In a candid sit-down interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Grammy-winning artist Sam Smith reflects deeply on their journey toward self-discovery, navigating fame in their 20ss, and the sense of liberation that comes with being fully themselves. Reflecting on the aftermath of their 2014 debut album, In the Lonely Hour, released when they were just 22 years old, the now-34-year-old singer shared how their understanding of their gender identity evolved over time.
“The whole time, I’ve always been nonbinary,” Smith tells Lowe while discussing their rise to stardom. “It’s always been who I am; I just found the vocabulary for that when I was, like, 27.”
The singer-songwriter originally came out as gay in May 2014, coinciding with the launch of their debut LP. Five years later, in 2019, Smith publicly came out as nonbinary during a conversation with Jameela Jamil, declaring, “I’m not male or female.” That revelation positioned Smith as one of the most prominent nonbinary figures in the global media landscape, entering a trailblazing cohort alongside stars like Asia Kate Dillon and Joey Soloway, a list that has since expanded to include artists like Janelle Monáe, Emma Corrin, and Bella Ramsey.
Looking back on that pivotal announcement, Smith describes it to Lowe as a crucial milestone in their ongoing path toward authenticity. “So that was another coming out experience,” Smith explained during the interview. “And finally, here we are, and I’m fully out the closet, and there’s no more coming out for me now, which is a really freeing thing.”
This newfound emotional clarity permeates Smith’s latest project, Hazel Eyes, released on August 21. Influenced heavily by their relationship with fashion designer fiancé Christian Cowan, the album explores themes of love and emotional openness. Tracks like the lead single “My Guy” highlight this thematic evolution, featuring lyrics where Smith sings, “He’s all that I need / My morning star / Whenever he leaves / I know he won’t be far.”
Lowe notes the distinct shift in tone from Smith’s earlier, more restrained work, remarking that the album “doesn’t sound claustrophobic or like it’s trying to wrestle its way out of any kind of restraint. There’s no restraint here.” To which Smith responds, “No, it’s a record that is made with love. There is love woven through the whole thing.”
Throughout the discussion, Smith also addresses past public pressures and controversies, including the intense conservative backlash during their “Unholy” era and the album Gloria, while noting how icons like Madonna reached out with support. Now firmly rooted in their identity, Smith approaches both their music and life with a sense of peace, unburdened by the need for further explanation.
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