Sam Smith has publicly acknowledged his love of ’80s and ’90s soul singers, like Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, and Luther Vandross. Now, he has transformed Houston’s “How Will I Know” into a tearful ballad with his version of the two-decades-old original, recorded at SiriusXM Radio. Before you yawn and think you’ve heard enough Whitney Houston covers for one lifetime, stop everything you’re doing and watch. Smith’s smooth vocals need only the quiet accompaniment of a keyboard in order to craft such a delicate narrative and tribute to the 1985 single. The bespectacled Smith’s whispering voice turns the ’80s synth-soaked, neon-drenched aerobic workout hit into a quiet confession.
Check out Sam Smith’s version of “How Will I Know,” below.
