His debut album might have shifted over 12 million copies, picked up four Grammys and propelled him to worldwide super-stardom, but Sam Smith has revealed how personal heartbreak almost derailed the follow-up to 2014’s In the Lonely Hour.
In a world exclusive interview with Sir Elton John in Attitude’s October issue – available to download and in shops now – 25-year-old Sam admits that he almost felt like giving up music altogether after suffering a painful break-up while writing his eagerly-anticipated second studio album, which is set to be released later this year.
The ‘Stay with Me’ singer, who’s on course to top the Official UK Top 40 Singles chart with new single ‘Too Good at Goodbyes’ this Friday (September 15), reveals: “There was a period, when making the record, that I was in a really bad place. I got dumped, which wasn’t very nice.
“Writing music about that kind of thing is normally like therapy for me, but when I got dumped this time round I just couldn’t write for about two months.
“My team had to force me to get into the studio, because I almost felt as if I didn’t want to do it any more.”
The Oscar-winning singer adds: “So, there were moments on there where it got a bit intense and I started to lose myself.
Asked by Sir Elton John whether he ever feared he wouldn’t be able to write again, Sam replies: “Yeah. I was just too sad… Then I started drinking a lot, going out too much and just not looking after myself.
“I feel like the year I spent writing new stuff was a recovery period, to get used to this new job that I have. This new world that I’m living in.”
Read Sam’s full interview in the October issue of Attitude – out now featuring two special edition collectable covers. Buy in print, subscribe or download.
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