“When I watched his performance on SNL, I knew how powerful his gift was,” says Lady Gaga. “I was with my boyfriend, about to leave for tour again the next day, and Sam was singing ‘Stay With Me’. We both had such an honest emotional reaction. I remember thinking how unique it was to have such a visceral reaction to a modern artist.” Lady Gaga talking about Sam Smith for Rolling Stone
I remember watching this when it aired. I was looking around at the empty room needing to say to someone "are you watching this??". I remember thinking "WHO IS THIS??". Still gives me goosebumps to this day
I love how you can hear the women at the very end quietly going "Oh my God.." in pure awe! Haha thats awesome!! And its so sweet how Sam looks so shocked by the cheering, such a talented humble guy he is!
Lovely shy smile at the end when he takes a bow. As if he knows he sang it beautifully but still can't believe he's so adored. You're GOOD, Sam. No need to doubt yourself.
This was my first exposure to Sam..My face was bathed in tears after hearing this song. This truly was a magical performance. I dare say live, is way better than his studio work. He really emotes the song so well and his voice really rings with his joy of singing. It's truly amazing to see someone so young so well rooted in the seat of their soul.
SelannyAndAbby I do love it!I bought his album the day it came out here in Canada and pretty sure I knew every lyric by the second day of listening to it.I love every single song on the album!
Amir Oueid i can't hear that. can u put the time they say it? It's funny that u say that cuz i just watched him sing this on Late Night and David Letterman says "Wow, Oh my god" after he sings.
Killer vocals! His falsetto is so clear, and reminds me of when Marvin Gaye and Maxwell were at their peak. No gyration. No pyrotechnics... just his golden voice. Beautiful.
I just discovered him yesterday at a family party on tv and i had a tear because of his voice...i dont normally like new artists but wow this guy is amazing!
He has a voice which makes you want to stop and listen to every word. I've been a fan of him for a few years now and my love for his music keeps growing
Man, you can feel the emotion in his voice, especially at the end. He's obviously feeling it as well as his eyes are tearing up too. Awesome LIVE performance.
Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Sia, Lana Del Rey are like my obsessions lately. Not only are they amazing live, but those I feel are true artists with unique talent compared to other main stream artists these days. I still like Adele too but she hasn't had a new album lately lol. And why does him being gay matter, what matters is the amazing music he makes and beautiful voice he has.
Sam and Ed Sheeran are the only two artists I know that sound better live than they do in the recorded version. Both of them are so incredibly talented and rare. Just amazing.
It's been a while since I found a song that I can play on repeat 50 times and not get sick of it. You are amazing, and I can't wait to see you live soon!
I was describing him to a friend and I said, "He has this amazing falsetto voice... The only weird thing is he kind of looks like Boy George." Haha. Guess I'm not the only one who thought so.
This is arguably the most important performance of his life to date. How nervous he must have been! So inspiring to see him come and give such an amazing performance.
He sings in such an effortless manner, he has such great control over his voice it's amazing. For someone who just recently came up popular in the music industry he is incredible.
Honestly, amazing. Just beautiful. You can feel the emotion as he sings, its so real. Not fake like so many other artists. In my opinion, Sam is the beginning of a new generation of artists, people who sing true to the heart and are real with every word they utter. Just stunning :)
I wish I could marry his voice!!!!! I mean, he sings exactly like the radio edit and even if I hear this a million of times, he still gives me goose bumps!! He has an angelic voice!!!!
I'm sure people will be annoyed by my observation, but the way he executes his melisma, particularly on the "...clear to see," is similar to Adele. Good shit coming from the United Kingdom y'all.
They are similar artists in my opinion. I don't think that their riffs and runs are very similar but that's just opinion. They give off the same vibe as artists mainly considering they always dress in dark, non-flashy, outfits and focus on their music. It is also extremely hard to label their music as a certain genre, which is exactly what I think they were hoping to achieve with their music. In the end like you said they are both amazing.
Interestingly he cites Amy Winehouse as a big influence on his music, and I don't think it can be denied that Adele clearly owes a lot to Amy too. Amy's legacy is really turning out to be one of a seminal British artist who has paved the way for a new era of singer/songwriters.
