Is that due to them being more out with every passing year ( eventually coming out as nonbinary)? Their later hit songs like “Too Good At Goodbyes” and “Dancing With A Stranger” were shockingly snubbed in pop categories in favor of some relatively odd picks. On the other hand, Smith’s Grammy success was short-lived they haven’t earned a single nomination since their four victories that year. However, while Sam Smith wasn’t the first queer person to win the awards, they were one of the few to do it while publicly out of the closet, and their success is a testament to the change in culture. SEE 2023 Grammy predictions: Album of the Yearīut did “Stay With Me” deserve the love it got? Some might argue that songs like “Shake It Off” or “Chandelier” might’ve made better winners. A vote for “Stay With Me” was not only a vote for the song, but a vote for Smith’s place in the music industry. Paired with the Adele-like sensibilities of their music, voters saw in Sam Smith a full-fledged pop star. As a gay superstar, Sam Smith was the inspiration of many queer artists who saw themselves represented for once. What made Smith triumph? Besides being Grammy bait as an artist (emotional singer-songwriter with a big voice), Sam Smith’s personal narrative could’ve really helped them go over the finish line. For Record of the Year, “Stay With Me” was against Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off,” Sia’s “Chandelier,” Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX’s “Fancy,” and Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass.” For Song of the Year, it was the same lineup but with “Fancy” replaced by Hozier’s “Take Me To Church.” While none of Smith’s competition took home awards, most of the songs remain well-regarded 2010s staples.
The song also led the odds in all its categories on Gold Derby. Multiple outlets like Entertainment Weekly and Paste were predicting victories for Smith in multiple big-four categories. This version is even more lush instrumentally, and features more gospel touches.Ĭome Grammy night, “Stay With Me” was widely considered the front-runner. Furthermore, Smith’s team submitted the “Darkchild” version of “Stay With Me,” a slightly altered remix by producer Darkchild. Smith was also nominated for Best New Artist, which made them only the 10th artist to get nominations in all of the big four categories in one year. As such, it’s no surprise that it received three nominations, while its parent album got into Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. The gospel-inflected ballad features a strong emotional core, gentle instrumentation, and is pretty easily accessible to people from different genres and musical fields. “Stay With Me” is the quintessential Grammy song. SEE Grammys Pride flashback: George Michael’s Album of the Year win for ‘Faith’ inadvertently made queer history
Smith was also open about their sexuality while surging worldwide, coming out as gay in May 2014. As such, comparisons between Smith and Adele began surging, so surely “Stay With Me” was going to be in the Grammy conversation. “Stay With Me” served to many as the year’s top ballad, especially in a year without any new song from Adele, who had had hit after hit in the years prior. Off of their debut album, “In The Lonely Hour,” “Stay With Me” stood out as the biggest hit and reached number-two on the Billboard Hot 100. Smith’s rise to fame began with famous features on both Disclosure’s “Latch” and Naught Boy’s “La La La.” After that Smith’s own singles started gaining traction in the UK, which eventually translated into American airplay. Let’s dive into one queer artist’s path to Grammys: Sam Smith’s historic wins for Record and Song of the Year still hold up to this day. However, with the changing times, we are seeing queer artists get their due more often. Queer artists are oftentimes overlooked when it comes to prestigious awards.
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