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Oh my god. Oh my god.
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Hey, what's going on everybody?
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For First We Feast, I'm Sean Evans and you're watching Hot Ones.
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It's the show with hot questions and even hotter wings.
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And today we're joined by Sam Smith, their four-time Grammy Award winner, multiple Guinness World Records, and oh yeah, an Academy Award on the shelf as well for good measure.
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The third studio album, Love Goes, is set to release on October 30th, tomorrow actually.
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Let's celebrate with some wings.
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Sam Smith, welcome to the show. Amazing. Thank you for having me.
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How are you around spicy food?
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Because with our British guests, it is a little bit hit or miss. Right, yeah. No, it is.
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All these sauces by my side right now are just scaring me.
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I'm I hope I'm going to survive this.
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I'm going to go for I'm just going to pour like quite a lot. Whoa. Is that too much? Don't don't scare me.
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This early on, I think you're okay. But as we inch up Mhm. That's That's nice.
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That's really really nice.
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I'm bummed we're not shooting this one in the pub, Sam.
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I heard you wanted to shoot in the pub. I know.
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The pub is my favorite place in the whole world.
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I wish you I wish you were here in London that I could take you out.
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Same with me, because my whole thing with this, like when I visit London, my favorite thing is to go for a cheeky beer.
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That's my favorite part of sort of London day-to-day life.
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How would you describe British pub culture to someone who's never experienced it? I don't know.
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But it's, to be quite honest, pubs here are these these beautiful places where you you have quiz nights.
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I have quiz nights in my local pubs all around where I live.
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And I got It's the best place for a date.
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It's these It's just low-key, great lighting a lot of the time, soulful people.
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It's always wonderful seeing the you know, the old guy in the corner who's there every single night.
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The bougie pub is definitely more regular in London right now.
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You've got to really hunt for the old-school ones.
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It's part of our history, I guess.
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What does it mean to have a proper knees-up?
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A proper knees-up for me would be It would be a Sunday and it would be a roast.
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We'd have a roast at a pub and then we'd day drink.
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And then for me on a Sunday night in London in a place called Vauxhall, there's this place called Horse Meat Disco.
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So, I'd drink throughout the day and then you go and dance to disco music until 3:00 a. m.
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and then ruin your Monday, basically.
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So, that's my idea of a knees-up.
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I like the color of this one.
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Oh [ __ ] I put too much on again. Oh, I like that. That's really nice.
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I'm glad you did that one. That's great.
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So, when we had Noel Gallagher on the show, he talked about how difficult it is to make relatable music the second you go from a singer-songwriter to a full-blown rock and roll star.
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Are there challenges to writing for albums like The Thrill of It All, Love Goes that maybe you didn't have before all the Grammy and Brit Awards? I beg your pardon? Of course. Of course.
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I mean, I always I read a quote once from Patti Smith and she said nothing that kills creativity like fame and money and success.
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And I do I have to agree, you know?
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When you know people are listening, you know, it can definitely affect what you make a little bit in the studio, so you have to work really hard to block out the noise, not look left and right.
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[ __ ] this has got a kick to it.
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Oh my god, the face on the front. That's going to be me. Mhm. These are amazing.
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I'm not going to lie, these are so good.
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I've never had anything like this.
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We sent them across the pond for you, Sam, so uh so you can keep them. So good. Mhm.
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So you're probably known for your style only second to music.
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And in the How Do You Sleep video, the outfits can range from a T-shirt and jeans to a green suit to heels and a trench coat.
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Do you see that music video as a metaphor for your capacious sartorial tastes? Yeah, do you know what?
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Yeah, I mean, I love that video so much.
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I actually Normally, when I release anything, I don't really watch it or listen to it.
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May hardly ever again, to be honest.
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And the other night I was at home, and I uh I I watched the video for some reason, and I I love that video.
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And it does, yeah, it's it it kind of it takes in all my kind of things I love.
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I'm I'm like a bit of a shapeshifter, to be honest.
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The way I dress and the way that I feel every day changes.
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But heels for me are a bit of a nightmare, I've come to realize, because I'm 6'2.
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So, if I wear heels, it's just I make I make uh short men quite uncomfortable.
