The day before speaking with Myles Smith, the singer shared an update on Instagram.
The release of his debut album, My Mess, My Heart, My Life, was postponed by a week.
Smith explained his decision candidly. After years of touring and "constantly moving," he was nearing burnout and wanted to ensure he could fully appreciate a moment he had dedicated years to achieving.
In many respects, this choice mirrors the album itself.
Partly constructed from five years of therapy notes, the album sees Smith revisiting periods of struggle, recovery, and, as he describes it, "all the sort of messes in between."
The album arrives following a whirlwind few years for Smith.
At 28, the Luton-born singer-songwriter has emerged as one of Britain's most significant breakthrough artists in recent years.
Combining folk-infused pop with anthemic choruses, he has earned a reputation for emotionally candid songwriting.
"Take my heart, don't break it, love me to my bones," he sings on the 2024 hit "Stargazing," a plea for connection that became the best-selling British song of that year.
Since then, Smith has won the Brits Rising Star award, been named to the Time 100 list of influential people, and accumulated billions of streams.
Despite these milestones, this debut album reveals an artist less focused on accolades and more intent on exploring the experiences that shaped him before fame, transforming them into a cohesive work.
"It was fun. It was intriguing. It was cathartic. It was a bit of everything, honestly," Smith reflects on the process.
One of the album's most revealing tracks is "Sertraline." Named after the antidepressant medication, the song addresses mental health and masculinity.
'I'm reflective of such a beautiful culture'
Smith approaches the topic thoughtfully and aims to avoid "hyperpolarising the issue," but emphasizes the importance of openness about his own experiences.
"It's really important in my role as a British artist, but not only as a British artist, as a black male in this space to be able to be vulnerable, to be able to be open on tracks."
Growing up, he was inspired by artists like Labrinth, whom he describes as "an early example of someone who looks like me and sounds like me and is open and expressive of his emotions."
At the same time, Smith is cautious about being perceived as an exception.
"I don't like to be seen as exceptional," he says. "I'm reflective of such a beautiful culture with such a vast array of talents."
Rather than viewing his success as unique, he hopes it can pave the way for others.
"If anything, it should be showing that there's millions of Myles Smiths who exist, and hopefully now there's more of a ladder and a pathway for that to be seen."
For an artist whose music is grounded in emotional openness, it might be assumed that sharing personal stories comes easily.
However, Smith admits some songs are written solely for himself.
On "Grandma's Place," he reflects on family, childhood, and loss, revisiting memories of a refuge from his youth.
The song was so intimate that, for a time, he doubted it would be included on the album.
"Sometimes I write songs like that and they just sit on a hard drive because they are for me," he explains. "But this one just felt super right."
Although My Mess, My Heart, My Life was assembled over three years across dressing rooms, hotel rooms, tour buses, and studios, Smith credits a close-knit group of collaborators throughout the process.
Among them are producer Peter Fenn and songwriter Gabe Simon, who co-wrote "Grandma's Place."
"I only feel free and open when I'm with my friends," he says.
Among those he now considers friends is Niall Horan. The former One Direction star is the album's sole credited guest artist, featuring on "Drive Safe."
Friendships with Horan and artists like Ed Sheeran often extend beyond music.
"I feel like with Niall and Ed the friendship is really awesome because none of the conversations are ever really about work," he notes.
'I'm still the same Myles I was three years ago'
These friendships have become increasingly valuable as Smith's profile has risen.
"Ed said this comment to me one time: 'As you get bigger, and as you get more famous, you don't change, the people around you do.'"
"To me, I'm still the same Myles I was three years ago, five years ago, 10 years ago," he adds.
While Smith sees himself as unchanged, the rapidity of his ascent is notable.
In 2024, he performed on the BBC Introducing stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend in his hometown of Luton. Within a year, he advanced to the festival's main stage, returning again in 2026 to a packed crowd in Sunderland, sharing the moment with Horan.
Despite much of My Mess, My Heart, My Life looking backward, the album's latter portion shifts toward hopefulness.
Tracks like "Nice To Meet You," "Gold," and "Stay (If You Wanna Dance)" move from reflection to optimism and living in the present.
"It was important to end the album, and particularly this project on a high," Smith says.
"I feel like I always try to mirror my music with my live shows and my live shows are always about taking people on an emotional journey and then sending you home happy."
This sense of hope endures as "Gold" closes the album.
"Even though I may appear miserable for a lot of this album, I genuinely always walk with hope and I walk with joy at the end of the day," he concludes.