Niamh Kelly You hit the nail on the head, something I didn't think of. Adele has said that she does thank Amy for paving the way for "different" styles of singing and music, so good observation.
Wow it's incredible to see SUCH a talented artist now of days that has this endless range and pitch and emotional sucker punches through sheer vocal talent. He sounds like the radio version. Flawless and moving.
I'm sitting at work and I'm crying. I love this song and all, but today, it hit different. It hit different and that's pretty much all I can say about it.
fuck, i dont know what you guys have in the water over the pond, but thanks for Sam and Ed. Both two amazing artists that are infinitely better live than in their recordings, a incredibly rare ability.
You can tell how effortless it is for him he's crazy talented. Most people look like they're struggling when they hit some of those notes. Even if they sound good they look like they're having a hard time. He just keeps the same smouldering facial expression. So good
I watched the actual video for this and thought, wow he's an awful lip syncer, like for the video. Then I watched this- and I am still curious if he lip synced this performance. Then i considered that he is just so good that it looks effortless. One of a kind.
Adele, John Legend, and him are on another level when it comes to performing live. Very few artists today can actually perform in front of live crowds.
+Marlon Morales I'd say Bruno Mars too. I'm not really a Bruno Mars fan but I've never heard/seen him put in a bad performance and would actually not mind seeing him (or any of the people you mentioned) live. Obviously I'd love to go watch acts I'm a fan of but I also love watching acts who put on a great live show.
+Glenn McMurray I've seen Bruno Mars live and he is amazing live! High energy dancing and singing! So fun to watch! He'll make you wanna slow dance with your special someone then dance like maniac the next lol
At the very end, a woman in the audience gasps "oh my gawd!" and the far right violinist hears it, looks for her and grins. Two great responses for a great song.
Sean Green I've traveled all around the world to listen to music. In terms of international status, The States have very few artists who have the ability to sing live well. It isn't ignorant, it's common sense to anyone with the ability to hear.
Rashaun James Considering that you can't really prove that you've "traveled all around the world" without posting videos up on your channel (which you have none of) or showing personal information such as a passport, that statement means absolutely nothing when said online without proof. So, we can ignore that. Second, what you said is both ignorant and subjective. You may believe that no other country in the world can produce "good music" but never forget that it's nothing more than an opinion and it's not common sense or fact. Remember, you can't prove any of your statements to be true without divulging personal information or videos. I would also like to point out that, if what you say is true about your traveling, you would have to be up in your years in terms of age. If that's true, then you must have a pretty boring life to go online and try to flex your weak little muscles in an argument that you cannot win since it's all based on a possible lie and subjective statements. Though, you could also be a troll but eh. I don't particularly care if you are or not. For your sake, I hope you are. You're a pretty sad individual if you aren't.
I think Sam Smith is one of the very few vocalist that i have seen that actually do more than what they did in the song. True talent, and amazing voice. P.S. Am i the only one hoping that him and John Legend do a song together?
You and me both! I just remember walking away from my tv, but when that second verse and run hit, I got chills and ran back in the room to rewind the performance. Unbelievable his tone and range live.
I think Sam Smith has an incredibly unique voice that the music industry is in need of right now. He's bringing back soul! I really loved this song of his, so I thought I'd cover it myself. It would mean a lot if you all checked it out and let me know how I did! :)
Wow, what a brilliant performance that was -- and the band seems to really enjoy playing with Sam Smith. I'm now a fan. Thank you for this beautiful song.
The more I hear his voice, the more I like it. Will listen to other recordings and hope he's not a one-hit wonder, because he's far too talented to let that happen. BTW, why does he remind me of a better looking more masculine more talented version of Boy George? ;:0)
“When I watched his performance on SNL, I knew how powerful his gift was,” says Lady Gaga. “I was with my boyfriend, about to leave for tour again the next day, and Sam was singing ‘Stay With Me’. We both had such an honest emotional reaction. I remember thinking how unique it was to have such a visceral reaction to a modern artist.”
Lady Gaga talking about Sam Smith for Rolling Stone
I remember watching this when it aired. I was looking around at the empty room needing to say to someone "are you watching this??". I remember thinking "WHO IS THIS??". Still gives me goosebumps to this day
I had the exact same experience lol. I almost never watch SNL, but this performance blew my mind and I'll never forget it
Me too!!!! I was like who is this guy!!
