Just Sam
Love me some Sam Smith. Ever since Stay With Me, I've been a fan. I think that the voice (and I like the voice!) had something to do with my being so fixated with that song, but I think it was the feeling that I could hear behind the voice what made me stop and listen. Mind you, I have no idea what 'good' singing is. I'm your garden variety music consumer. I just like what I like. And I like Sam's music. After Stay With Me came the dance hits and I was totally sold. I love me a good bop and Latch and LaLaLa have been part of the soundtrack of my life for awhile now.
To me, Sam Smith is the music child of Boy George and Adele. That voice gets under my skin and the lyrics talk to me (Stay With Me, am I right?). The thing is, I had no idea Sam was part of the LGBTQ community before they came out. I always attributed their quiet, shy demeanor to being English. But then they came out and I was like 'YES!'. Having a queer singer singing songs about loving another man is always good, don't you think? Representation matters. And changing pronouns in a song to make it fit you gets old after awhile.
So this is 'Diamonds', Sam's latest, and of course there's a gorge video that goes with it. But I like this performance better. As in the official video, Sam is alone and sings and dances to the music. The thing is, seeing him dance you would not think that Sam has struggled with body image for years. It's something that they have talked about several times in interviews: they felt ill at ease with their body. It did not help that public figures (like Howard Stern) ridiculed them for their appearance. Yeah. There's mean people with an opinion lurking at every corner.
The thing is, not all of us have perfect bodies. Not all of us can move like professional dancers. Not all of us can tick all the boxes in the 'attractive male' category. So when I watched Sam's performance live at the 2020 MTV EMA I was elated. It's just Sam and the music. And they dance with the proverbial 'dance like nobody's watching' abandon. And it's a joy. I was tempted to also post the original official video for Diamonds, where Sam also dances alone with an open shirt and appears to be living their best life. But I decided to go with this one instead. It's more raw, it goes all out on the joy of somebody dancing to a song they're really feeling. It even has a Robyn moment (Sam has said they LOVE Robyn!). Also, there's a message for the world at the end of the performance that went to all the queer kids who have had their own Howard Stern tell them they're too fem, too fat, too ugly.
Sam has been dancing more and more in their videos and I'm here for it. I really like watching men dance like nobody's watching.
XOXO
P.S. Here's another video of a more conventionally handsome man doing his thing. But just like in Sam's case, it's obvious he's not a professional dancer. Just a man enjoying himself. And I will never not watch that.
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I also enjoy Sam’s work. They have a smooth voice and a message to express. I like your analogy of them being a music child. Didn’t both them and Adele have to take a break to rest their voices?
ReplyDeleteThey certainly has come a long way. They look like they’re enjoying who they are. The message at the end gives power to the queer community, something that we need right now.
XOXO 👨❤️💋👨
Ohhh yes.
DeleteThe voice is everything. And yes, they have taken breaks because of voice issues. I think it happens to all singers...
And I loved the message at the end! So powerful.
XOXO
Loved the second video! Such Freedom. I thought for sure he was going to do a pole routine.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteI think men who are not professional dancers or who get to dance with total abandon are very, very sexy.
And a pole dance would have done me in.
XOXO
Some of Sam's music is good, some is a bit too dancy for me. Oh, and that 'more conventionally handsome man' with the 6% body fat is Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
ReplyDeleteOMG, Dave!
DeleteI love the dance numbers! I've danced to Sam's songs many times. Not as much now, though. It's been forever since I've been to a club.
And that percentage of body fat in Aaron may be absolutely accurate.
XOXO
I think Sam is the spawn of a thruple: Boy George, Adele and Jimmy Somerville.
ReplyDeleteAs for Aaron Taylor Johnson, he is quite, quite a handsome man. I saw him in A Million Little Pieces and there was one piece on display that wasn't so little. And he was good in the film too!
Haha
DeleteYes! That falsetto soars.
And I was convinced Aaron was going to be huge (well, in movies) and that he was going to be in one of those franchises playing some kind of hero. His wife directed him in AMLP. He was absolutely dashing in Anna Karenina.
XOXO
Love Sam. Heard Disclosure and Naughty Boy before I knew who Sam was. They have a beautiful voice. One of the best. I saw Rhye live a year ago (?) at The Fine Line. Lovely evening. Very sexy stuff. Glad I saw them. One of those groups I was not aware of and then a friend of mine insisted I go. Body image... we all struggle. We obsess. Just dance...
ReplyDeleteReally?
DeleteFunny how I heard Stay with Me first. Or maybe it was that then I knew who was the voice behind Latch and LaLaLa. Rhye are awesome! You now those Canadians.
And yep. Body image is a bitch. But dancing is good medicine.
XOXO
So, here's the thing about voice and "good" singing: It's like any other art form. If you like it and enjoy it, that's all that matters. Fuck everyone else's opinion. Opera singers are supposed to be the greatest voices on the planet. It's the rare opera singer who snags me.
ReplyDeleteDancing like nobody is watching and *dancing* are two different things, Six. We can dance for the sheer joy of the movement, or we (dancers) move to specific choreography. You know me - if they're choreographed, I'll judge. If not - like Aaron - I can enjoy it for the individualized expression it is. (I know, I'm such an opinionated bitch! LOL) XOXO
Oh, I know, Big.
DeleteIt's just that I really do not know much about music LOL I do like some trashy pop singers that get panned. Your comment reminded me of a friend who does not really like Celine Dion. When he told me that I gave him the side eye. He said her technique is fantastic but that she's 'cold'. I could not get it.
And I really enjoyed both Sam and Aaron dancing. I know there was a choreographer involved at some point, but the final product feels and looks very spontaneous. That's sexy.
And of course you're opinionated. Come sit by me.
XOXO
Honey, I'd love to sit by you! I know we'd have a blast! (Add in Maddie and, hoo-wee!!) xoxo
DeleteOn Sam, I can say that his sex appeal is enough for me. I really enjoyed the second video.
ReplyDeleteOh, I think Sam is very attractive. There are things in them that are very sexy.
DeleteAnd the second video was fantastic. Such passion.
XOXO
Solo he oÃdo Dancing with a Stranger, porque la ponÃan en un lugar a donde iba. No he checado nada más suyo.
ReplyDeleteOh, pero el último álbum que han publicado es fantâstico. Lo recomiendo. In The Lonely Hour es un álbum fantà stico también!
DeleteXOXO
I love Sam Smith. His song "Stay With Me"...oh you can so hear the emotion in his voice.
ReplyDelete(I must be doing something wrong...I had commented earlier). I'll get the hang of this soon! Let's just say I'm technologically challenged.