Sam Smith

I've listened to female vocalists my whole life. That's what I love. I still listen to guys' vocals and don't get taken aback a lot.

I'm a gay man who came out when I was 10 years old, and there's nothing in my life that I'm prouder of.

I've had an amazing life, but I think I was born with a little bit of sadness in me. I've always been attracted to those things, whether it's sad movies, sad music... when you're sad, you feel everything in a greater way than you do when you're happy.

We want people to listen to records, to a whole body of music. I want you to buy into my life, not just one subject in my life.

My music is almost like vomit! It's a horrible way to put it, but I feel it, I say it, and I doubt myself all the time throughout my whole life, but when it comes to music, I just don't. I don't doubt myself.

I'm a very ambitious person. I've been like this from a very young age. As early as 12 years old, I used to have panic attacks because I needed to know my life plan.

I want to make the music that's not there anymore. I'm so passionate about the singing voice... What I'm trying to do actually with my album is show that it's my voice that's leading. It's my voice that's the instrument.

I'll be excited when I get my heart broken properly for the first time. I'll be like, 'Thank God I've experienced something. Someone wanted to kiss me.' That's when it's going to be interesting: When you break up, they're taking a piece with them.

I get really self-conscious about people staring at me. It sounds so weird. As a performer, as an artist, these should be the things that I'm used to. But that's not the case. When people stare at me, I freak out.

When I was at school and wasn't having a great time or when music wasn't going very well, I would eat, eat. Eating would make me feel better; when I felt lonely, I would eat.

Oh gosh, I dyed my hair red when I was in year 11 with that L'Oreal Live stuff. It was like plumy purple - it was horrific. I looked awful; I don't know what I was thinking!

I don't sit there writing songs, thinking, 'This would be good for Rihanna.' I don't want to be pitching out like that.