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Somerset House has an annual live music event, the Summer Series over 10 days with some of pop music’s favourite stars. This year saw Chvrches, Kelis and star of the moment Sam Smith, among others, take to the outdoor stage to perform to fans who were lucky enough to get tickets to the event and hear him perform a variety of tracks including ones from his album ‘The Lonely Hour’.

Grammy nominated MNEK warmed up doing a mash up of ‘Ready For Your Love’ and Duke Dumont ft A*M*’E’s ‘Need U 100%’ and new single ‘Wrote A Song About You’.

His charisma and charm seemed to enchant the audience as he spoke in between tracks explaining and sharing the secret that he wrote it because he’s never been in love before. He also explained that he used to work in St Pauls just up the road, explaining why performing here felt like home to him, and this certainly came across to all present as he comfortably performed several of his honest, intimate and heartfelt tracks to us.

Among these performances was a live band rendition of the well known hit ‘La La La’, which despite Naughty Boy’s absence, impressively showcased his vocals nonetheless, and the well known ‘Latch’ from an inspired synergy with the producer duo Disclosure. His voice was simply electric like the thunderstorm sky on the Friday night that he took the stage to, which started drizzling with rain just before he came out. This didn’t stop people from singing along and dancing and he joked with the audience telling them to put a middle finger up to the rain, also adding “who’s been moaning about the heat all day?”

‘Money On My Mind’ was a clear favourite with the audience as the more upbeat track got people moving and dancing around to the No.1 smash. Tracks such as ‘I’m Not The Only One’ was another favourite and everyone was singing to the soulful and emotive track. ‘Leave Your Lover’ which is another one of his more ‘slower’ tracks and on release got people thinking about the story line, left the crowd in awe. ‘I’m Not The Only One’ got Sam filled with emotion as he disclosed no other time had he heard the audience sing it back to him.

Of course we can’t forget the moment Sam’s band began to play my favourite track of his ‘Stay With Me’ which I had a feeling he was going to end on and the Queen of R&B Mary J. Blige made her entrance onto stage to perform with him. The crowd all screamed together as she entered and we stood in the rain together singing and watching in amazement as a legend and a maybe soon-to-be legend, sang beautifully together, taking everyone’s breath away.

Sam Smith truly was magical at Somerset House, more than any time that I’ve been fortunate enough to see him before.