Sam Smith has pretty much seen and done it all. With a fourth studio album arriving later this month, the singer and songwriter already boasts four Grammys, three BRITs, an Oscar and a Golden Globe, No. 1s around the globe and a James Bond theme.
Though Smith still feels star struck when a pop diva walks into the room.
“If I see Rihanna or Madonna, I fall to the floor,” Smith tells Jimmy Fallon, during an interview that aired Thursday night (Jan. 19).
Add Lady Gaga to that starry list. Smith recounts the story of when they skipped school to watch Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour. They forged a letter from dad, and landed detention for, maybe, a week. Did the punishment fit the crime? Doesn’t matter. “It was so worth it,” Smith says.
Smith’s life has moved on from playing hooky. Last month, they were invited to the White House for a performance and a meet-and-greet following the signing of the historic Respect for Marriage Act into law, protecting same-sex and interracial marriages across the country.
On the day, Smith performed “Stay With Me,” and met with top brass. Kamala Harris “loved” their handbag, “they were all very sweet and kind to me and my team and everyone.”
As a Brit, Smith never dreamed of being in playing that particular venue. “It was such a beautiful day, such a beautiful step in the right direction for our community and I was just very honored.”
Smith was, of course, on the Tonight Show couch to talk about their new album Gloria, due out Jan. 27 via Capitol. Its title and title song, Smith explains, is about “a spirit inside of me that says to me, ‘you keep going. You’ve got this. Carry on’. It’s like a fighter spirit within me.”
Several songs from it have already dropped, including the hit “Unholy” with Kim Petras, and “Gimme,” with Koffee and Jessie Reyez. One more song with an “amazing” music video is coming soon. “I explode into glitter,” Smith quips.
Smith will hit the road this April for the start of a major tour in support of Gloria. More dates were added this week. But first, SNL this weekend – Smith’s first appearance as musical guest on the show in eight years. “I’m not as nervous. I was s—ing myself the first time,” they admit. “It’s the fourth time I’ve been there. I’m a bit more calm.”
Watch the late-night interview below.