Same! Plus he has the most generic name ever haha. "Who the hell is Sam Smith?"
I love how you can hear the women at the very end quietly going "Oh my God.." in pure awe! Haha thats awesome!! And its so sweet how Sam looks so shocked by the cheering, such a talented humble guy he is!
Lovely shy smile at the end when he takes a bow. As if he knows he sang it beautifully but still can't believe he's so adored. You're GOOD, Sam. No need to doubt yourself.
If you listen closely, as soon as Sam finishes you can hear a lady say "oh my God", you can even hear the tears in her voice. What a performance.
This song is a certified classic. 20 years from now, I'll still be playing it like it just came out. Absolute perfection!
No ur not
@@herbertminkin4953 lol, why not
Are you still playing it ?(人 •͈ᴗ•͈)
@@78251lol
This song is already perfection BUT THE CHOIR makes it soooooo much better LAWWWD
hahah "LAWWWD" :')
This was my first exposure to Sam..My face was bathed in tears after hearing this song. This truly was a magical performance. I dare say live, is way better than his studio work. He really emotes the song so well and his voice really rings with his joy of singing. It's truly amazing to see someone so young so well rooted in the seat of their soul.
What an amazing voice! You get lost in the beauty and soul of the music and...his eyes!
This song is a certified classic. 20 years from now, I'll still be playing it like it just came out. Absolute perfection!
Perfection
:O I found Zai randomly
MockingShadows I feel special
How is it I can listen to this song every single day and not get tired of it?
So true you should check out I'm not the only one.You'll love it.
SelannyAndAbby I do love it!I bought his album the day it came out here in Canada and pretty sure I knew every lyric by the second day of listening to it.I love every single song on the album!
Ikr but its not available in my country :(
SelannyAndAbby Oh that's a shame.Can you get it off itunes?
No,ITunes is not available in my country because we don't use the same type of money.:(
i love how he blushed at the end...omg
Haha yeah, because at the very end you can hear two girls both say "Oh My God".
He is incredibly cute w. How humble and shy he is, very, very attractive
Amir Oueid i can't hear that. can u put the time they say it? It's funny that u say that cuz i just watched him sing this on Late Night and David Letterman says "Wow, Oh my god" after he sings.
I know! How charming.
I hope he doesn't get all cocky as he starts to get more and more famous.
the first to hear him sound exactly like the CD version. he's a true singer, a real one....amazing voice 10/10
That rare talent where it's better to see and hear them perform live rather than their music videos..what a class act
Killer vocals! His falsetto is so clear, and reminds me of when Marvin Gaye and Maxwell were at their peak. No gyration. No pyrotechnics... just his golden voice. Beautiful.
I just discovered him yesterday at a family party on tv and i had a tear because of his voice...i dont normally like new artists but wow this guy is amazing!
"i dont normally like new artists"
May I ask why?
LedZeppelinRules621 Because 90% of them are garbage
xmattx8 Exactly!
He has a voice which makes you want to stop and listen to every word. I've been a fan of him for a few years now and my love for his music keeps growing
izzytoofly Well, I enjoy discovering the 10% obscure artists sites like Stereogum, Pitchfork, and AV Club promote so..
This is one of the most incredible live performances I have listened to recently. He is so talented.
This is the most classiest song about a one night stand that i have ever heard. I have never heard someone make a one night stand sound so beautiful.
Have you ever heard a song from early 90's by Alias - More Than Words Can Say...
Luther vandross if only for one night is also one
Man, you can feel the emotion in his voice, especially at the end. He's obviously feeling it as well as his eyes are tearing up too. Awesome LIVE performance.
I just caught this on SNL. I can't stop listening....over and over!
I love how his comfort level grows during the song, then his smile at the end is priceless...he knew he nailed it.
THIS GUY IS SO TALENTED. I AM ADDICTED
T-Pain should take some singing lessons from this dude.
LedZeppelinRules621 T-Pain can actually sing without his auto tune lol look it up
Me too such an amazing voice
Yeah, he sure is.. This song has so much soul to it and you just can't get enough! This song is very addicting as well as the artist :)
Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Sia, Lana Del Rey are like my obsessions lately. Not only are they amazing live, but those I feel are true artists with unique talent compared to other main stream artists these days. I still like Adele too but she hasn't had a new album lately lol. And why does him being gay matter, what matters is the amazing music he makes and beautiful voice he has.
