Sam Smith

The visuals see the singer arrive at a stately home in a helicopter before dancing in a variety of flamboyant outfits alongside a large troupe of backing ...

People just don’t like that Sam is queer, plus sized and unapologetic about it. If a straight white cis woman popstar did what sam smith did there would be no problem. It must be exhausting being so hateful all the time. “If a straight white cis woman popstar did what sam smith did there would be no problem,” said academic Dr. Many pointed out that the video would not have caused such a moral panic if it had been a cisgender, female popstar in it, and many videos by such musicians have been more sexualised without anyone batting an eyelid. “Sex has always been a running theme in modern pop music, and music videos often flaunt it,” wrote journalist Owen Jones.

The Good Morning Britain host made the same mistake twice and had to be put right by both Susanna Reid and guest Shivani Dave.

"And good on Richard Madeley correcting them." "#GMB GO ON @susannareid100 reminding Richard Madeley about Sam's pronouns!" Straight over to #BBCBreakfast for me." Rich wrote: "Why on earth do #gmb seriously employ Richard Madeley as a presenter. "Yes, sorry." I will learn to do that." "They," he said. Viewers watching Good Morning Britain criticised Richard for misgendering two separate people in the space of just a few minutes. The "Writing's on the Wall" singer explained in an interview with [Richard](https://www.cornwalllive.com/all-about/richard-madeley) and Susanna took some time to discuss Sam Smith's latest music video for their new single, "I'm Not Here to Make Friends". The Good Morning Britain presenters were then joined by guests Shivani Dave and Alex Phillips to discuss Sam's latest music video. When discussion on Good Morning Britain today turned towards Sam's music video, Richard, 66, explained to viewers that the footage needed to be edited before it could be broadcast on television.

Sam Smith's latest music video has drawn controversy for the kind of in-your-face sex- and body-positive sensibilty that's become commonplace in modern ...

Compared to many of their pop contemporaries, Smith is thoroughly unremarkable in their willingness to place sex front and centre. [a three-star review of their latest album, Gloria](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/sam-smith-gloria-review-b2269894.html), Helen Brown describes Smith’s singing as the “aural equivalent of watching a lava lamp” – and she’s right. While Smith is currently facing the sharp end of this double standard, it would be absurd to act as if they are some kind of radical button-pusher. When the act of rebellion has been washed clean, made sturdy by history and the heft of consensus. Musicians should not be forced to tailor their output to the sexless whims of the young. In one of the more extreme reactions, ex-Brexit Party MEP Alex Phillips went on Good Morning Britain and likened the video to porn, linking its content to a wider culture of sexual assaults and “relationships falling apart”. And yet, in poured the outrage, with detractors branding the content “pornographic” and calling for an age restriction to be placed on the video. Sam Smith’s latest music video has drawn controversy for the kind of in-your-face, sex- and body-positive sensibility that’s become commonplace in modern music. The mere suggestion of sexuality does not equate to porn, nor is such a suggestion inherently unsuitable for children. “I’m Not Here to Make Friends” has pretty innocuous lyrics – tamely horny lines about looking to pull in a nightclub. It’s a raunchy, unabashed display of sexuality. It’s an accusation that reeks of homophobia.

Sam Smith's video to their new track I'm Not Here To Make Friends sees them dance in a corset and nipple covers while having water sprayed in their mouth ...

One wrote: "It's time for standards to be raised regarding pop videos. They are fully available on YouTube and TikTok," she told Richard and Susanna. "We live an age now where porn is becoming so normalised. You have got filth going on in One added: "Hate all the haters. "It is bad, it is unhealthy, it is not good for society and this is a symptom of it." They’re all just jealous." "What I think the difference here is that Sam Smith was assigned male at birth and we are not used to seeing people who are assigned male at birth dancing around in lingerie and corsets and things like that." "You look so happy & free on this new era! "I don't think it is a coincidence that the reporting of things like sexual assaults and sexual attacks, relationships falling apart, the swipe left and swipe right generation. "The point is that teenagers and young people are the audience who are watching these things and it doesn't come with a block. "You have had to edit a lot of that video down to be able to show it on television.