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I don't want to put too much pressure on this question, cuz I know that there are too many to name.
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So, just off the top of your head, and without thinking about it too much, who do you think is the musician who had the biggest influence on changing the way that people dress?
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Kanye West comes to my head immediately.
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And then I'd say Rihanna. The album Loud.
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I was 17 when that record came out.
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And I remember she just started wearing high street brands loads.
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And I just remember this whole shift happening of like, oh wow, this this this pop star's wearing what we can afford. And that's amazing.
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And then it it shifted fashion for me in a huge way. Angry girl. Oh god.
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Oh, that that that's got a kick to it that one. Wow. Mhm.
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Oh no, this is the before. Yep. I'm scared. I'm scared.
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So on this wing we're not asking you to give away the secret recipe, but we do obsess about the anatomy of a hit.
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And on money on my mind, you say, "Could you write a song for me?"
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I say, "I'm sorry, I won't do that happily."
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What's the difference between a song that Sam Smith wants to make and a song that Sam Smith's label wants to make or that Sam Smith's fans expect Sam Smith to make?
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There's a pressure to have to make songs that would appeal to to many people.
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Um but a song that I want to make is always going to be just personally about me and and my experiences.
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And sometimes that isn't relatable.
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Um but I'm really recently I'm really learning when when and not to cross that line.
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Um but there's also weird there's weird ones like Too Good at Goodbyes my song. I didn't like that song.
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I wasn't even going to go on my record.
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And then my label, you know, were like, "Please give it a go." And I gave it a go.
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And even when I released it I wasn't too keen on it.
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And then when I sang it on tour, it's now one of my favorite songs to sing. So it's it's weird.
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Sometimes the label make decisions that that I end up agreeing with later on down the line.
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But they've also had some clangers clanger ideas. Yeah. My lips are tingling. Mhm. Great.
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Do you have a favorite so far?
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My favorite right now is this one. It's the Shaquanda's. West Indian curry. Shaquanda's. Shout out Shaquanda.
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And I love the packaging.
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I'm a sucker for good packaging.
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I want to meet Shaquanda. All right, Sam.
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We have a recurring segment on our show called Explain That Gram, where we do a deep dive on our guest's Instagram, pull interesting pictures that need more context.
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So, I'll show you the picture, you just tell us the bigger story.
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They say you should never meet your heroes, but I've heard you say that this is an exception.
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Do you remember the first face-to-face meeting you ever had with Elton John? Yeah.
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First time I met him was he invited me to his house in London. And I was a new artist.
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And uh me and my manager went to his house.
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And we sat and had a cup of tea with him.
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And we just got on so well.
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And he's been this wonderful figure who he just calls me out when I've done a really bad song, he'll call me and tell me this song is awful, Sam.
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You need to do better than that.
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And he will he he called me up on my second album and and he didn't like my second album title.
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And he's very very honest with me.
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And I I never ever thought in my life that I'd have such a lovely relationship with him and and guidance from him, actually.
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I Every time it happens, I'm I'm I'm really thankful for it because he is the greatest.
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He's the greatest of all time. Scorpion. Oh, no. This is scary. I want to do loads.
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I don't want to be a wimp. Do it. Let's do it. Jesus Christ.
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You can just taste that's hot, like the other ones I feel like have this this first taste of like, "Ooh, it's nice. Come in."
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Like this inviting kind of But this this one's straight up hot.
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So in 2013, Japanese scientists at the Tokyo University of the Arts discovered that listening to sad songs can actually evoke positive emotions in the brain.
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Do you ever think of your saddest songs as actually being your happiest songs? Yeah, weirdly.
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So about you like this is hot. Um I uh Yeah. Yeah.
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Um my They bring they bring me a lot of joy actually some of my saddest songs.
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You just using those moments in the studio as a form of therapy is incredible.
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It's always a wonderful feeling to listen back.
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But also something good comes out of a bad situation, which to me is a is a wonderful thing.
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That's one of the best things about being an artist is take something painful and make it wonderful and hopefully it will help people.
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Oh, it's about not being alone, right?
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I think when you're sad, you feel alone in your feelings.
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Making music like that makes you not feel alone. Are you struggling?
