Sam Smith really has it out for our feelings, huh? Much like the British pop/R&B singer’s last video for “Stay With Me,” which saw him trudging through a gospel-powered walk of shame, “Leave Your Lover” treads over some very emotional territory.
Set against a series of gorgeous Parisian backdrops, the vulnerable clip finds Sam navigating a love triangle among close friends as he croons: “We sit in bars and raise our drinks to growing old/ Oh, I’m in love with you, and you will never know,” ultimately pleading, “Leave your lover, leave him for me.” Who put these tears in my eyes? You guys.
But, who does the “La La La” singer want to take up with? From all the tender caresses and longing looks — not to mention straight-up grinding — the video’s masterful direction leaves that ambiguous. Until the end, that is, when we learn that it’s his male companion who Sam’s been pining for this whole time.
tl;dr — Unrequited love sucks. Let’s all take turns hugging, like, a puppy or something.
Some media outlets like the U.K.’s Express are calling attention to the fact that the “Leave Your Lover” video is the first time that Sam has appeared to publicly address his sexuality.
Not to get all Madonna with a teacup…
…But that’s kinda reductive, right? Even though he has yet to have a “Yep, I’m gay!” cover of Time, Sam’s never really struck me as someone who was hiding anything from his fans. If the video is true to the song, then wasn’t “Leave Your Lover” already addressing Sam’s sexuality?
Whatever, power to him either way. Look for Sam Smith’s debut album, In The Lonely Hour, when it drops stateside on June 17.
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