Sam Smith and Alicia Keys Team Up for 'Intimate' Duet of 'I'm Not the Only One': Watch

08/06/2024 07:05 PM

The duo recorded the special rendition for the 10th-anniversary version of Smith's debut album, 'In the Lonely Hour'

Sam Smith and Alicia Keys are the duo we didn't know we needed.

To celebrate 10 years of Smith's debut studio album In the Lonely Hour, the singers recorded a track together for the very first time — a new rendition of one of the Grammy-winning record's hit songs, "I'm Not the Only One," and an official music video to accompany it.

The stars first debuted the duet in a surprise performance at Smith's Pride party at Julius, the oldest gay bar in New York City, in June. They recorded the official version the following day at another N.Y.C. spot: Jungle City Studios.

Related: Sam Smith Details 'Awful' Skiing Accident: 'Couldn't Walk for a Month'

Somehow even more soulful than the original, the duet featuring Smith, 32, and Keys, 43, delicately balances the pair's powerhouse vocals with a gentle, emotional performance.

The accompanying visual — a stripped-down, black-and-white video that was released on Aug. 6 — also features footage of the Pride celebration at Julius, including sweet footage of fans, partygoers and the singers' surprise performance.

Related: Alicia Keys 'Didn't Feel Like Myself' When She Became Famous: 'I Had to Conform' (Exclusive)

In a press release, Keys said she "loved working on" on the duet with Smith. "And for such a special moment!" she continued. "It's been on both of our wishlists!"

Recalling the studio session, the former Voice coach said "the vibe was super intimate," and revealed that off-camera, the experience was a family affair. "My son Egypt played Sam some keys and my son Genesis was telling jokes the whole time," she said. "Pure music, singing in the room together while I was playing piano."

Added Smith: "I am so honored to have worked with Alicia who is an incredible talent and a beautiful soul joining me to re-imagine such a special track to celebrate a decade of In the Lonely Hour."

Returning to the earliest era of their career for the 10th-anniversary edition of In the Lonely Hour — which features not only the duet with Keys, but also their hits like "Stay with Me" and "Like I Can" — Smith "has been the most incredible experience," Smith said in a press release.

Alongside a snippet of the music video on Instagram, Smith wrote that the collaboration was "a dream," and added, "Hard to believe this is the first song we've recorded together, and incredible that it's for such a special moment."

"I will always be the most proud of In the Lonely Hour as it was my first baby steps into music," they continued. "I listen back to the album now and it feels like looking back at old photos, a mix of emotions, but I love the record and I still love singing these songs so much. This album was written about a period of unrequited love in my life. It's a real life coming-of-age story."

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The In the Lonely Hour 10 Year Anniversary Edition album, which features Sam Smith and Alicia Keys' "I'm Not the Only One" duet, is available to purchase now.

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