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Because I feel like you're not struggling.
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Well, you know, there's nothing that's going on here that I haven't experienced before.
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Like you, this is your first time.
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So then when you're sort of in uncharted territory. Right.
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So you can be like a little panicked.
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Like what's going on here? Is this normal?
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And then the bald guy on the other side of the zoom seems unbothered.
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But Sam, I'm right with you and you're doing really good.
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You're doing really good. Thank you so much.
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All right, are you ready to move on here to the next wing? I think I am. I think I am.
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This is the one I was dreading the most cuz it's called Hellfire. Oh. wow. Oh. Mhm. Nice. Really nice. Yep.
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Every step forward for the rest of the gauntlet is exponential. That's nice.
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I feel like I'm going to wait a minute before I I mean, I feel like the one before is even what I can wait. Okay, wait. Okay. I think I get it. Yep.
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Sam, and this this is the part of the show where I just say be careful around your eyes. You know what I mean? Don't touch your eyes.
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Don't wipe your eyes if you have a little sweat.
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I can't save you from from across the pond, you know? Okay, all right. All right. I've got you. Wow, that kicks in. Mhm. Oh.
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So, you won an Oscar for Best Original Song for doing the theme to the 2015 James Bond film Spectre.
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And I read that you actually lobbied for that project by emailing your agent and in the subject line just putting 007.
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Were you interested in taking on that project because, you know, it's a soundtrack, it's a new challenge, or did you just have an obsession with the Bond films growing up as a kid in England?
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For me growing up here, it's always been um such a huge part of our lives and our culture.
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And my my dad's brother, my Uncle Terry, he's um he's he was born with brain damage and and he's a wonderful, wonderful man.
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And he has this one obsession his throughout his whole life was James Bond.
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So, I guess it's always been in my mind since I've been a kid cuz he's When I say he's obsessed, I mean, he's obsessed. It's all he talks about.
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Growing up, it was it was always this thing in my mind that was one of the greatest things that we have in the UK.
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We I just thought I'd be a bit cocky and reach out, and I did.
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It's really hard to talk.
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So, yeah, I am still so grateful for the opportunity to do that.
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It was a mad experience though because with the Bond song, what I really didn't realize about that is there is there is some real fans out there who are waiting to hear something.
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And I think no matter who brings out a Bond song, there's always going to be a group of people going, "Hate that."
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Some of the greatest classic songs are Bond songs.
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So, it's this constant comparison to the past. The bomb. Beyond insanity. Oh my gosh.
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Is that enough, do you think?
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Yeah, that's that's I would actually wipe a little bit of that off.
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I've been putting double the amount of that on. I know.
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In these quarantine episodes, we have no way of uh No, no, this isn't fun now. Oh, [ __ ] Oh. No, no, no.
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That's really [ __ ] Yep.
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It's almost like we do it on purpose, you know? Oh, that was horrible. Oh. Oh. Oh. That can't get worse. That can't get worse.
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It's it's always a moment of the show I feel like I have to apologize for. I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry. Oh! Milk, milk, milk.
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Is it still a dream of yours to open up a flower shop in the English countryside?
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I actually didn't think it was going to be that bad.
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You're going to need to wait a sec. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh!
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I would love to open up a garden center, actually. This is horrible.
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You You You were so composed.
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Did you really have that?
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I'm right in here with you.
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I don't want to panic you, but but listen, I can't feel my tongue.
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Sorry, I thought that was water and I think it's tequila. Oh my god. Oh, no.
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That's the worst thing I've ever had in my mouth.
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I've had a lot of things in my mouth. I'm telling you. Oh! Oh my god, my nipples. Oh!
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That was really, really, really hot. Oh my god. All right, I got to go.
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I'm worried about getting on the toilet tomorrow, if I'm honest.
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Yeah, listen, that's that's a that's a worthwhile concern.
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I'm going to be honest with you, Sam. Oh, that was horrible. It's just horrible.
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Do you think some people actually have that for the joy of having it?
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You know, it's funny, I get that question every once in a while, and I think we are the only people that are actually using this sauce. Very rich. Pepper vibe. My fault.
