I Was So Scared that a few Stupid People Weren’t Going to Pick Up My Record Just because I Was Gay - Sam Smith

Sam Smith

Sam Smith came on to the music scene in 2014 in a huge way and one of the major things that people could not stop talking about, apart from his awesome music, is the fact that he is gay.

In an interview with GQ magazine where he is described as ‘The New Face of Soul’, the 22-year-old six-time-Grammy-Nominated singer talks about being gay and falling for the more dangerous guys, building a legacy, being a diva, people not buying his record for his sexuality and more.

Read excerpts from his interview here.

On pop stars he admires: “Taylor Swift is amazing. I sang with her in London once but didn’t get to properly chill with her. Then, at the American Music Awards, I got to sit down with her and chat. She’s a role model. I really respect her. And she manages to sell a lot of records and make a lot of people happy financially, but also to keep that soulfulness, that honesty.”

On relationships: “In relationships. I feel so much more comfortable wanting what I’m never going to get. Like recently, I met two guys. One of them on paper is perfect and ticks all the boxes. The other is dangerous and—well, he ticks boxes actually, too. I’ve chosen him. I want that excitement. I want something that’s unobtainable. I made a statement recently about how Grindr and Tinder and those dating apps are just killing romance. People are losing the ability to just walk up to people in a bar and say hello. Sex is on tap, isn’t it, with apps like that? It may work for some people, but I miss the mystery. I find it much more sexy when someone’s fully dressed in a suit and you’ve got to work to undress them. Do you know what I mean? Instead of them just immediately being naked for you. I sound like a complete old soul right now, but I am. I just feel like people need role models, you know, that are dressed.”

On singing and being gay: “The main thing I wanted was everyone singing my songs. I wanted my first album to appeal to absolutely everybody, which was why I was scared in the beginning about speaking about my sexuality. I was so scared that a few stupid people weren’t going to pick up my record just because I was gay. Because I am not Sam Smith, the gay singer. I am Sam Smith, the singer who happens to be gay. I preach all the time about being myself and being comfortable with myself, but if I’m honest, I struggle every day. I’m still figuring out who I am. I don’t want to pretend I’ve got everything sorted out in my mind, because I really don’t.”

On not being a diva: “I’d like to be a diva in the sense of having that kind of presence as a singer. But no. I worry all the time, actually, if I’ve been a bit strict about something, am I being a dickhead? I tell my team all the time: Just tell me if I’m being a dickhead.”

For more on Sam, visit GQ.com!