Award-winning British artist, Sam Smith, unleashes their fourth studio album, Gloria. This comes hot on the heels of their phenomenal performance on Saturday Night Live. And in celebration of their hotly-awaited album, a Calvin Harris-produced hit ‘I’m Not Here To Make Friends’ drops:
The music video is by Tanu Muino. He has worked with Lil Nas X, Harry Styles and Normani. The video sees Smith as a vision in pink – custom made by Tomo Koizumi. They arrive in style – stepping out of a gold helicopter and met by a celebration.
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Thrilling and Hedonistic, the video shows Sam in their element. They take over a country house, swinging from a grand chandelier, Wrecking Ball-style, whilst the track builds. The music video is an allegory for unapologetic individuality, denotes freedom and self-expression. A true introduction of the overall theme of the album itself.
All in the Gloria of it
The name, Gloria, is not in reference to a name or a person, but rather, an energy that Sam has dubbed Gloria.
Gloria is also a celebration of all the genres and all the female divas, vocalists and pop writers that I love. I harnessed all those memories and put them into one album. And I wanted to be defiant. My diva album? I think so! I think I’ve finally let my Gloria out
Sam’s newest album reportedly sounds of ‘constricting shackles crashing to the floor’. In essence it is the opposite of a heartbreak album – and was a challenge for hitmaker Sam to create. They explain that the album is a construct of the armor they craved growing up. The album leans on some celebrated female figures from Sam’s musical world including Kim Petras, Jessie Reyez and Koffee. Finally, the album explores themes of passion, self-expression and imperfection.
READ MORE: Gloria! Sam Smith Releases New Album
The thirteen-track album is fueled by long-time collaborators, Jimmy Napes, Stargate and ILYA. And it tells! The album strings glitterball electro pop with piano balladry and choir-sung hymn.
Some of the featured songs on the album include ‘Gimme’ with Colombian-Canadian R&B singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez, and Reggae star Koffee. It also boasts the gut-wrenching ‘Who We Love’ with Ed Sheeran. GRAMMY-nominated hit, ‘Unholy” with Kim Petras, is in the track list too. ‘Unholy’ is Sam’s eighth Number 1 hit, and their first Billboard Hot 100 Number 1.
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Sam, so far, enjoys 38 million album sales, 283 million single sales and 51 billion career streams. And it does not stop their. They plan to kick off their world tour in the UK. They will continue to take Gloria to North America, Australia and New Zealand. Some say it is Sam’s most confident and creative version of themselves to date. It flows with courageous spirit, it is expressive and exuberant.
