As the world came to a standstill in 2020, Sam Smith took to the iconic Abbey Road Studios to perform an exceptional live cover of Cyndi Lauper’s career-defining hit, “Time After Time”. It’s so stunning that the clip is still amassing millions of views to this day; over 15.3 million to be exact.
But, while you might be expecting a modernized version of the hit stylized to the sound of the ‘20s, Sam’s band perfectly recreates Cyndi’s ‘80s atmosphere, using spot-on synth sounds and guitar effects to rebuild the track’s authentic and nostalgic atmosphere flawlessly. To hear Sam’s brand new vocal take master the song with overwhelming respect for the original, mixed with hints of their own originality, is simply phenomenal to experience.
The then-28-year-old Londoner achieved international fame singing the slow hits “Stay With Me,” “I’m Not The Only One,” and “Too Good At Goodbyes,” seeming to pull together every ounce of sensitivity in their chart-topping voice to sing this cover like it’s their own. From the first revolution of verse and chorus, Music Man readers will be quickly won over by Sam’s tender version, their emotive voice consistently a stellar match for pop ballads such as this.
After slaying the main bulk of the song in its original form, Sam rewrites some melodies and top-lining harmonies to make their version glimmer with their own songwriting talent. It’s incredible to think that this rendition was never considered for an official cover single; Sam likely would have topped the charts all over again had it been.
Sam had shot to fame eight years before this cover, featuring on Disclosure’s “Latch” and Naughty Boy’s UK #1 “La La La” before releasing their own UK #1 debut album, “In The Lonely Hour” in 2014. Sam’s debut solo single, “Money on My Mind” achieved instant success in their home country, but it was “Stay With Me” which broke Sam into the international charts, where they remained with hits including “Promises (ft. Calvin Harris)” and “Unholy (ft. Kim Petras).”
Since coming out as gay in 2014, Sam has morphed into an icon and figurehead, openly talking of their relationships through sensitive lyrics and inspiring a new wave of open-mindedness across the pop scene. This all culminated in 2019 when Sam came out as non-binary and announced their gender pronouns as being they/them; ever since shocking award shows and tabloids with their non-traditional outfits and larger-than-life levels of newfound confidence.
Sam Smith has once again demonstrated their remarkable talent, breathing new life into a timeless classic while staying true to its original charm. Their emotive rendition of “Time After Time” solidifies their status as an artist of extraordinary depth and sensitivity. To explore more captivating performances and updates from Sam Smith, check out the useful links below.