{"id":79396,"date":"2026-07-08T21:31:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T21:31:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/79396\/"},"modified":"2026-07-08T21:31:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T21:31:12","slug":"sam-smith-announces-2026-to-be-free-live-residencies-in-manchester-and-london","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/79396\/","title":{"rendered":"Sam Smith announces 2026 ‘To Be Free’ live residencies in Manchester and London"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sam Smith<\/a> has announced live residencies in Manchester and London for 2026. Find all the details below.<\/p>\n

Read More:\u00a0Sam Smith \u2013 \u2018Gloria\u2019 review: the most vital work of their career<\/a><\/p>\n

The singer-songwriter will play 10 UK headline shows this autumn in support of their fifth studio album, \u2018Hazel Eyes\u2019<\/a>, which is released on August 21 via Capitol.<\/p>\n

Smith is set to perform at Manchester\u2019s Albert Hall on September 3 and 4. They\u2019ll then head to the capital for a run of eight concerts at the London Coliseum theatre between September 8 and 19.<\/p>\n

Tickets go on general sale at 10am BST this Friday (July 10) \u2013 you\u2019ll be able to buy yours here<\/a>. A fan pre-sale will go live at the same time tomorrow (Thursday July 9) \u2013 sign up here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The forthcoming UK dates will follow Smith\u2019s four shows at The Auditorio Nacional in Mexico City next month, and a stop in Guadalajara. They hosted a residency in Brooklyn, New York, last autumn, before playing multiple nights in San Francisco, California, earlier this year.<\/p>\n

Sam Smith\u2019s UK \u2018To Be Free\u2019 residency dates for 2026 are:<\/p>\n

SEPTEMBER
03 \u2013 Albert Hall, Manchester
04 \u2013 Albert Hall, Manchester
08 \u2013 London Coliseum, London
09 \u2013 London Coliseum, London
11 \u2013 London Coliseum, London
12 \u2013 London Coliseum, London
15 \u2013 London Coliseum, London
16 \u2013 London Coliseum, London
18 \u2013 London Coliseum, London
19 \u2013 London Coliseum, London<\/p>\n

\"\"Sam Smith. CREDIT: Collier Schorr<\/p>\n

Smith has already previewed \u2018Hazel Eyes\u2019 with the singles \u2018My Guy\u2019<\/a>, \u2018To Be Free\u2019 <\/a>and \u2018Love Is A Stillness\u2019. The 12-track record was created\u00a0alongside Smith\u2019s longtime collaborator and friend Simon Aldred, with much of the project taking shape in New York.<\/p>\n

It boasts contributions from Feist<\/a>\u00a0and multi-instrumentalist Shahzad Ismaily, who has worked with\u00a0Yoko Ono<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Damien Rice<\/a>, with parts of the album recorded at Electric Lady Studios.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis album is an incredibly special record to me. I have been writing it for over three years with a very small group of beautiful, dear friends of mine,\u201d Smith explained in a previous statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis album is very personal, and I feel I have deepened myself as an artist through the making of it, through being a producer on the record, to walking alongside this record from the start to the finish and pushing myself at every single turn.\u201d<\/p>\n

They concluded: \u201cThis record and this music is incredibly romantic. I\u2019ve learned so many life lessons through making this album, and I\u2019ve documented it all through the music.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Hazel Eyes\u2019 follows on from 2023\u2019s \u2018Gloria\u2019, which was hailed by NME as \u201cthe most vital work of [Smith\u2019s] career\u201d in a four-star review<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cSmith\u2019s soulful voice is stunning throughout, and it\u2019s surely a sign of confidence that several songs feature such prominent and intricate backing vocals,\u201d it added. \u201cWhen you\u2019re comfortable in yourself, you don\u2019t always have to push to the front. Smith\u2019s heavenly tone also helps to sell the odd bland line.\u201d<\/p>\n