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So, with Halloween just around the corner, I think it's worthwhile to discuss you living in a house that you believe to be haunted by ghosts.
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Have you ever done any research on the property?
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Like, does it have a unique history?
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Yeah, so my house is actually like it used it's part of an old school.
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And my um my uh section of the house, cuz it's split into different houses.
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Um was was probably like where the nuns would sleep.
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So, there's probably like a freaky nun in my house.
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But, I feel like it's a nice presence because whenever I hear her or feel her around, I don't feel too scared.
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I think that most people would feel uneasy about having a roommate that is an otherworldly ghost nun, but you find it kind of magical and exciting. Yeah.
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Oh my god, if there's if there's ghosts I mean, my mom always talks about the story about when I was a baby when I was younger and her father passed away.
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She said she one day, you know, she walked into the bedroom and she said she saw him there at the end of my bed.
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And she said she thought it was a lovely thing and I don't know, I think it's a beautiful thing if some spirits stick around. Do you know what?
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Probably deep down I don't believe in ghosts, but it kind of makes life fun and I love getting goosebumps when people tell me ghost stories. It's a lovely feeling.
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All right, well, speaking of goosebumps, only one more scorching hot sauce to go.
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Honestly, I've I really think you're you're a lovely person, but I'm so excited for this to be over. Well, good news, Sam. It's almost over. This is it. All right. Cheers, Sam. Cheers.
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Thank you so much for having me. Bodying it. Mhm. Lovely. All right, Sam Smith.
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Here we are at the encore of our spicy symphony with the wings of death and only one more swan song before we pull the curtain.
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You're raw, you're honest, and I love this quote about redefining the global pop star.
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I want to change the whole idea of when I'm older, I want to be perfect.
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I want to change people's idea of what perfection is.
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With the fury of 10 scorching hot chicken wings rushing through you right now, I have a very lofty existential question.
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What is perfection to you?
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And how do we stop expecting it from ourselves?
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I generally thought as a kid I was addicted to watching uh famous people, I guess.
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Addicted to watching uh people with perfect lives and thinking that there was a destination I could get to where um everything was going to be okay and you weren't going to feel pain anymore.
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But I'm learning now as I'm getting older that, you know, to feel joy and to feel good things in your life and to actually feel happiness, you have to accept that happiness is an emotion that's that's that's fluid and fleeting, too.
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And some days you'll be sad and some days you'll be nervous and some days you'll be anxious and some days you'll be horny and some days you'll have spicy food in your mouth.
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Um but yeah, it's it's it's more for me it's about the accepting of all emotions, you know?
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And that's that's what I find exciting.
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It's a metaphor for life.
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It's a metaphor for the wings of death.
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Sometimes you just have to go through the pain, but then you know what you find at the end of all that?
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a finish line, a place of peace, a victory at the top of the mountain.
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And look at you, Sam Smith, taking on these scorching hot wings.
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And now there's nothing left to do but roll out the red carpet for you.
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This camera, possibly a camera B if you set it up, whatever you have going on over there, let the people know what you have going on in your life.
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I just want to say thank you.
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The these these getting through this has just taught me that I have so much courage.
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And uh and I can handle the heat.
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I can really handle the heat. So, bring on the heat. Thank you.
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But I'm never ever going to have that one again. Ever.
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I would never put that in my mouth ever again.
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If you see this right now, do not put this in your mouth. It's horrific. Oh my god, my nipples.
22:06
Hey, what's going on, Hot Ones fans?
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This is Sean Evans, checking in to say thank you so much for watching today's video, and I have very exciting news.
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The newest member of the Last Dab family is finally here. Say hello to Apollo.
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The Last Dab Apollo, here's my 30-second review for what it's worth.
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This is the hottest Last Dab sauce that we've ever made by a lot.
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I'm actually not even sure if that's a selling point, but it's just fair warning.
22:32
The Last Dab Apollo has that deep, rich, complex flavor profile that Smokin' Ed is known for.
22:38
Deep, heavy, diesel pepper, big, extreme heat.
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You don't have to if you don't want to, but if you want to, heatness. com, heatness. com, heatness.
22:49
com to get your hands on the Last Dab Apollo.
22:52
Around here, we call it the gold label. Woo.