As the popularity of British soul continues to rise the music charts, as seen by the success of artists like Adele, Amy Winehouse, and electro-soul singer James Blake, a new wave of artists with the same classic, yet individually unique style seems to be taking over the world of online music. With a music background in jazz singing and songwriting, British musician Sam Smith is climbing the ranks as he showcases his ability to combine the elements of classic soul and R&B with other stylistic influences, including Gospel, pop, and electronic.

In “Stay With Me‰Û, Smith achieves the classic sound of a soul love song‰ÛÓsad and longing, yet robust and textured‰ÛÓby layering elements of R&B melodies and Gospel vocals together. The steady tambourine and snare beat, accompanied by the jazzy blue not chords of the piano serve as the backdrop to Smith‰’s simple, but obviously emotional lyrics, which portray the magnitude of Smith‰’s sadness and pain. He tries to keep his emotions at bay throughout the song, but let‰’s himself go in the end by singing, “But I still need love ‘cause I’m just man/These nights never seem to go to plan/I don’t want you to leave,/Will you hold my HAND?‰” and later, “Why am I so emotional?!/No it’s not a good look, gain some self control/Deep down I know this never works?/But you could lay with me,/So it doesn’t HURT‰Û. Though these lyrics are not daring or particularly interesting alone, there‰’s something to be said about how complex and relatable they become when sung with soul and force, as Smith does without missing a mark.

In keeping with the theme of achieving a certain music complexity through the layering of various, simple stylistic elements, Smith‰’s cover of Bruno Mars‰’ pop song, “When I Was Your Man‰Û, gives a more accurate representation of his incredible singing abilities that, regardless of instrumental accompaniment, stand alone in evoking deep emotions and forming a strong connection to his listeners. With a soft, consistent electric guitar in the distance, Smith pours himself entirely into his vocals ranging from beautifully melancholy falsettos to whispery and sultry end-notes. With the image of Smith, it is easy to envision the look of dismay and disappointment on his face as he sings, “I should’ve bought you flowers/And held your hand/Should’ve gave you all my hours/When I had the chance‰Û.

Perhaps Smith‰’s most distinct expression of music talent and innovation, though, is evident on his E.P. Nirvana, especially his song, “Safe With Me‰Û. He does not lose the soul or passion of his earlier vocal style, however, he demonstrates a more electronic style in the production side of the song. The sound of the synth and computerized singing, along with a more buzzing, electro drum beat give the song its catchy style and head-bopping qualities. Like all the songs on Nirvana, “Safe With Me‰” characterizes the successful mash-up of old and new styles and musical elements that, together, undoubtedly explain the rising of Sam Smith‰’s popularity.