"I want you to focus on one word - freedom. Make a friend, talk to a stranger, take your top off - I will."
What better setting for Sam Smith’s power ballads than Rod Laver with its capacity for a full laser display, shooting wide beams of light from the front of the stage to the far rear roof, while a massive light apparatus overhanging the stage cascades down a mixture of greens and red hues.
What about acrobatically twerking dancers, muscle-bound and dressed in golden glittering cloaks, gyrating, embracing and shoving each other across the stage?
It was clear that this show was going to capture Smith’s full evolution as an artist, capable of emotionally drawn love songs and highly-danceable club tracks in equal measure. It was the perfect setting for a Halloween show, from Latch to Donna Summer’s I Feel Love, to Smith dressed as Jesus, to Smith dressed as the horned circus ringleader of a big “gay cabaret”.
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Smith has undergone a remarkable shift as an artist, transitioning from the vulnerable balladeer who first caught our attention to the empowered and confident artist in nipple tape and tutus, simultaneously blending the two in a wildly transformative onstage narrative.
Smith’s 2020 album Love Goes really cemented their departure from the melancholic ballads that initially defined their career. Love Goes saw Smith embracing a more diverse musical palette, including pop and R&B influences, and exploring themes of love, heartbreak, and self-empowerment in tracks like Diamonds and My Oasis, showcasing a newfound confidence and a willingness to embrace a broader range of emotions and sounds. That came across so easily on stage.
Their openness about their gender identity, use of they/them pronouns, gender-neutral or blending fashion choices and visuals that challenge traditional gender norms all come together onstage to transform stadiums into beacons of inclusivity and acceptance.
As Smith continues to evolve, their music remains a powerful testament to the power of self-expression and the importance of embracing one’s true self in the world of music and beyond.
Some tickets remain for tonight’s show before Sam jets off to commence the Sydney leg of the tour. You can find more information about Sam’s music and tour here.
