Sam Smith and Alicia Keys really dug deep for this one! The two stars joined forces for a smoldering duet on Smith’s hit “I’m Not the Only One.” As Keys laid down a subtle piano groove, Smith took the opening verse and chorus, delivering a heartfelt and soulful vocal. Keys really got to shine in the next verse and chorus, and she brought her own style to the material with an intense and emotional vocal.
It’s not often you hear so much vocal firepower together on one song, and the two stars certainly made the most of it. The Music Man readers will definitely want to tune into the final chorus where Smith and Keys sing together, which just sounds magical as I’m sure you can imagine. The pair recorded the duet in a live studio session at Jungle City Studios, New York City. It proved to be quite the hit with fans, as the session drew six million views on Smith’s YouTube channel.
Smith uploaded the duet with Keys on August 7, 2024. Fans were really vibing on the collab and added comments such as, “What could be a more delightful moment in life than discovering that your two favorite singers have collaborated on the same song? It completely brightened my day!” and “This duet is pure magic! Sam and Alicia’s voices blend so perfectly, it’s like hearing the song for the first time again. Who else is getting chills? Let’s hope they team up for more.”
Smith dropped “I’m Not the Only One” back in 2014, but it’s still a regular feature in their live sets. When the English singer appeared at the BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge, they performed an emotive take of the hit, drawing 5.1 million views. This version featured Smith’s band and a trio of backup singers, giving a fuller sound compared to the Keys duet.
Smith released “I’m Not the Only One” on August 31, 2014, as the fourth single from their debut studio album In the Lonely Hour. Smith wrote the song with James Napier, while Napier and Steve Fitzmaurice handled production. “I’m Not the Only One” proved to be Smith’s biggest hit in both the UK and US, going four and seven times Platinum respectively in those markets, as well as 10 times Platinum in Australia. It won’t surprise The Music Man readers to hear that the song has continued to be a fan favorite, as it is currently one of only three of Smith’s songs to surpass two billion streams on Spotify.