Sam Smith: ‘Selling records in countries where gay men get killed might change things’
By Will Stroude
Sam Smith has reiterated his belief that his profile as an openly gay man has the power to change attitudes around the world.
In a wide-ranging interview with NME this week, the 23-year-old singer clarified comments he made last year about not wanting to be a “spokesperson”, explaining that he wants to be able to represent gay men while making his music relatable for all people.
“I’m a gay man who came out when I was 10 years old, and there’s nothing in my life that I’m prouder of,” he tells the magazine. “What I was trying to say was that I didn’t want this album to appeal to just one community, I wanted it to appeal to all of them.
“I wanted anyone, gay or straight, to be able to relate to me singing about men, like I was able to relate to Stevie Wonder or John Legend singing about girls. I want to be a spokesperson.”
The Lay Me Down singer continues: “I want to be a figure in the gay community, who speaks for gay men. I sell records in countries where gay men get killed and that’s a big thing for me, because maybe one person in that country will pick up my album, realise it’s by a gay artist, and it might change their opinion.”
Meanwhile, Sam recently entered the history books after his new single from the Spectre sound-track, Writing’s on the Wall, became the first James Bond theme to hit Number One on the UK singles chart – check it out here.
Sam appears on the cover of this week’s NME, out tomorrow.
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