Grammy and Oscar winning singer-songwriter Sam Smith has announced their fourth studio album, “Gloria,” will be released on January 27, 2023 via Capitol Records. Made with longtime collaborators Jimmy Napes, Stargate and Max Martin stablemate Ilya, the album is described in the announcement as “not only a creative revelation but something of a personal revolution for the celebrated artist. Lyrically, the subjects dive deep and wide, into contemporary narratives around sex, lies, passion, self-expression and imperfection.”
Smith says, “It feels like emotional, sexual and spiritual liberation. It was beautiful, with this album, to sing freely again. Oddly, it feels like my first-ever record. And it feels like a coming of age.”
The album, which was recorded in Jamaica, Los Angeles and London, is preceded by the single “Unholy,” featuring Kim Petras, which is much more aggressive than their more recent recordings. The song has been a chart success, holding at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a second week (behind Steve Lacy’s “Bad Habits.” It has held the No. 1 spot on the British charts for three weeks and also also hit No. 1 worldwide on Apple Music and Spotify.
The official video for “Unholy” follows a john who ducks out on his wife and sneaks off to his favorite sex club cabaret, only to find his guilty pleasures revealed in a very public manner. It was directed by Floria Sigismondi (“The Runaways” film, David Bowie, Christina Aguilera) and choreographed by French dance collective (LA)HORDE. It features cameos by Gottmik and Violet Chachki from “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and porn star Paddy O’Brian.