Sam Smith on reaching new heights with his Oscar nominated Bond song

Though Sam Smith has mingled with Hollywood's elite thanks to the success of Writing's On The Wall – the Oscar-nominated, Golden Globe-winning James Bond theme song – he feels like the glitz is just a bonus.

It was getting the OK to do the song that remains close to his heart.

“I don’t think very much of myself most of the time, but when (they) ask you to have a go at that, I was just like, ‘I can’t believe they’ve asked me,”’ Smith recalled. “People ask if I was scared and I genuinely wasn’t. ...I think maybe because in the back of my head I was thinking it maybe wasn’t going to happen and just getting the chance to do it was amazing because I know there were other people pitching songs.”

Writing's On The Wall was clearly the right choice: The British singer's single topped the UK charts; it won best original song at last month's Golden Globes and it's competing for the same honor at Sunday's Academy Awards. His competition includes Lady Gaga, the Weeknd, David Lang and J. Ralph.

At 23, Smith has the chance to become one of the youngest acts to win the prize. It took just a day to pen the song, which he wrote with his Stay With Me collaborator Jimmy Napes, he said.

“And then the strings took six months; the production took ages,” Smith said.

He'll perform the Spectre song at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, when the show airs on ABC at 8:30 EST on Sunday.

“I’m trying to not think about it to be honest. But, yeah, it’s going to be fun,” he said.

In a recent interview, Smith talks about his Oscar nomination and going dark after winning four Grammys last year, including song and record of the year for Stay With Me.

How’s it feel to be an Oscar nominee?

All the awards are just a huge bonus and I just find it fascinating, getting to see all these actors and sitting near Leonardo DiCaprio at lunches and (stuff) like that.

Did it feel extra special doing a Bond theme song since you are British?

It feels like the ultimate film song. ... It was on my bucket list as my ultimate dream.

Was it different writing Writing’s on the Wall compared to your album songs?

It was and it wasn’t. I worked with Jimmy Napes so it was actually the same. In terms of the content, lyrically, yes. We read the script and I purposely wanted to make this song really vulnerable ...that’s what I am as an artist and it’s what I do and how I speak and I didn’t want to have to change that. I wanted it to be a Sam Smith-Bond song.

What’s it like competing with Lady Gaga for best original song?

I’m just honored honestly to be standing next to her in some way. We did the (Oscar) luncheon ...and I queued to watch Lady Gaga sing when I was 17 years old overnight in London. And I just keep going back to that moment: That was me in that (expletive) queue and now I’m standing next to her to her being nominated. ...It’s very, very surreal. ...She is, to me, the definition of an entertainer.

Are going to the film awards shows different than the music ones?

It’s very different. I don’t know if I’m wrong in saying this but it feels more elite, if that’s the word. It feels more like, ‘Wow.’ And also, do you know what it is? It’s kinder. That’s what I found. It was a kinder atmosphere. I felt like all the actors knew each other and worked with each other in the past, and it was just a nicer atmosphere; just a lot friendlier. Not to say that the Grammys aren’t friendly, but everyone was like sitting around the table, having a drink, chatting to each other; whereas the Grammys are very in-and-out, and you’re like sitting there for a bit and then going in and then sitting there.

What was it like returning to the Grammys this month after winning big last year?

It’s strange. I feel more together for sure. I feel like I got my head on my shoulders a bit. This time last year would have been after the Grammys – it was actually one of my darkest moments actually. I went through a really; the Grammys were the happiest I’ve been, and then straight after I went into a pit of sadness for a bit. So, yeah, I feel a lot better now.

Why were you sad?

Smith: I’m a melancholy person, so I feel like when you go through a happy moment that incredible, then afterward the only way is down a little bit. I was just going through a moment basically. Having a moment (laughs).

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Sam Smith on reaching new heights with his Oscar nominated Bond song

In a recent interview, Smith talks about his Oscar nomination and going dark after winning four Grammys last year, including song and record of the year for Stay With Me.

The specs: 2019 Audi A8

Skoda Superb Specs