Sam Smith’s Hazel Eyes era continues with “When He’s Gone,” the third single from their upcoming fifth studio album, due August 21 through Capitol Records. Smith has described the song as one of the record’s more melancholy moments, saying, “This album explores every shade of a relationship and ‘When He’s Gone’ is more of a melancholy shade.”
The track was recorded live without a click track, with the arrangement built around that original performance. Smith wanted the production to retain the feeling of “a storm rumbling in the distance,” allowing the song to move gradually from a restrained opening toward a more expansive final section. At its emotional center is the recurring line, “My whole world’s broken when he’s gone.”
Hazel Eyes contains 12 tracks and follows the earlier singles “My Guy” and “Oh Mother.” “My Guy” features backing vocals from Feist and Moses Sumney, while “Oh Mother” includes a call-and-response performance with the 28-member TwoCity Chorus. The album’s tracklist also includes “Moondance,” featuring Feist, and the piano-led “Love Is a Stillness.”
The album is closely tied to Smith’s personal life. The singer recently confirmed their engagement to fashion designer Christian Cowan after about three years together, and Smith has spoken about how relationships and intimacy influenced the record. They spent roughly three years developing Hazel Eyes, working at Electric Lady Studios in New York with co-producers David Odlum and Simon Aldred. Multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily and string arranger Rob Moose also contributed to the project.
Smith was also featured in The New York Times in an interview published in late July, with the story later appearing in the August 2 Arts & Leisure section. The interview explored both the personal relationships behind the album and the creative decisions that shaped its sound.
The Hazel Eyes campaign will continue beyond the album’s release. Smith has announced residency performances in Manchester and London for September, while a collaboration with BBC Introducing is giving emerging artists the opportunity to support the singer during the UK shows.
With “When He’s Gone,” Smith is revealing another side of an album built around different stages and emotions within a relationship. Hazel Eyes arrives August 21.
