Back in March, just before his impressive performance on Saturday Night Live, we declared the 22-year-old rising British singer Sam Smith deserving of the Adele comparisons frequently thrown his way (as Katy Perry recently tweeted that he's "a male Adele.") With his debut album, "In the Lonely Hour," is set for release June 17 stateside, he's released another love ballad "Leave Your Lover," along with its beautifully filmed video, and confirmed that earlier impression and he's worthy of all those Adele comparisons.
Smith made his name singing smooth, gliding dance-pop songs, but he seems to be changing course and moving into slick but emotive blue-eyed soul territory. His new single "Leave Your Lover," like "Stay With Me" before it, is a soft-focus piano-soul ballad. Smith said he allowed himself to experience heartbreak to inspire material for album, and it seems to have paid off. He really has it out for our feelings, and much like his last video for "Stay With Me," which saw him trudging through a gospel-powered walk of shame, "Leave Your Lover" tells a devastating love story and treads over some very emotional territory.
As its title suggests, the song is a passionate plea for Smith's crush object to leave their lover and be with him instead. "Pack up and leave everything/ Don't you see what I can bring," he sings over a gentle acoustic guitar and depicts falling in love with someone who doesn't share the same feelings for you. On its own, the song offers an honest take on what it's like to be in love with someone who's taken. The video, directed by Luke Monaghan, brings those heartbreaking lyrics to life and the video's unexpected ending adds depth to the love story. Unrequited love sucks.
Set against a series of gorgeous Parisian backdrops, the vulnerable clip finds Smith navigating a love triangle relationship among two close friends: fashion model Daisy Lowe and another man. There's clearly some sort of love-triangle dynamic going on, As he croons: "We sit in bars and raise our drinks to growing old/ Oh, I'm in love with you, and you will never know," ultimately pleading, "Leave your lover, leave him for me." The story develops it becomes clear one of his friends has other intentions, which leaves Smith heartbroken and alone, but also wiser from the experience. The evocative visual handles the subject matter with subtlety but the narrative is still fairly obvious. And if there were any doubts, the gut-wrenching final scene puts it all into perspective.
Smith made his name singing smooth, gliding dance-pop songs, but he seems to be changing course and moving into slick but emotive blue-eyed soul territory. His new single "Leave Your Lover," like "Stay With Me" before it, is a soft-focus piano-soul ballad. Smith said he allowed himself to experience heartbreak to inspire material for album, and it seems to have paid off. He really has it out for our feelings, and much like his last video for "Stay With Me," which saw him trudging through a gospel-powered walk of shame, "Leave Your Lover" tells a devastating love story and treads over some very emotional territory.
As its title suggests, the song is a passionate plea for Smith's crush object to leave their lover and be with him instead. "Pack up and leave everything/ Don't you see what I can bring," he sings over a gentle acoustic guitar and depicts falling in love with someone who doesn't share the same feelings for you. On its own, the song offers an honest take on what it's like to be in love with someone who's taken. The video, directed by Luke Monaghan, brings those heartbreaking lyrics to life and the video's unexpected ending adds depth to the love story. Unrequited love sucks.
Set against a series of gorgeous Parisian backdrops, the vulnerable clip finds Smith navigating a love triangle relationship among two close friends: fashion model Daisy Lowe and another man. There's clearly some sort of love-triangle dynamic going on, As he croons: "We sit in bars and raise our drinks to growing old/ Oh, I'm in love with you, and you will never know," ultimately pleading, "Leave your lover, leave him for me." The story develops it becomes clear one of his friends has other intentions, which leaves Smith heartbroken and alone, but also wiser from the experience. The evocative visual handles the subject matter with subtlety but the narrative is still fairly obvious. And if there were any doubts, the gut-wrenching final scene puts it all into perspective.
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