Grammy award-winning singer Sam Smith has renamed his new album as they didn’t feel comfortable releasing a record called “To Die For” during the coronavirus pandemic.
Appearing on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 breakfast show Friday morning, the “Stay with Me” hitmaker said they understood the importance of being “sensitive” to fans amid the global crisis.
Covid-19 has infected more than 2.1 million people and killed over 147,000 worldwide, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
“My album had the word ‘die’ in the title, which I just felt really uncomfortable with, with what’s happening (coronavirus) and it’s so important for me to be sensitive to my fans and to people listening to my music,” the non-binary star told Ball.
They continued: “This has been a really sad and awful time for us, so I’ve changed the album title, I’m going to change the album cover.”
Smith said the upcoming third studio album — a follow-up to 2017’s “The Thrill Of It All,” which was originally scheduled for release on May 1 — will now be unveiled at a later date, “when I know everyone’s safe and everyone’s good, then I can think about releasing the album.”
In the meantime, the 27-year-old singer has kept fans happy with their collaboration with Demi Lovato, “I’m Ready,” which was released Friday.
Speaking of the track, they said: “This song and this video was just so much fun. It’s about smiling and not taking yourself too seriously and just having a good time.”
On their relationship with Lovato, they added: “She’s been such a huge part of my life as a pop star and as a musician. Getting to work with her was just so special for me.”
