Sam Smith has been on a roll lately with a string of exciting releases and an exhilarating tour that has captivated thousands of fans. And now, the wait for new music from this superstar is about to get even shorter. Smith has just announced their upcoming single, “Man I Am,” which will be featured on the highly anticipated Barbie soundtrack.
Taking to social media, Smith excitedly shared the news of their latest single. “Man I Am” is set to debut on Friday, July 21, coinciding with the album’s full release and the worldwide premiere of the Barbie film.
Smith’s inclusion on the Barbie soundtrack was initially shrouded in anticipation. The tracklisting for the album was revealed weeks ago, but two spots were deliberately left empty, generating excitement among fans as to who those artists might be. The final two spaces were reserved for two major musicians, and the recent announcement of Billie Eilish as one of the featured artists further heightened the anticipation. Eilish’s single, “What Was I Made For?,” is set to drop on Friday, July 13.
Joining an all-star lineup on the Barbie soundtrack, Smith will share the spotlight with esteemed artists such as Lizzo, Nicki Minaj, Dua Lipa, The Kid Laroi, and Ava Max, among others. Lipa and Minaj have already released their songs, while the majority of the rest of the tunes have yet to come out.
“Man I Am” marks Smith’s latest single release in 2023, following the highly anticipated arrival of their fourth album, Gloria, in January. The full-length was met with praise from fans and critics alike. Since the beginning of the year, Smith has been steadily releasing hit after hit, including a collaboration with Koffee and Jessie Reyez on “Gimme” and their own “I’m Not Here to Make Friends.” Last month, they surprised fans with “Vulgar,” a collaboration with pop icon Madonna.
Notably, “Man I Am” is not only set to be featured on the Barbie soundtrack, but it will also be included in the film itself. This dual exposure presents an exciting opportunity for Smith, as the song could potentially be eligible for consideration in the Best Original Song category at the Academy Awards. Smith is no stranger to this accolade, having won the prestigious award in 2015 for their track “Writing’s on the Wall” from the James Bond film Spectre.
Fashion designer Connor Ives says his now-iconic "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt -- first worn during the finale of his Fall/Winter 2025 ready-to-wear show in London -- has since raised more than $600,000 for the nonprofit Trans Lifeline. The design employs a decades-old phrase calling for solidarity with and protection of transgender women.
The shirt wasn’t originally intended as part of the collection. As Ives told The New York Times in April, he simply wanted "a T-shirt that says something" for the show, using the message as a call for solidarity with transgender people at a time when governments in the U.K. and U.S. were seeking to roll back rights.
“You never know how people are going to perceive you,” says Aaron Lee Tasjan. “You never know how the work will be received by the public.
A musician who skillfully straddles the line between Americana and pop, Tasjan is marking the tenth anniversary of his breakthrough album In the Blazes. He’s celebrating with a tour built around the record’s shimmering rhythms and melodic hooks.
The album -- released on Oct. 6, 2015 -- captured Tasjan at a point when he leaned heavily into country-folk roots. Later albums saw him expand his horizons, weaving in synths -- most notably on the impossibly catchy “Up All Night” from 2021’s Tasjan! Tasjan! Tasjan! -- and drawing more deeply from his personal life for inspiration.
Christina Aguilera has partnered with Grindr as part of the promotion for her upcoming headlining set at San Francisco’s Portola Music Festival on September 20. According to a September 15 announcement from the LGBTQ app, Aguilera -- dubbed Grindr's new “wingwoman” -- will lend her voice as a notification alert, letting users know they’ve got a message from a potential match.
From September 15 to 22, Grindr will swap its iconic “bloop” notification for the opening notes of Aguilera’s 1999 No. 1 hit “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You),” promoting her Portola performance in the process.
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