R. ichard Madeley apologised for using the incorrect pronouns for Sam Smith on Good Morning Britain on Monday. Madeley, 66, was in the middle of debating ...

I hope you can see me like I see myself now. “I corrected him, he apologised and took it on board. “I understand there will be many mistakes and mis gendering but all I ask is you please, please try. Smith wrote: “Today is a good day so here goes. The Unholy singer said at the time in a post shared on Instagram that they had “been at war with their gender” for a lifetime, before finally deciding to “embrace” who they are. [ichard Madeley](/topic/richard-madeley) apologised for using the incorrect pronouns for [Sam Smith](/topic/sam-smith) on [Good Morning Britain](/topic/good-morning-britain) on Monday.

Sam Smith was given an apology from Richard Madeley after the presenter used the wrong pronouns when talking about the singer on 'GMB'.

[In a four-star review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/sam-smith-gloria-review-the-most-vital-work-of-their-career-3387484), NME’s Nick Levine described ‘Gloria’ as “the most surprising, satisfying and vital work of [Smith’s] career”, and declared that the singer “has never sounded better because they’ve never been more themselves”. [pronouns they/them since 2019](https://www.nme.com/news/music/sam-smith-asks-to-be-referred-to-as-they-instead-of-he-after-coming-out-as-gender-neutral-2547833) after revealing that they were gender neutral. “My family can communicate with me; they always did, but they communicate with me now in an even better way. And in my personal life, there’s not one negative. Referencing a clip in the music video, Madeley said: “A shot of him, Sam.” And it was really hard.”

Pop music – and specifically pop music stardom – has an incredible power to transform people into things they are not. The pop sphere enjoyed by my ...

It is his belief he is somehow beyond male and female, that he is not a man. It is not Smith’s sexuality that is worthy of critique. We have come full circle and then gone backwards, because what we have here is a freak show of painful clichés, a carnival booth of ancient music hall stereotypes. As the owner of a bulky male frame, I can confirm this is not the best way to present it to the public. And this is a healthy check – as far as it goes. His act, much like the John Waters movies from which it originated, was a satire on the very idea of beauty, sexiness and bad taste. That covers many much more disturbing and unpleasant things than Smith’s busty display, from racial division to self-harm in the guise of self-discovery. It is like a Gothic cathedral to Sam Smith’s garden centre. It is also an intelligent, inventive record, full of musical surprises, wit and an original voice. First is a kind of morally dumbfounded disgust, second is high amusement, and third is what I want to talk about here, which I think I can fairly summarise as: ‘Oh, it’s just kids being kids and really no different to our day’. We are terrified of sounding like we’re saying ‘Kids today!’ (At this point I would just like to remind everyone that Sam Smith is thirty years old.) But there are limits, and the singer Sam Smith has done us a favour by smashing into them.

The non-binary singer has become an all singing, all dancing vessel for people's bigotry - so they should at least admit to it, argues Maddy Mussen.

Or when nine-year-old me watched on completely unfazed as Beyonce and Shakira performed matching belly dances and grinded against walls in the video for Beautiful Liar, circa 2007? The video shows Smith all laced up in a cream silk corset, complete with matching nipple covers and budgie-smuggler pants, prancing about like the non-binary Birth of Venus. Or perhaps – just perhaps – you might be a homophobe?

Perhaps the most Orwellian word in the English language right now is 'misgendering'. Misgendering is said to occur when you use the 'wrong' pronouns for a ...

Follow him on Twitter: [@FraserMyers](https://twitter.com/FraserMyers) He also refuses to be recognised as a male in music-industry shindigs like the [Brit Awards](https://www.spiked-online.com/2023/01/16/its-time-to-call-out-the-nonsense-of-nonbinary/), which in 2021 dropped its male and female categories, seemingly [at Smith’s request](https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/mar/12/sam-smith-gender-2021-brit-awards). Sam Smith is a man, a biological adult male, whatever pronouns he uses or however he chooses to dress. It compels us to affirm the fantasy that someone can either change sex or even, in cases like Smith’s, exist without a sex altogether. Out in the real world, in everyday English speech, men are referred to as either he or him. Misgendering is said to occur when you use the ‘wrong’ pronouns for a

"Gloria" is projected to debut at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart.

