Sam Smith released their fabulous fourth album Gloria this week and it’s filled with bangers and ballads. One of the album’s standout tracks is I’m Not Here to Make Friends and now its got the campest videos to go along with the track.
The video however has drawn a massive amount of criticism online with people posting cruel comments about the singer’s sexuality, weight, and gender identity.
The song opens up with a series of samples including a snippet of gay anthem Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and drag superstar RuPaul saying her immortal line of advice “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell you gonna live somebody else, can I get an amen up in here?”
Sam Smith then arrives at a party via a helicopter where they alight wearing an enormous hot pink ruffled outfit. Throughout the video Smith morphs into different outfits including a giant black feather headdress teamed with a tuxedo dress with a thigh high split.
They soon reappears in a pearl and silver corset with nipple covers, and then a sparkly gold number with a long cape and platform heels, that they wear as they swing from a chandelier. Finally, they don some animal print shorts and tulle before being driven off on the bonnet of a car.
The clip is filled with scantily clad dancers who cavort and hump in provocative moves. The song’s lyrics focus on heading out to find a sexual partner and letting loose inhibitions.
The track is a collaboration with Jesse Reyes and is produced by Calvin Harris and Stargate. The production duo Stargate previously worked with Smith on the tracks Dancing with a Stranger, Too Good at Goodbyes and To Die For. They’ve also created hits for Little Mix, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, Katy Perry and Rihanna.
The video was created by Ukranian director Tanumuino who previously made clips for Harry Styles, Rosalia, Lil Nas X, Cardi B, Lizzo and Youngblud.
Check out the video.
Sam Smith’s new video draws condemnation and defenders on Twitter
The release of the new video has set off an avalanche of cruel comments on social media platform Twitter with people commenting on the singer’s gender identity, sexuality and physical appearance.
News commentator Calvin Robinson tweeted that Smith was trending for “normalising debauchery and degeneracy”, while British broadcaster Dominque Samuels said Smith was not an appropriate role model for children.
“Sam Smith is a perfect example of what degenerate Hollywood culture does to people. It makes celebrities vulgar, hyper-sexualised and obsessed with wearing their sexuality like a costume and shoving it in everyone’s face.” Samuels tweeted.
In another tweet Samuels labeled the singer “grotesque”.
As hundreds of cruel comments about the singer were posted their name started trending on the social media platform.
Others have stood up for Smith. British author Mikey Walsh compared Smith to the late, great drag legend Divine, who also drew the ire of conservatives after her appearance on Top of the Pops.
All this Pearl clutching over Sam Smith’s latest video, reminds me of when Divine appeared on TOTP back in 1984, & The Bigots & UK Media lost their f*cking minds. pic.twitter.com/wgVFaZNzAs
— Mikey Walsh (@thatbloodyMikey) January 28, 2023
Some have also pointed out the hypocrisy in the massive response to Smith, arguing ‘skinny straight men’ would not be treated this way on social media.
y’all need to stfu about sam smith cos you know if a skinny straight man wore this you would be be saying he’s subverting gender norms and pioneering for the queer community https://t.co/mmYdj9x6Kk
— bas !! (@moonysIibrary) January 29, 2023
OIP Staff
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