Single Review: Sam Smith – ‘I’m Not The Only One’
2 min read
The world is British singer/songwriter Sam Smith’s oyster, his debut album In The Lonely Hour was released in May this year and topped charts internationally; the singles Money On My Mind and Stay With Me also fared well on the charts and received significant airplay. At the tender age of 22 and not even two years between now and his first taste of musical success, Sam has been nominated for various awards; he is also set to play live on his debut VMA performance and has been touring internationally. To keep In The Lonely Hour fresh in everybody’s minds, I’m Not The Only One has been released as the fourth single with an accompanying video clip.
The introduction to the track tells us that it’s not going to be an over-the-top job, but that’s Sam Smith’s style; call him the male Adele if you will, Sam’s troubles with love are on his sleeve much like hers and their approach to pop music share a raw similarity. For a 22 year old there is a lot of emotion flowing through his voice, he knows he has soul in his vocal and is switched on enough to use it; a gift many young vocalists either take for granted or fail to find until their careers have progressed significantly. Lyrically, I’m Not The Only One hits home for those who have been heartbroken by the actions of those they have deep feelings for; and because Smith knows how to tap into those emotions with his voice, you suffer with him. The accompanying video is just as emotional, it matches the concept the song brings forward so well and captures the feeling of being cheated on so perfectly.
It’s hard to listen to Sam Smith and remember he’s only on his debut, he sings like a seasoned vocalist; I’m Not The Only One doesn’t fall short from some of his best work from In The Lonely Hour. The track is a beautiful pop ballad that successfully captures the emotion through its lyrics, melody and raw instrumentation. It’s been one hell of a roller coaster for the young star, but the ride is far from over and the world just can’t get enough of him right now.