[Ava Max](https://www.billboard.com/artist/ava-max/) is heading for a No. [Academy Award nominations](https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/oscars-nominations-2023-complete-list-1235204199/), the King of Rock & Roll is making a move on the U.K. [Uriah Heep](https://www.billboard.com/artist/uriah-heep/) (Chaos & Colour at No. rapper [Lil Yachty](https://www.billboard.com/artist/lil-yachty/) (Let’s Start Here at No. 1 on the Official U.K. [Elvis Presley](https://www.billboard.com/artist/elvis-presley/)’s Elv1s – 30 Number 1 Hits (RCA) lifts 23-20 on the chart blast, and Elvis On Tour (Sony Music CG), a six-CD, one-Blu-ray box set capturing performances from Elvis’ 1972 North America tour, is set to bow at No. 1 hit single](https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/sam-smith-gloria-interview-1235204959/) “Unholy,” a collaboration with Kim Petras, Gloria leads the [Official Chart Update](https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart-update/). Fragments is set to become Dylan’s 42nd appearance in the U.K. 10 in the U.K. [Bob Dylan](https://www.billboard.com/artist/bob-dylan/) is on track for a No. Albums Chart, following the Brit’s previous leaders In The Lonely Hour (from 2014) and The Thrill Of It All (2017). It’s the followup to 2020’s Love Goes, which peaked at No.

Sam Smith's latest music video has drawn controversy for the kind of in-your-face, sex- and body-positive sensibility that's become commonplace in modern music. The criticism surrounding the pop singer's effort reeks of homophobia, writes Louis Chilton.

Compared to many of their pop contemporaries, Smith is thoroughly unremarkable in their willingness to place sex front and centre. [a three-star review of their latest album, Gloria](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/sam-smith-gloria-review-b2269894.html), Helen Brown describes Smith’s singing as the “aural equivalent of watching a lava lamp” – and she’s right. While Smith is currently facing the sharp end of this double standard, it would be absurd to act as if they are some kind of radical button-pusher. When the act of rebellion has been washed clean, made sturdy by history and the heft of consensus. Musicians should not be forced to tailor their output to the sexless whims of the young. In one of the more extreme reactions, ex-Brexit Party MEP Alex Phillips went on Good Morning Britain and likened the video to porn, linking its content to a wider culture of sexual assaults and “relationships falling apart”. And yet, in poured the outrage, with detractors branding the content “pornographic” and calling for an age restriction to be placed on the video. Sam Smith’s latest music video has drawn controversy for the kind of in-your-face, sex- and body-positive sensibility that’s become commonplace in modern music. The mere suggestion of sexuality does not equate to porn, nor is such a suggestion inherently unsuitable for children. “I’m Not Here to Make Friends” has pretty innocuous lyrics – tamely horny lines about looking to pull in a nightclub. It’s a raunchy, unabashed display of sexuality. It’s an accusation that reeks of homophobia.

The 66-year-old made the same mistake twice and had to be put right by both his co-host Susanna Reid and radio presenter Shivani Dave. Richard and Susanna were ...

"And good on Richard Madeley correcting them." "#GMB GO ON @susannareid100 reminding Richard Madeley about Sam's pronouns!" "Yes, sorry." "They," he said. The "Writing's on the Wall" singer explained in an interview with Richard and Susanna were discussing Sam Smith's latest music video for their new single, "I'm Not Here to Make Friends", while delivering the morning's headlines.

The backlash around the I'm Not Here to Make Friends music video comes after the singer revealed they experience 'abuse on the street' in the UK for being ...

