10 Powerful Sam Smith Performances That'll Have You Singing For Your Life

When Sam Smith debuted in 2013, listeners were mesmerized by their impressive vocal chops. Ever since, the British singer has been asked to perform in nearly every venue imaginable, including Abbey Road studios, where they recorded the Love Goes concert special coming to Netflix on May 22.

Name a more powerful vocal duo! Amid the peak of their breakthrough fame in 2014, Smith was joined by Mary J. Blige for an extra soulful take on the heartbreak ballad "Stay With Me" at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards, and again in a recording studio for their Vevo channel.

New York's Apollo Theater is known for its tough crowd, which Smith easily won over during a 2014 concert. A highlight from the night was their emotional rendition of "Lay Me Down," which has amassed nearly 25 million views on YouTube and likely brought the entire crowd to tears.

Also in 2014, a lucky crowd of 250 got to see Smith perform cuts off their debut album at NY's iHeartRadio Theater. With nearly 50 million YouTube views, Smith's performance of imminent breakup crooner "I'm Not The Only One" was clearly a crowd favorite from the concert.

While Smith’s largely known for piano ballads, they’re unbound by genre, as shown in this 2014 performance of the infectious “Latch” alongside Disclosure at Coachella. Little did we know it was a hint of Smith’s dance music pivot to come.

In 2015, Smith recorded the James Bond Spectre theme “Writing’s On The Wall,” which won the Oscar for Best Original Song the following year. The singer delivered a showstopping performance of the haunting, cinematic ballad on The Graham Norton Show.

It's always fun to see a superstar musician fan out over other artists. Smith stopped by The Late Late Show With James Corden for Carpool Karaoke in 2017 to sing hits from their first two albums and even receive a visit from Fifth Harmony for a rendition of "Work From Home."

After Smith’s bittersweet breakup ballad “Too Good At Goodbyes” topped the charts in several countries around the world, the English singer took it to his home territory for a powerful and memorable performance at the 2018 Brit Awards.

Smith continued their foray into dance pop with 2018’s Calvin Harris collaboration “Promises.” Alongside Rag ‘n’ Bone Man and Dua Lipa, Smith joined Harris for a high-energy medley at the 2019 Brit Awards, proving that the singer’s vocal abilities work in any genre.

With their most recent album, Love Goes, the singer leaned further into the dance genre than ever before. At the 2020 MTV EMAs, Smith performed the cathartic club hit “Diamonds” complete with choreography, proving that they’re not just a vocalist, but a true pop diva.

For a taste of what’s to come in Netflix’s Love Goes: Live From Abbey Road Studios, the film companion to Smith’s live album from earlier this year, watch their touching take on Cyndi Lauper’s unofficial pride anthem “True Colors” from the iconic UK recording studio.