The Telegraph — Sam Smith, who has made a record-breaking debut on the US Billboard chart, was helped along the way by a singing teacher and a mum who lost her City job more info

The Telegraph — Debut album by 22-year-old singer-songwriter Sam Smith breaks record for a UK male artist, selling 166,000 copies in its opening week more info

Reuters — LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Pop singer Lana Del Rey scored her first No. 1 album on the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Wednesday, while British newcomer Sam Smith landed at No. 2 with his debut record. more info

NME — He has scored the the best-selling week of any UK male singer since records began more info

L.A. Times - Entertainment — Last week Mary J. Blige turned up unannounced at New York’s Apollo Theater to perform a duet with Sam Smith, the young British soul singer. The appearance, similar to one Blige made in January with the dance duo Disclosure, made major news online â... more info

MTV.co.uk News — The chart-topping singer gives a stunning performance covering the track... more info

L.A. Times - Entertainment — So much about Sam Smith’s debut album suggests a kind of weakness. more info

L.A. Times - News — more info

Stereogum — Back when people actually watched American Idol, one of the classic mistakes a contestant could make was covering Whitney Houston. The judges would always caution singers, tell them that there was no way their versions could stack up to the original.... more info

Time — While his voice is far and away one of the purest and most refined in recent memory, Smith never exerts himself to showcase it more info