“I have been touring so much since the age of 21. I went from playing in venues of this size to playing in arenas in one year,” Sam Smith shared with the audience at Brooklyn’s 1,100-capacity Warsaw on October 15.

“I stayed in those arenas for nearly 10 years, and it was a really amazing experience, and I love singing in those rooms. But my favorite shows, and the ones that changed me as an artist, were the gigs that were shared in rooms like this, that are built for music.”

The British crooner’s popularity skyrocketed in 2014, initially propelled by the wide appeal of the song “Stay with Me” and the corresponding debut album, *In the Lonely Hour*. Since then, Smith (they/them/theirs) has sustained commercial success with four studio albums, the most recent being *Gloria*, released in 2023.

Continuing their momentum, in June 2025, Smith released a live album, *BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall*. Also this year, they put out two non-album tracks, “Love Is a Stillness” and “To Be Free.” Over the past 11 years, the five-time Grammy Award winner has reportedly sold 49 million albums and 300 million singles worldwide.

Despite popular demand, Smith has committed to returning to more intimate stages. After selling out the originally scheduled 12 nights at Warsaw, they extended the *To Be Free: New York City* residency to 24 nights, running from October 8 to December 13, 2025.

Looking ahead, in February 2026, Smith will perform *To Be Free: San Francisco*, reopening the Castro Theatre after two years of renovations with an eight-night residency.

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The first week of the Warsaw residency was closed to the press. At the launch of week two, on October 15, the program opened with a half-hour set by Sienna Spiro, who performed original songs and covers. Accompanied by a live pianist and a pre-recorded rhythm section, the 20-year-old British vocalist delivered soulful, jazz-influenced songs that showcased her impressive octave-spanning range.

A highlight of Spiro’s set was her soaring tribute to Frank Sinatra with “My Way.”

After a half-hour intermission, the stage darkened as musicians took their places. When the lights blazed on, Sam Smith appeared wearing an imaginative outfit custom-designed by Vivienne Westwood’s Creative Director, Andreas Kronthaler. The angular design featured puzzling geometric symbols that required a moment to digest—but any distraction faded when Smith opened their mouth to sing.

The concert opened with a bang. Within seconds, Smith pulled at the heartstrings of the audience with their summer single, “To Be Free,” one of the strongest songs of their career. The uplifting lyrics and rallying chorus sensitively explored how vulnerability can unlock bravery and freedom.

Smith’s voice was warm and strong, backed dynamically by a team of five musicians and three singers. Throughout the two-hour performance, Smith appeared fully engaged—completely in sync with their repertoire, the musical team, and the audience. Even the sound and stage lighting were subtly yet perfectly aligned with the flow of the show for maximum impact.

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Simplicity was the axis on which the show spun: there were no stage sets, costume changes, or video projections. The production relied entirely on Sam Smith—a refined vocal delivery paired with well-rehearsed musical arrangements and, most of all, their compelling personality.

Early in the performance, Smith assured the audience that the program would include fan favorites, deep cuts, and new songs not yet recorded. What they did not mention outright, but was clear throughout, was the inclusion of numerous revealing anecdotes that drew the audience closer to Smith’s heart.

The highlights were nearly too many to recount.

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The first thunderbolt came with a total rearrangement of Smith’s best-loved song, “Stay with Me.” Sitting on a stool center stage, flanked by three acoustic guitarists and one mandolin player arranged in a semi-circle, Smith delivered a back-porch style version that was not immediately recognizable. Yet, within seconds, the quiet arrangement inspired the evening’s first audience singalong.

Stunningly, the song retained all of its power despite the new, softer treatment.

After the song concluded, Smith and the musicians stayed onstage as Smith shared a previously untold story about a 5 percent portion of royalties related to “Stay with Me.”

Smith explained that at the time, they had never heard of Tom Petty or his song. “I am gay, as you know, and it didn’t quite reach me in little old England,” they said. Smith only came to know of Petty after his publisher reached out, and a settlement was sought.

“The night before the [2015] Grammys, I was in my hotel room, and I got a handwritten letter from Tom Petty. He told me he didn’t want me to worry, and that there were only so many notes on a piano,” Smith recalled. “He was very kind, but I was so young and silly and so pissed off when I got this letter that I never replied to him. Sadly, a year or so later he passed away, and I never got the chance to reply to him and thank him for being as sweet as he was and telling me exactly what I needed to hear at that time.”

In tribute to Petty, Smith and the musicians closed the acoustic segment with a cover of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ “It’ll All Work Out.”

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Recognizing Sienna Spiro’s remarkable talent, Smith invited her back onstage for a duet of *In the Lonely Hour*’s “Lay Me Down.” The two artists alternated verses, engaged in a brief call and response, and concluded with harmonizing rich voices for the song’s finale. This was the second surprise of the night.

Both Smith and Spiro then walked off stage, leaving the band to continue with an interlude spotlighting the background vocalists performing Simon and Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.”

Later, Smith prefaced another song with an untold story.

Sir Elton John had invited Smith to his house in the south of France. After dinner, John introduced Smith to John Prine’s “Angel from Montgomery” and suggested they consider covering the song live.

“I ignored him for about eight years,” Smith admitted. “But when I was preparing for this show, I finally went, ‘You know what? He was right.’”

Smith’s delivery remained faithful to the song’s Americana roots, with background singers amplifying the chorus—surely a performance Elton John would be proud of.

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While Smith’s show was not quite a tell-all à la *Springsteen on Broadway*, the evening was masterfully curated and professionally executed. Smith gave fans more than they could have expected.

The intimate flavor of the show allowed voices and instruments to shine brighter than on previous tours in sports arenas. A balanced mix of old favorites and new songs-in-progress gave the audience a nostalgic sense of the past alongside a foretaste of the future.

*To Be Free: New York City* is Sam Smith at their best.

*(All photographs by Getty Images for Capitol Records.)*
https://www.theaquarian.com/2025/10/28/to-be-free-in-new-york-city-sam-smith-at-warsaw-october-15-2025/