[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https://www.nme.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Sam-Smith-Press-2026.jpg”]
Sam Smith drops heartbreaking new song ‘When He’s Gone’
Smith says the track was engineered to sound like the “feeling of a storm rumbling in the distance”
Sam Smith has dropped their heartbreaking new single ‘When He’s Gone’.
- READ MORE: Sam Smith – ‘Gloria’ review: the most vital work of their career
The singer is gearing up to release their fifth studio album, ‘Hazel Eyes‘. So far, Smith has shared the romantic ‘My Guy‘ and ‘Oh Mother’. The record is due out August 21 via Capitol Records UK – pre-order now here.
Compared to their previous singles, ‘When He’s Gone’ is more vulnerable, documenting a relationship in the throes of death. “When he’s walking out on me / He takes everything I need”, Smith croons on the track.
Speaking about ‘When He’s Gone’, Smith explained: “This album explores every shade of a relationship and ‘When He’s Gone’ is more of a melancholy shade. We captured it live without a click track and built everything around that original recording to preserve the feeling of a storm rumbling in the distance.”
Listen to ‘When He’s Gone’ below:
Smith will play residencies in Manchester and London for 2026 in support of their new album.
Recommended
They’ll kick off their tour on September 3 and 4, where they’ll perform at Manchester’s Albert Hall. They’re then set to take to the stage at the London Coliseum theatre between September 8 and 19. Tickets are on general sale now – buy yours here.
Elsewhere, Sam Smith has said their newest album is inspired by their engagement to fashion designer Christian Cowan.
Smith, who has been dating Cowan for around three years, announced the engagement in an interview with The New York Times.
Though Smith said that they deliberately kept much of their relationship private to protect it, they emphasised the importance of releasing openly queer love songs amid continuing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights.
“For me, there’s something radical about being queer in this time, in this world and singing love songs,” they said. “I’m not going to allow the poison that I read and that I see to affect my way of loving.”
You May Also Like
TRENDING
More Stories
Sam Smith has dropped their heartbreaking new single ‘When He’s Gone’.
- READ MORE: Sam Smith – ‘Gloria’ review: the most vital work of their career
The singer is gearing up to release their fifth studio album, ‘Hazel Eyes‘. So far, Smith has shared the romantic ‘My Guy‘ and ‘Oh Mother’. The record is due out August 21 via Capitol Records UK – pre-order now here.
Compared to their previous singles, ‘When He’s Gone’ is more vulnerable, documenting a relationship in the throes of death. “When he’s walking out on me / He takes everything I need”, Smith croons on the track.
Speaking about ‘When He’s Gone’, Smith explained: “This album explores every shade of a relationship and ‘When He’s Gone’ is more of a melancholy shade. We captured it live without a click track and built everything around that original recording to preserve the feeling of a storm rumbling in the distance.”
Listen to ‘When He’s Gone’ below:
Smith will play residencies in Manchester and London for 2026 in support of their new album.
Recommended
They’ll kick off their tour on September 3 and 4, where they’ll perform at Manchester’s Albert Hall. They’re then set to take to the stage at the London Coliseum theatre between September 8 and 19. Tickets are on general sale now – buy yours here.
Elsewhere, Sam Smith has said their newest album is inspired by their engagement to fashion designer Christian Cowan.
Smith, who has been dating Cowan for around three years, announced the engagement in an interview with The New York Times.
Though Smith said that they deliberately kept much of their relationship private to protect it, they emphasised the importance of releasing openly queer love songs amid continuing attacks on LGBTQ+ rights.
“For me, there’s something radical about being queer in this time, in this world and singing love songs,” they said. “I’m not going to allow the poison that I read and that I see to affect my way of loving.”
[analyse_source url=”https://www.nme.com/news/music/sam-smith-drops-heartbreaking-new-song-when-hes-gone-3961209″]