Out Spotlight

Today's Out Spotlight is an English singer and songwriter who was nominated for 6 Grammy awards. Today's Out Spotlight is Sam Smith.

Samuel Frederick "Sam" Smith was born May 19, 1992 in London, England, the son of Kate Cassidy and Frederick Smith. He is an alumnus of Youth Music Theatre UK and starred in their 2007 production of "Oh! Carol". Before entering the musical theatre, Smith had been in jazz bands.

Smith studied singing and songwriting under jazz vocalist/pianist Joanna Eden. He attended St Mary's Catholic School in Bishop's Stortford and was a member of the Bishop's Stortford Junior Operatics (now Bishops Stortford Musical Theatre Society) and the successful Cantate Youth Choir.

He rose to fame in October 2012 when he was featured on Disclosure's breakthrough single "Latch", which peaked at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart. His subsequent feature—on Naughty Boy's "La La La"—earned him his first number 1 single in May 2013.

In December 2013, he was nominated for the 2014 BRIT Critics' Choice Award and the BBC's Sound of 2014 poll, both of which he won. He released his debut studio album, In the Lonely Hour, in May 2014 on Capitol Records The lead single, "Lay Me Down", was released prior to "La La La". The second single was "Money on My Mind" which became his second number one single in the UK. The album's third single, "Stay with Me", was an international success, reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, while the fourth single "I'm Not the Only One" reached the top five in both countries. Fifth single "Like I Can" reached number nine in the UK.

On January 20 2014, Smith made his American television debut performing "Latch" with Disclosure on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He also performed on Saturday Night Live on March 29 2014, performing "Stay with Me" and an acoustic version of "Lay Me Down". "Stay with Me" reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The fourth single from the album, "I'm Not the Only One", reached number three in the UK and number five in the U.S.

In August 2014, Smith's single "Stay with Me" was named Variance Magazine's Song of Summer. He performed "Stay With Me" live at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards on August 24 at The Forum in Inglewood, California. On November 15 2014, Smith joined the charity group Band Aid 30 along with other British and Irish pop acts, recording the latest version of the track "Do They Know It's Christmas?" at Sarm West Studios in Notting Hill, London.

In February 2015, Smith subsequently awarded 12.5% of the royalties from his hit "Stay with Me" to Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne, co-writers of Petty's 1989 hit "I Won't Back Down", upon being confronted with the similarities between the two songs. Petty and Lynne are now listed as co-writers on the track.

Smith won a 2014 American Music Award for Favorite Male Artist - Pop/Rock.

In December 2014, Smith was nominated for six Grammy Awards, including Best New Artist, "Stay with Me" for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Solo Performance, and In the Lonely Hour for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. During the Grammy's held this evening (February 8, 2015) he won four including: Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year. During one of his acceptance speeches Smith said his success came when he was able to truly be himself.

In May 2014, Smith revealed to the public that he is gay. His former partner is Jonathan Zeizel.