I understand there will be many mistakes and misgendering but all I ask is you please please try. Owen Jones, writer and podcaster, wrote: “Sex has always been a running theme in modern pop music, and music videos often flaunt it. One person wrote: “If Sam Smith were thin, cis, and straight, they wouldn’t be ridiculed for how they present and dress. While Smith’s music video has been criticised by some, many others have jumped to the musician’s defence on Twitter. Smith’s new music video for I’m Not Here to Make Friends has been criticised by some for its supposed sexual nature. Smith released the video for the song from their latest album Gloria on 27 January, and has since racked up nearly 3 million views.

Sam Smith's I'm Not Here To Make Friends wasn't any different to most music videos nowadays.

Now, all of a sudden they have become flamboyant, camp and colourful, it goes against everything they thought of them, which people don’t seem to like. In reality, this music video is no more ‘saucy’ than most of those that are pumped out every week. It’s sad and scary to see this narrative becoming so widespread and harkens back into a time where Section 28 was enforced in the UK. As someone who has received an incredible amount of vile transphobic hate towards them, I know first-hand how this narrative of LGBT+ people portraying themselves in a way deemed too queer can end up. If you’re not going to allow a child to watch this, fine, just don’t let them go and watch an equally ‘raunchy’ video featuring a cis, straight woman. Now, I’m not forgetting that Little Mix did historically get criticism for not being family-friendly – but it caused nowhere near the amount of stink that Smith’s has. It’s the same hysteria used when people protest against drag queen story time, trans health care and LGBT+ education in schools. The overwhelming conclusion to these talks is that such approval seems solely based on if we act and look just like them. In moments like this, it’s clear to see why. The ironic thing is, in this case, Smith was acting just like any other straight, cisgender pop star. But as soon as we step outside of that, we all of a sudden become perverts. And in 2002, the public complained when George Michael’s Freeek!

If you haven't watched it, the singer spends most of it wearing a corset and nipple tassels while performing some spicy moves with backing dancers. Some people ...

Others think Sam is a victim of double standards. Kenny say's he's proud of Sam for confidently showcasing their identity in the video and their new album. "The tide of progress always ebbs and flows," says Pixie. And the BBC refused to play the song after one of it top DJs at the time, Mike Read, branded it "obscene". She says: "I watched the video and I was a bit like, 'oh, is this it'? The band had to make two videos for the song, as the first was set in a gay, S&M-themed nightclub and allegedly banned from TV. "I think this is a coming of age moment for Sam Smith as an artist." It wasn't long before Sam was trending on Twitter too, with a lot of posts calling the video "vulgar" and saying it was inappropriate for younger viewers. Some people think the video is "oversexualised" and want it to come with a warning. "I think the outcry just smacks of this sort of homophobia, queer phobia and transphobia." Since Sam came out as non-binary, fans think the singer has leaned in to their identity and it's had an impact on their music. "Sam Smith's early work was very palatable to a mainstream audience, because they didn't celebrate their queerness in the same way," says Pixie.

In the visual for their Calvin Harris-produced disco anthem I'm Not Here to Make Friends, the star proudly and confidently dons nipple-tassles and dances with ...

[said the backlash](https://twitter.com/AyoCaesar) is “amplified by the fact they’re [sic] queer and plus-sized, but all of these music videos generated much in the way of pearl-clutching and outrage,” adding: “Madonna was denounced by the Vatican!” [In a recent tweet](https://twitter.com/samsmith/status/1619658846934540290/photo/1), accompanied by a music video still, Sam seemingly responded to the backlash as they simply wrote, “Never too much.” [During their recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eazcJY2lvPM), Sam took the criticism in their stride, saying it resulted in their favourite ever headline: “Sam Smith horrifies OAP’s.” Critics branded the video “pornography”, with one Christian commentator condemning YouTube for not including – a whole bunch of ridiculousness incoming – “age restrictions” on their “degrading sexualised new music video”. In the visual for their Calvin Harris-produced disco anthem I’m Not Here to Make Friends, the star proudly and confidently dons nipple-tassles and dances with an army of scantily clad dancers.