With his multi-platinum debut album In The Lonely Hour, which eventually sold over two million copies in Britain, Sam Smith was one of the defining artists of 2014. After a lengthy break, he’s now revealed his brand new single ‘Too Good At Goodbyes’ – and spoken about his upcoming sophomore album.

The 25 year old Grammy and Oscar winner spoke to Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 radio show on Thursday night (September 7th). He revealed that his new album would be released in 2017 in time for Christmas, but refused to give a release date or confirm the title. However, he did offer some insight into his writing processes for the new track.

“This song is about me and about a relationship that I was in,” he admitted. “I’m still very, very single. I think I’m even more single than I was when I released In the Lonely Hour, so I’m insanely single. People are gonna see, this one as I’ve said is about me and something that I’ve gone through.”

Sam SmithSam Smith revealed his brand new single 'Too Good At Goodbyes'

The star has been quiet since the awards season in early 2016, when he won awards for his soundtrack to the James Bond film Spectre.

“I do feel like I’m ready for something more positive, more than I was,” the star explained. “What I’ve been through relationship wise the last year has made me a lot stronger and I feel like I’ve learned some lessons from it.”

More: Sam Smith writes new song for ‘X Factor’ winner Matt Terry

In comparison to In The Lonely Hour, the new record won’t be an exercise in autobiography and personal heartbreak, Smith insists.

“This album actually is not all about me. There’s about four songs that are about me and the rest are about different things and different people in my life and what they’ve gone through,” he revealed. “Different in my opinions on different things. I wanted to welcome people back in and I want it to be about my voice and about the storytelling of something that I’ve gone through.”

A lot of this change is apparently down to his self-imposed exile from social media, beginning back in March 2016.

“For it to not be about me for one year was absolutely wonderful. I was there to see my god-daughter be born, I’ve been at every single birthday for my mom and my dad, sister and my cousins, my best friends,” Smith said. “I’m there for down days & their good days. My sister’s graduation, I was there for both of them. It was incredible.”

More: Dustin Lance Black reminds Sam Smith he’s not the first openly gay Oscar winner [archive]