While Sports Illustrated cover girl Hannah Davis may argue that 2015 is the "year of the torso," we beg to differ: It's the year of Sam Smith.
After nabbing a whopping four (!) Grammys at the annual award show earlier this month, the 22-year-old singer appears in the March 2015 issue of Vogue magazine—which sees Karlie Kloss and BFF Taylor Swift on the cover—opening up about his meteoric rise to fame, his future hopes to direct and his penchant for sharing his personal life with his deeply loyal fans.
"I find that the danger of giving too much away excites me, so I give you everything," the singer, who's become famous for his sentimental ballads that speak to the soul, reveals.
In spite of the media glare, Smith isn't afraid to take risks and he enjoys sharing his life—both the ups and the downs—with his fans.
"'Make mistakes!' I tell myself. 'You're only 22. Fall in love with as many people as you can! Get your heart broken!'" he says. "I need to go through all of this to feel human. Because my life right now, how I'm living, isn't very human."
Smith, whose freshman album was titled In the Lonely Hour, also revealed that he hopes to step behind the camera while he continues to make music. "I want a crash course so I can start directing my own videos," he admits.
As for his storybook-concert style, during which he shares the meaning behind each song he sings, Smith says, "People think that because I'm being honest and talking about pain it's sad, but to me it's empowering. Talking about my deepest and darkest secrets to the world makes me feel better. It's cathartic. And that's a bit f--ked up, if I'm honest. But it helps me."
He continued, noting that honesty in the public eye can sometimes be defined "classless"—a perception he hopes to change.
"We're losing class. There is a way to share an insight into your personal life without being classless, which is what I'm trying to do," he says, not mentioning any specific celebs. "Let's not get our asses out, people. Let's put on a suit."