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FILE: Sam Smith performs at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 8, 2023, in New York City.
Theo Wargo/Getty Images
But the evening’s emotional climax arrived when Smith stopped between songs to speak about their love for San Francisco.
“I first came here to San Francisco when I was 20 years old,” the British singer told the crowd. “I was a very confused queer kid.”
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“This city made me feel so at home when I was younger,” they added.
Smith’s Instagram corroborates their love of the city. They shared a series of photos from their time in the city, including a tour of Alcatraz, a group of sea lions basking on a dock, and a picture of them eating what appears to be a Boudin Sourdough bread bowl. (The restaurant couldn’t confirm in time for publication.)
Sam Smith, it turns out, is a tourist like anyone else.
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The caption of their post is a lyric lifted from the song, “San Francisco,” by Judy Garland: “San Francisco, right when I arrive, / I really come alive.”
Smith skyrocketed to fame after the release of their 2014 single, “Stay With Me,” an earnest plea to a one-night stand. They followed up with an eight-time platinum debut album. Nine years and three more albums later, they remain comfortably in the spotlight, regularly ranking in Spotify’s top 25 most-listened to artists in the world. In 2022, Smith made history at the Grammys as the first openly non-binary artist to win an award, taking the “Best Pop Duo/Group Performance” honors for “Unholy” with Kim Petras.
In a time marked by a pessimism about the city’s future, Smith’s speech was a refreshing reminder that to many, San Francisco remains a symbol of hope, joy, and acceptance.