Sam Smith

Distinctively emotive, soul-inspired vocalist Sam Smith was among the most commercially successful artists to arrive during the early 2010s. Prior to his breakthrough at the age of 21, the London-born singer and songwriter balanced his studies and music, sang in choirs and in bands, and performed in musical theater productions. He developed a passionate approach to singing exemplified by his favorite artists at that time: Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Chaka Khan. He was barely out of his teens when, in late 2012, he appeared as the featured vocalist on "Latch," the fourt...