22-year-old British singer Sam Smith publicly came out as gay before the release of his debut album, In the Lonely Hour. While this was no life changing moment for Smith or those who knew him, he felt it was the right thing to do to stay true to his music and his personal connection with the lyrics.
Although Smith has vowed that he will never perform in Russia, because of the way the country’s gay community is treated, Smith has no interest in being pigeon-holed and letting his sexuality dominate his talent.
In a recent appearance on Ellen, Smith said:
“People say, ‘he doesn’t want to be a spokesperson for the gay community’. I do, of course I do, but I want to be a spokesperson for everyone. Ya know, straight people, gay people, bisexual. I don’t want it to be limited.”
Smith doesn’t consider his sexuality to be an important factor in his music career. He isn’t fazed by his identity at all, and wants to write and perform music that speaks to everyone, not just his gay fans.
In an interview with Fader magazine, Smith said:
“I’ve made my music so that it could be about anything and everybody— whether it’s a guy, a female or a goat—and everybody can relate to that. I’m not in this industry to talk about my personal life unless it’s in a musical form.”
Whether it’s because of our ethnicity, interests, appearance or past history, it’s easy to get pigeon-holed into stereotypical roles. It’s important to take opportunities where you see potential and room to grow in your career, rather than taking an opportunity simply because you fit the conventional role.
“We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions to define us.” – Virgina Satir. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for insight, wisdom and notices for when our posts go live.
Image Credit: sugarscape.com
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