Sam Smith just released their highly-anticipated fourth studio album, "Gloria," and he has been candid on the struggles and difficulties he has experienced leading up to this moment.
In 2014, Smith publicly came out as a gay man and acknowledged their relationship with model Jonathan Zeizel. After accepting the award for Record of the Year at the 57th Grammy Awards, he again shed light on their relationship in their acceptance speech.
"I want to thank the man who this record is about, who I fell in love with last year. Thank you so much for breaking my heart because you got me four Grammys!" he said at the time.
Now, in an interview with Apple Music's Zane Lowe, Smith has opened up again about their sexuality and his journey as they threaded through it.
"In my personal life, there's not one negative. Since changing my pronouns, it felt like coming home. I wish I knew what the words were when I was in school, because I would've identified as that in school," they recalled.
In 2019, Smith came out as a non-binary and changed their pronouns to "they/them." They noted that he decided to embrace himself for who he is - inside and out as he decided to come out.
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"What people don't realize with trans non-binary people in the UK is it's happening in the street. I'm being abused in the street verbally more than I ever have," they revealed, referring to the difficulties he has struggled with while living in his country.
Smith described living in the UK, their home, as the "hardest part" of coming out as a non-binary that people were shouting at them in the street, and they even experienced spitting to an extent.
He also came to the realization about privilege, noting that they, despite being a celebrity, still experience struggles and discrimination.
"What I find hard about it is it's like, if that's happening to me and I'm famous, I'm a pop star, can you imagine what other queer kids are feeling? And it's just so sad that we're in 2023 and it's still happening. It's exhausting," they furthered.
Smith released "Gloria" earlier today and is out on streaming platforms worldwide. They, along with Kim Petras, were also scheduled to perform at the 2023 GRAMMYs on Feb. 5, 2023, singing their smash hit, "Unholy."
READ ALSO: Sam Smith Confidently Unveils 'True Self' With New Album' Gloria': "It's About Whether I Like It'
