Now 32-year-old, Sam Smith was approached by record producer Diplo, and DJs Walshy Fire and Ape Drums aka Major Lazer – about working on the 2016 track.
After the British born Grammy winner rejected the trio’s offer the collaboration went to Justin Bieber instead, and ppeaking on BBC Sounds’ ‘Sidetracked’ with Nick Grimshaw and Annie Mac, Smith said: “The only time I got sent a song that I heard and then became a well-known song was ‘Cold Water’ by Major Lazer with Justin Bieber. They sent me that to sing and at the time I was so busy and couldn’t do it and we passed on it – but I’m happy I passed on it because Justin Bieber did it way better than what I would have done. It was made for him.”
Sam opted to collaborate with Calvin Harris on two tracks ‘Promises’ and ‘Desire’ and loved working with the DJ.
They said: “I didn’t know what to expect with Calvin because I was like, is this, you know, what does he do? Because some people in the studio, it’s like ‘oh, you don’t play an instrument’. Like you don’t actually make the music. You’re more of a taste maker, which is fab. But he does everything himself. And I was immediately just enamoured by his talent. We just had so much fun making ‘Promises’. It was the funnest day. I think you can hear that in the writing.
“He’s an amazing man, and he’s come to my aid and supported me and built me up at times when I really needed him.”
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: pitpony.photography