We will be seeing much, much more of Sam Smith next year…
I’m told the non-binary singer has finally found their happy place – and will be showing off their inner Gloria for all the world to see.
And I can reveal a big inspiration behind their fourth album, due out in January, is none other than US body-confidence queen Lizzo.
My sources tell me Sam has finally found the confidence to express themselves unashamedly on the new record – and that Juice singer Lizzo is a major reason for that.
I’m told: “Sam’s album Gloria will be them being brave, raw and unashamedly authentic. It’s taken them a few years to reach that stage but Lizzo’s been a major influence.
“Sam is a huge fan. Seeing Lizzo being so visually and vocally body-confident and unapologetic about her beauty has really resonated with them.
“Sam spent a long part of their career trying to work out how to fit into the industry.
“Now they are busy creating their own place instead, just like Lizzo has.”
As you can see from these pictures, Sam has been showcasing their new-found body confidence of late.
Even the album cover, with its topless headshot, seems like a nod to last summer’s Lizzo release, Special, which included the US star’s No1 hit About Damn Time.
Talking about new album Gloria, the Unholy singer recently said: “There’s a fighter voice in all of us and you’ve just got to look after that.
“I’ve called it Gloria because I’ve called that voice inside me Gloria.
“It’s like a voice in my head that just says, ‘You can do it’. And kids have just got to access that voice and feed it.”
And there was me thinking Sam was just a big Gloria Gaynor fan.