Sam and Ed Sheeran are the only two artists I know that sound better live than they do in the recorded version. Both of them are so incredibly talented and rare. Just amazing.
Excuse me? Noo Dan Smith sounds more amazing live!
well obviously I love Dan (look at my icon). He is amazing too, but Dan is in a band not solo like Ed and Sam so thats why i didn't include him.
Aaah, okay, but even in his solo work before Bastille he was fucking wicked live! :)
right on bruhh ;)
Beyoncé too.
It's been a while since I found a song that I can play on repeat 50 times and not get sick of it. You are amazing, and I can't wait to see you live soon!
Fr
3:09 that girl's voice in the background pretty much sums it up.
Omg he's so cute at the end when the audience applauds his performance. Such a humble and talented guy.
So good! Jesus I can't believe the voice on this guy. Pure talent
He seemed nervous but still a great voice! AMAZING TALENT!
This was his first performance ever on tv
Lovin his voice. The lyrics are just touching and beautiful. Angels working thru him.
I remember watching this live & hearing him for the 1st time. I immediately became a fan.
Looks like the child of K.D. Lang and Boy George. Unbelievable voice.
He does look like boy George
I agree, but which one carried the baby?
wayne rowe lol slightly confusing indeed
gnarrrrrrrrrrrr
I was describing him to a friend and I said, "He has this amazing falsetto voice... The only weird thing is he kind of looks like Boy George." Haha. Guess I'm not the only one who thought so.
his range at 1:12 is quite effortless, in the most amazing way.
This was hands down one of the best live SNL performances of the new Millennium.
When J.T did Mirrors... hands down the best
Lance Calvin agreed
Sorry hunty, Lana Del Rey was the best
del ray fan lol^
Yeah, sorry "hunty"
This is arguably the most important performance of his life to date. How nervous he must have been! So inspiring to see him come and give such an amazing performance.
I could listen to him for days. I haven't heard such a beautiful voice in a while.
He sings in such an effortless manner, he has such great control over his voice it's amazing. For someone who just recently came up popular in the music industry he is incredible.
They
Absolutely love his voice and especially this song! Amazing talent and most importantly amazing character!
Honestly, amazing. Just beautiful. You can feel the emotion as he sings, its so real. Not fake like so many other artists. In my opinion, Sam is the beginning of a new generation of artists, people who sing true to the heart and are real with every word they utter. Just stunning :)
He looks so shy after ending the song d'aww
thats called humility
timothy fowler Singers nowadays need more of that.
i agree
AdobeExcel
Why would people dislike this??? Like, his live preformances of this song (solo or with Mary J B.) is fantastic!
Dayum that voice
No doubt your an jackass
I wish I could marry his voice!!!!!
I mean, he sings exactly like the radio edit and even if I hear this a million of times, he still gives me goose bumps!!
He has an angelic voice!!!!
This song touched my heart. Just absolutely beautiful. The vocals are crazy. I love this song. Definitely have to but his album. Phenomenal talent.
I love his smile at the end. I'm pretty sure he knew he hit those last few notes perfectly. Just an amazing song and amazing vocals as well.
I'm sure people will be annoyed by my observation, but the way he executes his melisma, particularly on the "...clear to see," is similar to Adele. Good shit coming from the United Kingdom y'all.
They are similar artists in my opinion. I don't think that their riffs and runs are very similar but that's just opinion. They give off the same vibe as artists mainly considering they always dress in dark, non-flashy, outfits and focus on their music. It is also extremely hard to label their music as a certain genre, which is exactly what I think they were hoping to achieve with their music. In the end like you said they are both amazing.
Interestingly he cites Amy Winehouse as a big influence on his music, and I don't think it can be denied that Adele clearly owes a lot to Amy too. Amy's legacy is really turning out to be one of a seminal British artist who has paved the way for a new era of singer/songwriters.
Niamh Kelly You hit the nail on the head, something I didn't think of. Adele has said that she does thank Amy for paving the way for "different" styles of singing and music, so good observation.
