"Drowning Shadows" And Hookup Culture

Lyrics from Sam Smith's single "Drowning Shadows"

Sam Smith, the English singer-songwriter who rose to fame with his single, featuring Disclosure, titled "Latch", earned 4 grammys with his debut album "In the Lonely Hour". The Drowning Shadows edition of his album featured acoustic versions of "Latch" and "Omen", collaborations with Mary J. Blidge, A$AP Rocky and John Legend, and a melodramatic and dark record known as "Drowning Shadows". In the Lonely Hour was considered a very dark place full of heartbreak, loss and sadness for Smith as he experienced breakups and failed relationships. He used the heartbreak and pain to produce some of the strongest, most sincere and heart-wrenching love ballads of the 21st century. Sultry enough for R&B yet hip enough for pop tunes, Smith celebrates club hit remixes and somber breakup ballads throughout a slowly dying R&B music scene.

More lyrics from "Drowning Shadows"

Smith openly talks about his sexual orientation as a homosexual artist who is damn good at writing about love, and people who are true music enthusiasts know that a person's sexual orientation does not determine their ability to right spot-on love songs. As all of his music brilliantly touches on the dangers, excitement and pain behind love, Smith absolutely outdid himself in the single "Drowning Shadows". He touches on the trend of millennial hookup culture and explains why it is overrated yet catchy. He explains the difficulty behind finding "the one" singing, "and I try to imagine something closer or somebody who is good for me".

Smith performs his song "Writing's On The Wall" from the Spectre 007 soundtrack at the Oscars.

Smith clearly understands the dynamic of millennial hookup culture and its detrimental nature and wants to express the danger of social drinking, alcoholism and hooking up. All three of those topics are far too beloved and normal in our society for most artists to address the issue or divide; however, Smith shows raw humanity and emotion through "Drowning Shadows" unapologetically and wholeheartedly addressing the dangers behind hookup culture.

As a man of brutal honesty, humility and raw emotion, Smith helps the music culture by

Smith's lyrics from "Not In That Way".

bringing transparency to the importance of emotion and the fact that music should evoke emotion and not always be mindlessly referenced through a more vulgar and explicit hip hop and rap culture. Sam Smith came into the music scene the same man that he is today, which many musicians cannot say unfortunately. He helped build his image and his band's image as a soulful and sultry R&B artist who is not afraid to be honest with his emotions. He may have even helped the LGBTQ community become more acceptable in society as well by being such a great person and artist.

Smith accepting one of his 4 Grammy's with a passive aggressive and straightforward acceptance speech full of savage epic-ness.

An emotionally-driven artist and soulful man, Sam Smith also has savage moments like anyone else. He has worked hard to uphold his image in the R&B music scene and is not afraid to take a few jabs at his people of inspiration for such a sad and melodramatic album such as "In the Lonely Hour". My favorite message that I have received from Smith's music has been to lean into and embrace emotions through music. Emotions are good.