Hazel Eyes (Sam Smith album)

In October 2025, Smith began their To Be Free residency, performing 24 shows at the Warsaw in Brooklyn between 8 October and 13 December 2025. Between 10 February and 14 March 2026, they staged a further 16 shows at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. Upcoming dates include a performance on 14 August 2026 at the Telmex Auditorium in Guadalajara and four shows between 17 and 21 August at the National Auditorium in Mexico City. The residency will then move to the United Kingdom, with two shows between 3 and 4 September 2026 at the Albert Hall in Manchester and eight shows between 8 and 19 September at the Coliseum in London.^[2]

During the residency, Smith hosted several guest performers, including Ed Sheeran, Norah Jones, Brandi Carlile, Hozier, Kim Petras, and Sienna Spiro, who joined them onstage for select songs.^[3] Smith also performed various tracks from their upcoming album Hazel Eyes throughout the residency.^[4]

Hazel Eyes was created alongside Smith's longtime collaborator and friend Simon Aldred, with much of the 12-track album taking shape in New York. Smith co-produced the record with Aldred and David Odlum, crafting the songs with collaborators Feist, Shahzad Ismaily, and Rob Moose. The album also features contributions from Feist and multi-instrumentalist Ismaily, with portions of the sessions held at Electric Lady Studios. A press release described the project as "a heartfelt ode to the city of New York which Sam now calls home".

Smith stated that the album is a special project for them and that they had been writing it for over three years with a very small group of friends. They added: "This album is very personal, and I feel I have deepened myself as an artist through the making of it, through being a producer on the record, to walking alongside this record from the start to the finish and pushing myself at every single turn. This record and this music is incredibly romantic. I've learned so many life lessons through making this album, and I've documented it all through the music".^[1][5]

On Valentine's Day, 14 February 2025, Smith released "Love Is a Stillness". The single cover features Smith's tortoises, Fish and Chips, and was photographed by Collier Schorr. The music video was directed by Haya Waseem.^[6]

On 24 July 2025, they released "To Be Free", a song written with Simon Aldred. Smith described the track as "one vocal and guitar take from start to finish, made complete by the beautiful injection of the incredible choir we've been working with across this new project". They also stated that "To Be Free" had been written five years earlier. The single's artwork, captured by Schorr, features the Hudson River in New York. The music video was filmed at the Warsaw in Brooklyn and directed by La Horde. The "To Be Free" / "Love Is a Stillness" 7-inch vinyl was released on 11 November 2025.^[7]

While announcing their upcoming album Hazel Eyes on 24 June 2026, Smith released a third single, "My Guy". They stated that they wrote the song with friends on a summer day in New York and added that "in this sometimes cold and distant world, I hope you can feel the love and the closeness of this recording. I tried to capture the glow and the warmth of love in this one, it makes me cry, maybe it will make you feel a little love too." The music video was filmed in New York City.^[5]

On 22 July 2026, Smith released the song "Oh Mother" featuring The TwoCity Chorus as the fourth single from the album.