Wow can you believe I thought that too! I was like..this dude kind of reminds me of the male version of Adele...Both amazing voices!
Sam has a better voice than her imo
Wow it's incredible to see SUCH a talented artist now of days that has this endless range and pitch and emotional sucker punches through sheer vocal talent. He sounds like the radio version. Flawless and moving.
His voice control amazes me.
Holy shit, that was the most perfect live performance I've ever seen
Am I the only one who wants to see a collaboration between Sam and Adele?
No... i also want
OMFG THATS SOUNDS AMAZING
No no. SAM AND BEYONCE! I'm sure Beyonce could adapt her voice for a song like stay with me.
No, Adele can't even sing. Sam would be better with Beyonce or Christina Aguilera
3:08
Anyone else hear that girl in the audience freaking out? LOL
Did anyone else have a pre-conceived idea of what this guy would look like, and then find him on youtube and be totally surprised?
Between this song and pray I love when he sings with a choir. He's voice is just so powerful and must take care of it for the long haul.
I'm hooked on your sound
omg when he sings" this ain't love it clear to see " I freak out . Beautiful voice
Wow really wasn't expecting him to sound better live than on the record. Talented guy.
I'm sitting at work and I'm crying. I love this song and all, but today, it hit different. It hit different and that's pretty much all I can say about it.
fuck, i dont know what you guys have in the water over the pond, but thanks for Sam and Ed. Both two amazing artists that are infinitely better live than in their recordings, a incredibly rare ability.
Ed who? Sheeran? If so then i agree 1000000%
Vat19Nvjds yes Ed Sheeran lol
Jacob Kennedy im not saying that the US hasnt had talent, just personally blown away by Sam's and Ed's talent. It's all subjective really.
You should check out London Grammar. Reckon you'd like them if you like Ed and Sam.
*****
haha
This was the first time I ever heard him or saw him perform and can honestly say I was blown away and became an instant fan!
I just love his album. So pure and full with emotion and passion. 💞
You can tell how effortless it is for him he's crazy talented. Most people look like they're struggling when they hit some of those notes. Even if they sound good they look like they're having a hard time. He just keeps the same smouldering facial expression. So good
I watched the actual video for this and thought, wow he's an awful lip syncer, like for the video. Then I watched this- and I am still curious if he lip synced this performance. Then i considered that he is just so good that it looks effortless. One of a kind.
Definitely didn't lip sing, just a true performer.
lol not lip syncing. I'm a Mariah fan so I know lip syncing.
nah not a lip sync you can hear him breathing in air
In the music video he is lip syncing
This video defiantly not you can hear him breathing^
You seriously think he's lip syncing? NO.
Adele, John Legend, and him are on another level when it comes to performing live. Very few artists today can actually perform in front of live crowds.
+Marlon Morales I'd say Bruno Mars too. I'm not really a Bruno Mars fan but I've never heard/seen him put in a bad performance and would actually not mind seeing him (or any of the people you mentioned) live. Obviously I'd love to go watch acts I'm a fan of but I also love watching acts who put on a great live show.
+Glenn McMurray I've seen Bruno Mars live and he is amazing live! High energy dancing and singing! So fun to watch! He'll make you wanna slow dance with your special someone then dance like maniac the next lol
And beyonce
Don't forget Josh Groban ;)
And Florence Welsh
i cannot wait for his debut album! :D
Its out now.
Fhaq11 not in america :(
I just downloaded it the other day.
Burned it to a CD!
2 more days for the US. I've already warned my daughters, it will be playing on my car cd player to and from work.
At the very end, a woman in the audience gasps "oh my gawd!" and the far right violinist hears it, looks for her and grins. Two great responses for a great song.
Such a heavenly place... Glorious song!
THIS IS TALENT PEOPLE. TALENT.
So many UK artists are great live. Sam, Ed, Jessie, Adele.
The U.S. has Beyoncé and... that's about it.
thats a prettty bad generalization
MobbVillain
Yeah it's an ignorant statement. Someone needs to get out more.
Sean Green I've traveled all around the world to listen to music. In terms of international status, The States have very few artists who have the ability to sing live well. It isn't ignorant, it's common sense to anyone with the ability to hear.
