Not much has been able to pull me out of the semi blog-tirement I've been experiencing. However...
Sam Smith.
He's 22 and British. And talented. Like crazy talented. He's being hailed as the next Adele, which is not a generous heaping of praise. In my book, he's more than earned it.
A few months ago he was on SNL, and he blew me away. He sang the gospel-tinged Stay With Me for one of his turns onstage and later posted a duet of this song with the incomparable Mary J. Blige. It was several antsy weeks for me until his album In the Lonely Hour "dropped" last Tuesday. I bought it. And it is good.
His songs showcase an enviable vocal range, and although my favorites are the more stripped-down ballads (duh), his pop songs are fun without going Gaga.
Late last week he up and covered Whitney Houston's How Will I Know, slow-jam style. And he nailed it. So now it's official that I'm obsessed. He has the chops and still seems very down-to-earth. Oh, and he's coming to the Ryman in October! Tickets: purchased. Show: quickly sold out. Tommy: elated.
I hope you're well!