Sam Smith hopes to help gay community with music

Singer Sam Smith is hoping his music will help stamp out homophobia.

The openly-gay singer came under fire in 2014 for saying he had no interest in being a spokesperson for his sexuality, but he has now clarified his remarks, insisting he has been 'out' for much of his life and is happy to be a role model for others.

"I'm a gay man who came out when I was 10 years old, and there's nothing in my life that I'm prouder of," he tells NME magazine. "I want to be a figure in the gay community, who speaks for gay men. I sell records in countries where gay men get killed and that's a big thing for me, because maybe one person in that country will pick up my album, realise it's by a gay artist, and it might change their opinion...

"I wanted anyone, gay or straight, to be able to relate to me singing about men, like I was able to relate to Stevie Wonder or John Legend singing about girls. I want to be a spokesperson."

Sam is riding a career high at the moment after his track Stay With Me was named song of the year at the BMI Awards and he received two Guinness World Records, one for the amount of time his debut album remained in the U.K. top 10 chart and the other for being the first artist whose James Bond theme went to number one.

The song, Writing's On The Wall, has been a huge hit and is taken from the new 007 movie Spectre. Daniel Craig is back in the saddle as the smooth spy, something Sam has a surprising view on.

"I went back and watched them all (Bond films), I realised that it's (Sean) Connery and (Roger) Moore who I love the most," he says. "I love how classy and clean-cut they are. I think I'd like the next Bond to be more of a return to that."