Rashaun James Considering that you can't really prove that you've "traveled all around the world" without posting videos up on your channel (which you have none of) or showing personal information such as a passport, that statement means absolutely nothing when said online without proof. So, we can ignore that.
Second, what you said is both ignorant and subjective. You may believe that no other country in the world can produce "good music" but never forget that it's nothing more than an opinion and it's not common sense or fact. Remember, you can't prove any of your statements to be true without divulging personal information or videos.
I would also like to point out that, if what you say is true about your traveling, you would have to be up in your years in terms of age. If that's true, then you must have a pretty boring life to go online and try to flex your weak little muscles in an argument that you cannot win since it's all based on a possible lie and subjective statements.
Though, you could also be a troll but eh. I don't particularly care if you are or not. For your sake, I hope you are. You're a pretty sad individual if you aren't.
Rashaun James God forbid USA be worse than any other country lol
I have never heard a voice so beautiful since Bruno Mars. Both of them can serenade me into song heaven. My goodness this mans voice is heavenly.
can i also comment on one last thing... if you look into his eyes... you feel his raw emotions. not only his voice, but you can see it.
I think Sam Smith is one of the very few vocalist that i have seen that actually do more than what they did in the song. True talent, and amazing voice.
P.S. Am i the only one hoping that him and John Legend do a song together?
That guy over his left shoulder at 3:15 is like "My nigga!" lolol
Love the way he puts his heart and soul into his songs
This song is really amazing. He is one of the only people to sing his song perfectly live. AMAZING!!
My heart melts when i see his smile at the end 😘😘
I remember watching this live. I was like, "who is this guy??" and little did I know he would get real far within the year.
same here man. i was watching snl and was blown away by this guy. Amazing vocals.
You and me both! I just remember walking away from my tv, but when that second verse and run hit, I got chills and ran back in the room to rewind the performance. Unbelievable his tone and range live.
Can't believe he is so young. That talent is beyond his years. I love it.
I think Sam Smith has an incredibly unique voice that the music industry is in need of right now. He's bringing back soul! I really loved this song of his, so I thought I'd cover it myself. It would mean a lot if you all checked it out and let me know how I did! :)
Very few artists have the talent of sounding the same live, if not better than the recording. I applaud him on that.
Him. His voice. This song. Utter perfection.
Do we have next year's Grammy Best New Artist?
Yes Yes Yes!!!
jeremydizon
My money is on Sam !!!!
ONLY Sam Smith can keep a crowd silent with his beautiful voice
okay im now convinced that england have the best singers out there right now
Just saw this guy at Bonnaroo a few days ago, he has a breathtaking voice that just pierces straight to your heart.
Such a powerful song… we’ve all been there 💔
He's killing me with his voice. Such a talented singer.
Wow. His voice control and vocal range is very impressive. Also, his eyelashes are really making me jealous.
Love his WHOLE life!! This performance woke me up out of a DEAD sleep ...his voice sends CHILLS down my spine..
Wow, what a brilliant performance that was -- and the band seems to really enjoy playing with Sam Smith. I'm now a fan. Thank you for this beautiful song.
What can I say that wont be said by anyone who knows...this is heart wrenching absolutely right behind I'm not the only one...what a voice!
He should have a million subscribers. Great talent
This performance was absolutely perfect, him and his voice are beautiful.
I love this version so much more than the album. It's wonderful.
Finally a new artist who can actually sing beautifully without editing!
My heart hurts when I hear this song. A song has not invoked that feeling in a long time.
The more I hear his voice, the more I like it. Will listen to other recordings and hope he's not a one-hit wonder, because he's far too talented to let that happen. BTW, why does he remind me of a better looking more masculine more talented version of Boy George? ;:0)
Well so far Stay With Me, Latch and La La La have been hits. So no I don't think he's a one hit wonder...
He's not, Lay me down is an AMAZING song!
Listen to "I'm Not The Only One" he absolutely slays in that one
Oh snap! I just said similar comment before seeing yours.
Natalie Uriodain I heard him sing that on Jimmy yesterday. Oh my god. Ohhhh my god. Unreal talent
Just become one of my favorite artists. Instantly. Amazing.
1:13 he gets ill on it! True artist !! No beiber !! Good lord this man can sing !
He's so insanely incredible live!! One of my favourite artists out there at the moment for sure!