Features
Sam Smith
Sam Smith has been hailed as “the male Adele” in the U.K. press, even though his breakthrough was as the voice of emerging EDM star Disclosure’s hit “Latch.” But even Adele had to wait for the release of her sophomore album before becoming an international hit.
Smith’s first full-length, In The Lonely Hour, doesn’t drop until May 24, but the English singer-songwriter with the bravura voice has already won notice for his Coachella performances with Disclosure, following a much-talked-about “Saturday Night Live” booking in April.
Photo: John Davisson
His performance of “Stay With Me,” backed by a full gospel choir, and “Lay Me Down” sent radio play and iTunes chart position soaring. The Coachella appearance was followed by two packed shows at the 1,000-seat Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles. Word was out about the 22-year-old with the soulful pipes before that, though: he’d already produced sellouts at L.A.’s Troubadour, and New York’s Mercury Lounge and 1,400-seat Webster Hall.
William Morris Endeavor agent Kirk Sommer, who reps Smith in North America and is in the midst of plotting out the future star’s next 24 months, told Pollstar the sudden burst of attention has caused some of his future planning “to be a bit reactive” but “we are focused on building a career artist.”
With a couple of club hits – “Latch” and an appearance on Naughty Boy’s “La La La” – on his hands, plus the single “Stay With Me,” Smith proves he’s more than just the latest British crooner.
“Sam has a very wide demographic and is gaining popularity,” Sommer explained. “‘Latch,’ ‘La La La’ and ‘Stay With Me’ are all accessible yet different at the same time. We like to work with our partners on opportunities that allow Sam to express himself and share his art to larger audiences globally. It is an incredible thing to see and hear him perform live. The possibilities are endless.”
Photo: John Davisson
Smith closes out his current U.S. swing at Bonnaroo, with “one or two other key looks,” Sommer said, but he’ll be back for a full fall tour after a summer of playing major European festivals.
“The tour will consist of strategic plays that will include indoor ornate theatres, outdoor theatres and rough GA stand-up rooms,” Sommer said. “These plays will be uptown and downtown,” culminating at Austin City Limits Music Festival in October.