Sam Smith: “It feels incredible when people sing along to my songs

2014’s BRIT Awards Critics’ Choice winner, and current Number 1 star of the Official Singles Chart, Sam Smith talks to us about his fantastic year so far – and what’s happening next.

It's been a heck of a year for Sam Smith, and we're not even at the end of February yet! On Sunday, Sam scored his first solo Number 1 single with Money On My Mind – making him the first Critics' Choice winner to debut at Number 1. Not only that, but Money On My Mind is the fastest-selling debut single by any Critics' Choice winner, and with past awards going to acts like Adele, Ellie Goulding and Emeli Sandé, that's quite an achievement!

So, Sam, congratulations on your first ever solo Number 1! Need we ask… but we will anyway. How does it feel?

"It feels unbelievable, man! It's completely overwhelming and I don't actually know what to do with myself! It feels amazing. When La La La went to Number 1, I wrote quite a lot of that song and it was kind of just as much mine as it was Naughty Boy's, but having my own song at Number 1 is just absolutely incredible!"

You’ve had a fantastic year. How did it feel to win Critics’ Choice and attend the BRITs as a winner?

"It was unbelievable to be named Critics’ Choice. I went to the Grammys earlier this year and the BRITs is a very different experience.

"It’s just so much fun and the opportunities for star-spotting were just incredible and the pressure was kind of off me as I didn’t have to sing, so I could drink!"

Was it just us or did everybody seem to be partying more enthusiastically than ever?

"Everybody was going for it and too right – there was so much to celebrate! I had my whole team there and Disclosure were there with their whole team and it just felt like the right time to celebrate."

Absolutely! Who was your favourite performance at at the BRITs?

"Disclosure and Lorde were great. Then coming a very close second for me… Katy Perry’s performance on the night was, for me, incredible. And then obviously Beyoncé was amazing. "

Well, yes, Beyoncé. What a performance. What was the big highlight of the evening for you?

"Getting my award was the biggest moment of the night for me. I was sitting on a table next to One Direction and Rita Ora and Calvin Harris and when the VT thing went on, the whole of the BRITs just looked at me. It was a really surreal moment, but I loved it. It just felt like… it just felt really good."

Do you wish you’d have been presented your award up on the stage?

"I’m actually really thankful I didn’t have to get up on stage and accept my award! I’m awful at speaking. I can sing as much as you want, but when it comes to speaking, I’m horrific." (laughs)

So, BRIT Awards and Number 1 single aside, any other big highlights for you?

"There was a moment in the US. I did a show at the Troubador (legendary club in Los Angeles), the second show I’d ever done in LA. When people sing along to my songs it’s incredible. There’s a song called Leave Your Lover from my album, which is really kind of heartbreaking and whenever I sing it I feel quite insecure, I guess, because it’s so personal.

"And the room went so quiet, like, I’ve never ever heard a silence like it in my entire life and it was so hard to keep it together. It’s the most incredible feeling I’ve ever had and people were truly listening and it kind of made me feel like, everyone’s listening if you know what I mean and it kinda just brought everything back to me."

Was it your ultimate popstar moment? Like, now I am truly a popstar!

(laughs) "A little bit, yeah!"

So what’s coming up next for you?

"Well, the album, In The Lonely Hour, is coming up May 26 and I’m currently touring the UK and then I’m doing Europe, then America and all the festivals. So it’s gonna be a really fun year."

What festivals are you doing?

"I’m doing the majority of them. I haven’t confirmed Glastonbury yet but if that happens that would be amazing."

And there’s another single before the album, right?

"Yes, there’s another one. I’m already talking about videos. There’s a few surprises, actually, just before the album comes out."

Can you tell us what the next single is going to be? Or anything about it? Pretty please?

"I can’t tell you what the next single is. (laughs) I’m so excited but I can’t tell you. This single is kind of what we based a lot of the project on, and I’m properly introducing you into this In The Lonely Hour concept."
(After a little more prodding, Sam goes on to tell us a big secret about the next single, but we promised not to blab. But it is very exciting, honest.)

So, you’re a BRIT Award winner, you’ve got a Number 1 single, how are you going to top all this?

"I’m not looking to top myself (laughs). I’m just looking to have as much fun as I can and I’m just praying that everyone loves the album as much as I do. And that’s all I can hope for, really. I just hope that I can get to do a second album and this can be my job from now on."

We don’t think you have anything to worry about, there, Sam! Will we seeing you lifting a BRIT Award in another category next year, do you reckon?

"Haha. Who knows, who knows?"

So, the question, we always love to ask… what was the first single you ever bought?

"I’m always embarrassed to say this…"

No such thing as an embarrassing first single, Sam. We can take it. Let’s hear it.

"Well, I think it’s because of my age – I’m 21 years old – but I didn’t buy it, someone bought it for me. It was Britney Spears’ …Baby One More Time. It’s the first CD I remember holding."

That’s a brilliant first single! In fact, it was the Number 1 single 15 years ago this very week! What about the first record you actually bought yourself?

"Um, the first record I ever bought for myself was the Whitney Houston album, My Love Is Your Love."

Another corker. And what about the people who have bought your record? Any message for them?

“Thank you so much and, um, please don’t leave me now!”

Watch a teaser for Sam Smith’s debut album In The Lonely Hour, which, as the man says, is out in May.