Sam Smith Seeks Talented Up-and-Coming Singers for London Residency Support Acts

Sam Smith, the acclaimed singer-songwriter, is collaborating with BBC Introducing in a search for emerging talent to support their upcoming residency shows in Manchester and London. During an announcement on Radio 1’s New Music Show with Jack Saunders, Smith revealed plans to select ten up-and-coming artists to open for them during these performances.

Residency Details and Upcoming Album

The residency will commence with two nights at Manchester’s Albert Hall on the 3rd and 4th of September, followed by an impressive eight-night run at the London Coliseum from the 8th to the 19th of September. These shows will celebrate the release of Smith’s new album, titled “Hazel Eyes,” which is set to drop on the 21st of August.

Artists interested in this opportunity can submit their music via the BBC Introducing Uploader from Wednesday, 29th July until Wednesday, 5th August. To be considered, they must select the “Sam Smith” tag when uploading their tracks. A panel from BBC Introducing will shortlist the entries, with Smith ultimately choosing the final ten artists who will perform at the shows. The selected artists will be announced later this summer.

Supporting Emerging Talent

Winners of this initiative will not only have the chance to perform at one of Smith’s residency shows but will also receive exposure across BBC Introducing, a platform dedicated to discovering new musical talent. Smith expressed their enthusiasm for this new venture, stating, “It’s exciting to be part of this amazing new initiative. The discovery process for artists and audiences is so important, and being able to play a part in that is fantastic.”

Identifying as they/them, Smith first gained prominence in 2012 with their feature on Disclosure’s hit track “Latch.” Their star power skyrocketed in 2014 with the release of their debut album, “In the Lonely Hour,” which included chart-topping hits such as “Stay With Me” and “I’m Not The Only One.” The album achieved remarkable success, selling over a million copies in both the UK and US within a year.

Chart-Topping Success and Anticipated New Music

Since then, Smith has solidified their status as a global pop sensation, boasting 49 million album sales and an astounding 300 million singles sold. Hits like “Too Good At Goodbyes,” “Dancing With A Stranger,” “Unholy,” and “Promises” have each garnered over a billion streams on Spotify. Additionally, Smith’s critically acclaimed theme “Writing’s On The Wall” from the 2016 James Bond film “Spectre” further highlights their musical prowess.

Tickets for the residency went on general sale at 10 am on Friday, 10th July, and can still be purchased through various platforms. A pre-sale for fans was made available on Thursday, 9th July, which remains accessible.

Insights on “Hazel Eyes”

Reflecting on the upcoming release of “Hazel Eyes,” Smith shared, “This album is an incredibly special record to me. I have been writing it for over three years with a very small group of beautiful, dear friends of mine. This album is very personal, and I feel I have deepened myself as an artist through the making of it, from being a producer on the record to walking alongside this project from start to finish, pushing myself at every single turn.”

Smith described the music as “incredibly romantic” and noted that the process of creating the album has imparted numerous life lessons, all of which have been documented through the songs.

Fans can look forward to an unforgettable experience as Sam Smith takes the stage at the London Coliseum theatre for eight nights starting on Tuesday, 8th September, until Saturday, 19th September.

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