Sam Smith’s New Single ‘To Be Free’ Is a River of Joy, Vulnerability, and Liberation
Little sailors, rejoice! Sam Smith is back with a new single, and it’s everything we love and adore about their music. To Be Free is a breathtaking return to form, showcasing Sam’s unmistakable voice in all its power and vulnerability. The track dropped via Capitol Records alongside a music video and the surprise announcement of a 12-night residency in New York City this fall. Yes, Sam really said “we’re doing it all,” and we are absolutely here for it. So let’s break it all down.
Co-written and produced with longtime collaborator Simon Aldred, To Be Free is a soulful, acoustic ballad that embraces rawness and honesty. Sam says they’ve “never had a recording experience like [they] did making this song. It’s one vocal and guitar take from start to finish—one live performance of me and my friend Simon Aldred in a pure state of music and expression.” That kind of fearless vulnerability is all over the track, and it feels like Sam reaching out to us with a message that’s both personal and universal.
They originally wrote the song five years ago, during the Gloria era, but they knew it didn’t belong on that album. “It was created during a time in my life when I became free within myself,” they explain. That journey toward inner liberation is felt in every note; in the way their voice soars, in the gentle strength of the lyrics, and in the way the chorus swells with the help of the TwoCity Chorus. It’s a song about becoming, about letting go, about being exactly who you are.
A central image that guided the song is that of a river—flowing, ever-changing, alive. “With this song, the visual of rivers kept coming into my mind and into my heart,” Sam reflects. “I grew up next to a little river in Cambridgeshire in the countryside of England. Then I moved to London and lived by the Thames, and now I live by the Hudson River. Rivers have been in my life a lot. So I found it interesting to think of my music and my expression as an artist as a river.” That metaphor ripples throughout the song’s mood and message, and it’s one that especially resonates with us as queer people navigating constant movement, discovery, and growth.
Sam continued to revisit the song through happy, sad, lonely, and angry moments. It became, in their words, “my sister, my family member and ultimately calms me. Now, I’m ready to let it go and hopefully it can do the same for someone else.” That desire to share peace and connection, not just perform it, is what makes this release feel so tender and intimate.
The music video brings that intimacy to life. Filmed at Brooklyn’s iconic Warsaw—the very venue where Sam will soon begin their To Be Free: New York City residency—the video bristles with communal energy. As the TwoCity Chorus pours into the venue to join Sam, there’s a palpable sense of joy and release. The chorus itself, a collective of artists from Philadelphia and New York City curated by Brandon Pain with the help of Sam’s frequent collaborator Ant Clemons, adds a rich, emotional texture that lifts the performance even higher.
Behind the scenes, the vision is just as carefully crafted. Directed by French contemporary dance collective (LA)HORDE (who also choreographed Sam’s Unholy video) the visuals evoke movement, freedom, and belonging. Sam also reunites with Andreas Kronthaler, who designed custom Vivienne Westwood looks for the video that mirror the song’s message: classic, grounded in love and self-acceptance, and deeply queer.
Catch the official To Be Free music video below:
And if seeing Sam in this stunning space made your heart flutter, get ready: they’re bringing that same magic to the stage this fall. Their 12-night residency, To Be Free: New York City, will offer fans an up-close, emotionally immersive experience at Warsaw—a rare chance to witness Sam’s artistry in such an intimate venue. Presales start Tuesday, July 29, and general tickets go on sale Friday, August 1 at 10am local time. Here are the full residency dates:
Sam Smith – To Be Free: New York City at Warsaw, Brooklyn
📍October 8, 10, 11, 15, 17, 18, 21, 22, 24, 29, 30, 31
As the song gently urges us: “Pray your heart be lighter. Brave and free like mine.” In a world that so often tries to shape us, Sam’s music reminds us that we can shape ourselves softly, beautifully, and on our own terms.
With To Be Free, Sam gives us more than a song. They offer us a companion for the journey. And if we’re lucky, maybe a little more freedom too.
To Be Free is available to stream on all major music platforms. Follow us on X and Instagram for all queer stuff!
Featured Image: Image courtesy of Capitol Records. Photo by Collier Schorr.
