‘Sam doesn’t feel pressure with it’: Sam Smith’s bizarre new career moves revealed as insiders tell CODIE BULLEN all about rebrand – and why it’s so popular with their ‘piggies’

Sam Smith, one of the world’s biggest pop stars, was once a cute, suit-wearing songbird and now takes to the stage in dazzling rhinestone jumpsuits.

But now their millions of fans – Smith uses the pronouns ‘they/them’ – are being served a different slice of their idol, as they’ve taken up a side hustle as a food vlogger. And by word of mouth, they visit delicatessens and bakeries every day, not in latex corsets or dangerously large shoulder pads. jeanst-shirts and shorts.

This stripped-down version of Smith appears to be his most cheerful yet; You could say they were happy as the proverbial pig. And it’s not rude, because they call their TikTok and Instagram followers ‘piggy’ and their food vlog content on social media is a caricatured drawing of Smith as a pig.

In just four months, the singer’s TikTok page Sam Served has amassed an impressive 220,000 followers, with numerous videos reaching 1.8 million.

Meanwhile, their Instagram page launched in November and has amassed 327,000 followers.

So why would such a globally successful artist want to be just another influencer in a market already saturated with celebrity chefs, previously unknown foodies and even disgraced former TV presenter Michael Barrymore?

A source close to the singer told the Daily Mail: ‘Sam’s new food account is a hobby they picked up while on tour. Sam thought it would be fun to shoot movies in his spare time while traveling the world.

Smith’s followers are affectionately called ‘piggies’ and his food-tasting videos are known as ‘pig-niks’, with some reaching 1.8 million views

‘It’s full-hearted and Sam doesn’t feel pressured about it. What they can do when they are out with their friends is just for fun.

‘There was a great response to the videos. They let Sam’s personality shine through and fans love it.

‘Many people even wanted it to be a TV show!’

In the short videos, the Unholy singer, who is currently on her global To Be Free tour, takes her followers to restaurants in Tokyo, London, New York and San Francisco.

It started as an anonymous account posting about restaurants in cities like Copenhagen, but this year the account went public.

The 34-year-old musician frequently tags restaurants, highlights his favorite spots, and even appears on camera with restaurant owners.

They arrive at the chosen dining venue, place their orders—everything from shrimp tempura (“the best day of my life”) to “crazy” carrot cake—and eat their fill.

Smith often disparagingly calls themselves a ‘pig’ for doing this (and goes by the name ‘Ham Smith’), which feels like an admission that they’ve embraced their curves.

Early in her pop career, Smith expressed her “love” for food, but with that came the slimming and thinning of her waistlines.

In 2015, they said their relationship with food would be ‘a battle for the rest of my life’.

Four years later, they shared a vulnerable Instagram post of their shirtless bodies.

‘Some may perceive this as narcissism and vanity,’ they wrote next to the photo, ‘but if you knew how much courage it took to do this and the physical trauma I experienced as a child, you wouldn’t think of these things.’

‘Smith had expressed her love of food early in her pop career, but with that came the slimming and thinning of her waistlines,’ writes Codie Bullen. (Image: Smith singing at the Oscars in 2016)

Smith, who is non-binary, began playing with gender norms in clothing. And thanks to some odd fashion choices, like this Met Gala ensemble, the star is rarely out of the headlines

This childhood trauma included being bullied for their weight and even getting liposuction at age 12.

But speaking to the Sunday Times in 2022, Smith proudly said: ‘I now have the opposite of body dysmorphia. ‘I look great.’

And nowhere is this confidence more evident than in her wardrobe choices.

After coming out as non-binary in 2019, they began toying with strict gender norms in clothing; They favored more androgynous looks with odd shapes and avant-garde styles that often had scant coverage.

From meaty corsets to thongs and fishnets to PVC suits, the star’s racy fashions have kept them in the headlines.

But when it comes to food vlogs, less flashiness seems to help them stay unnoticed when filming on the street. Smith shows up with no security or screaming fans behind him; This is a luxury that many A-listers who want a black coffee cannot enjoy.

Smith’s fans also responded positively to seeing this new side of him.

One fan gushed: ‘I love your music. I saw you when you lived in Toronto but this is truly incredible! If you made one every day for the rest of your time, I would watch it, love it, and count the hours, minutes, and seconds until your next video. I love this so much!’

‘I love an artist who lives and moves freely and doesn’t view their life as a ‘higher’ existence just because they are an artist/influencer,’ another said in their vlog.

‘Sam Smith’s line up for food is exactly the superstar we need these days. ‘We love you.’

Smith, who has an estimated net worth of £35 million, can’t be doing this for the money.

But it’s still a lucrative hobby; The singer is estimated to earn more than £10,000 per video.

Smith is believed to earn more than £10,000 per video, and some fans have expressed a wish for their food vlog series to become a TV show.

As the singer’s tour moves to Mexico City next month, we can definitely expect some delicious taco joints to hit her social media channels.

While Smith’s partner Christian Cowan doesn’t appear on the singer’s social media very often, he did show public support for Sam Served by commenting heart emojis on his cooking videos.

Smith is clearly an eyeball magnet, so they’ll likely be offered brand deals and free visits to sought-after establishments — but for now, it appears Smith is paying for his banquets with a credit card.

Expect plenty of taco joints to feature in his vlogs next month as Smith takes his ‘To Be Free’ tour to Mexico City for four shows at the Auditorio Nacional, followed by a stop in Guadalajara.

This will coincide with the release of a new album called Hazel Eyes, followed by a recently announced ten-date run in the UK, including Manchester and London, in September.

The singer’s world tour so far has included a residency in Brooklyn, New York, multiple nights in San Francisco, and a host of celebrities including concertgoers Anne Hathaway, Anna Wintour, and Ed Sheeran.

Smith’s partner, fashion designer Christian Cowan, was also spotted in the To Be Free crowd. The couple lives in New York and has been together for more than three years.

In May, the couple reportedly confirmed their engagement after they were heard discussing the proposal before stepping on the Met Gala red carpet.

Cowan, who designed her and Smith’s looks for the star-studded event, reportedly wore a large, square-cut yellow diamond ring by Cartier on her wedding finger. Sam has not been seen wearing a ring on his left hand and they are yet to confirm the rumors.

Cowan is a British-born fashion designer who has worked with A-list celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Lady Gaga, Cardi B and Paris Hilton.

While Sam doesn’t feature much on social media, he has shown public support for Sam Served by commenting heart emojis on food review videos.

It is unknown whether they will continue to post this type of content, as Sam has no ‘pressure’ on entertaining videos.

But one thing’s for sure: there’s a huge appetite for Smith, now a certified foodie.