Sam Smith is baring their soul with a brand new single, “To Be Free,” a stirring acoustic ballad that the Grammy-winning singer calls one of their most personal releases yet. Dropped alongside an evocative music video, “To Be Free” showcases Smith’s soaring vocals over a single gentle guitar in a raw one-take recording. The result is a spiritual and intimate track that explores finding liberation through vulnerability and self-acceptance.
Smith revealed that “To Be Free” was written five years ago during the creation of their last album, but it didn’t fit that project at the time. “I’ve never had a recording experience like I did making this song. It’s one vocal and guitar take from start to finish,” Smith shared, explaining how the simplicity of the process heightened the emotional impact. The song gradually builds with the addition of the TwoCity Chorus — a collective of voices that lifts the finale to almost gospel-like heights, underscoring the song’s message of hope and release.
In the accompanying music video – directed by the (LA)HORDE collective and filmed at a small Brooklyn venue – Smith performs “To Be Free” live as the choir joins in, creating an atmosphere of communal joy. The visuals mirror the song’s essence: stripped-back, honest, and uplifting. For Smith, “To Be Free” marks a full-circle moment of catharsis. “It was created during a time in my life where I became free within myself,” they noted of the song’s deeply personal origins. Now, after years of holding this track close, Smith is finally ready to share it with the world — hoping it offers the same comfort and freedom to listeners that it gave to them.
