SXMSON’s new single is his most personal to date.
While SXMSON’s previous pop anthems touched upon topics such as love, desire and heartbreak, his latest release Smile steers in a completely different direction, dialling it back to reveal the star’s on-going attempt to hide his mental health struggles.
On the electronic pop ballad, the rising singer-songwriter refuses to allow those closest to him to understand his true pain. “You won’t see me crying, although I’m carrying all this weight,” he croons on the autobiographical track.
In a statement, SXMSON said the song was written “as a reminder that you can never really judge a book by its cover” because despite how people might appear on the outside, “inside they can be going through really difficult times”.
“I wrote Smile when I was going through a pretty rough time mentally, even though on the outside I appeared ok,” he admitted. “Over the years, my smile became a wall that I had built to protect myself from showing my emotions.
“It wasn’t until I had come back from a trip to Berlin on my own, when I realised that I was causing a lot self inflicted damage. The world can feel like a lonely place, and I wanted to let people know that we all go through the same kinds of emotions.”
With Smile’s release, SXMSON wants to “capture the raw reality that comes with identifying as an LGBTQ+ musician”.
Smile is now available on iTunes and streaming services – listen here or below.
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