Sam Smith Holding all his Grammys - H 2015
AP Images/InvisionAfter dropping a major clue on Monday with an Instagram photo, Sam Smith has now been officially unveiled as the singer of the next Bond title track, which also now has a name: ‘Writing’s on the Wall.’
The song, released by Capitol Records, was co-written by Smith and fellow Grammy winner Jimmy Napes and will go on sale Sept. 25.
“Sam and Jimmy have written the most inspirational song for Spectre, and with Sam’s extraordinary vocal performance, ‘Writing’s on the Wall’ will surely be considered one of the greatest Bond songs of all time,” said Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli in a statement.
“This is one of the highlights of my career,” said Smith. “I am honored to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song. I am so excited to be a part of this iconic British legacy and join an incredible lineup of some of my biggest musical inspirations. I hope you all enjoy the song as much as I enjoyed making it.”
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The announcement ends what feels like years of speculation almost as widely discussed as the film itself and proves that Smith is not to be trusted, or at least is a very good liar (an excellent quality for any spy).
The singer had been the long-running bookies’ top choice to follow in the heels of Adele, who sang the theme for Skyfall, but asserted that it wasn’t true and even pointed the finger at Ellie Goulding, who had been another favorite (alongside Ed Sheeran and, basically, any British singer with current international chart power).
In July, Radiohead emerged as the late favorite when a British bookmaker canceled bets after an anonymous $23,000 wager on the band. Adding to the fire, Spectre director Sam Mendes and current Bond Daniel Craig were both known to be Radiohead fans, with Craig even conducting an interview with lead singer Thom Yorke for Interview magazine in 2013.
Smith now becomes the first British male solo artist to record the Bond theme since 1965. The announcement comes after an astonishing year for the artist that has seen him win four Grammy awards and three Brits. On Monday he broke U.K. chart records with ‘In The Lonely Hour’ racking up 67 consecutive weeks in the top 10, the highest ever for a debut album.
Spectre is due to be released in the U.K. simultaneously with its London world premiere on Oct. 26 before hitting the U.S. on Nov. 6.
