falsettos that make you want to call up your ex, he is a refreshing twist on the modern day pop genre.
Smith rose to fame with his breakout single “Stay With Me,” which was released in 2014. “Stay With Me” was just one of the songs from “In The Lonely Hour” — Smith’s debut album also released in 2014. The crooner sold over 12 million albums in the United States alone. His newest album “The Thrill of It All” is nothing short of its title: a thrill to his fans.
“Too Good at Goodbye,” sets the tone for the pure and raw emotion felt throughout the record. According to Rolling Stone Magazine, the song has received over 120 million YouTube plays since becoming a single. “‘Cause everytime you hurt me the less that I cry, and every time you walk out the less I love you” are just some of the lyrics about walking away from a relationship that he once loved.
The emotion on “The Thrill of It All” continues with 10 more songs full of despair, hope and hints of gospel.
One track on the album, “Pray,” strays from the traditional style of Smith in a hip-hop collaboration with award winning rap artist Timbaland. “I’m gonna pray, pray for a glimmer of hope” are some of the lyrics that deliver a powerful message to the world. The song was inspired by a recent trip to Iraq that Smith took, and invites its listeners to look at the world around them and pray for peace.
Other tracks on the album such as “One Last Song” and “Baby You Make Me Crazy” talk about those times that we’ve all had as college students when you know that an ex is bad for you, but you want them back anyway.
“The Thrill of It All” also relates to the LGBTQ community. Smith came out in 2014 and he talks openly about this on the album.
The most controversial song on the album titled “HIM” reflects Smith speaking to his Holy Father about going against the rules of his religion by choosing to come out. “Don’t you dare try and tell me that God doesn’t care for us/it is him I love” are some of the methodic lyrics that deal with sexuality and feeling isolated within the constraints of a religion.
Smith also lends his voice to his own personal life and past.
According to BBC radio, Smith issued a statement that “Burning” is about one of Smith’s personal experiences, a painful breakup he endured this past year that led him to write about his heartbreak. The song reflects a sense of abandonment felt by Smith through lines such as, “No friends to turn to, yeah I messed that up.”
Students here at Fredonia are also fans of the up-and-coming pop prodigy.
“[The music is] real, unlike most of the music on the radio these days,” said junior criminal justice major Evan Hilfiger. “The soulful voice of the singer may be the reason why he rose to fame so fast. Sam Smith has a voice that is beyond his time, and most certainly beyond his age.”
The title track on the record, “The Thrill of It All,” is one of my personal favorites, and showcases the vocal range of Smith. There is a song on his new record for everyone, whether they are going through a breakup, experiencing love or just want a soothing voice to listen to.