Singer songwriter Sam Smith’s upcoming LP The Lonely Hour is likely to be one of 2014’s breakout debuts, not least because of how personal it is to Smith himself. The 22-year-old musician recently talked to The Fader about his love life and the real life events that inspire the music.

Sam Smith
Smith feels like he never had a typical laid back childhood

In a move reminiscent of Taylor Swift, Smith wrote the album in the name of unrequited love: "'In the Lonely Hour' is about a guy that I fell in love with last year, and he didn’t love me back," Smith explains. He says that writing and promoting the album has provided him with some much needed closure.

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While talking about it might be therapeutic, Smith still wants to put the focus mainly on his music. The album is an uberpop mix, fueled by the 22-year-old’s experience with relationships, but Smith himself isn’t just another bedroom songwriter. He has been honing his talent since he was 11 and recalls being groomed by managers in his early teens.

“When I was 14 or 15, I was promised stardom. It was sad, actually. [My managers] would literally say, “You’re going to be this famous by next year.” I was thinking, “Great, I can leave school at 16.” They’d tell me things, and I’d go to school the next day and I’d be like, “I’m going to be doing this in a few months, I’m going to be singing a song with this person.” It never materialized, and I looked like a complete idiot. ”

Now, almost a decade later, having worked with the likes of Disclosure and Naughty Boy, who helped add a distinct contemporary edge to the music, Smith is ready to make his debut on his own terms.

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 Sam Smith
He hopes that "In The Lonely Hour" will bring him the long awaited fame and success.