Sam Smith Praises Taylor Swift as a "Role Model" After Implying Other Pop Stars Haven't Been So Nice

Remember this name: Sam Smith!

It shouldn't be too hard as the Brit singer has already earned huge success thanks to singles like "Stay With Me" and "I'm Not the Only One."

But as he prepares for his first Grammys as both a performer and nominee, the 22-year-old says he's just getting started.

"You know, I want to be the biggest star in the world, but I also want to maintain the soulfulness," he shared in a new interview with GQ magazine. "I don't want to lose my mind or my humor. I want to be a pop star, but I also don't want to be a pop star."

What's the problem with being a pop star? Absolutely nothing, according to Smith. However, some of the singers he's met throughout his career haven't exactly been the nicest.

"I will never act like some of the current pop stars have acted toward me," he shared without revealing any names. "We can be friends, you know? We can. It's not a competition. There's space for all of us."

One pop superstar who has been nothing but kind is the one and only Taylor Swift. After singing with her in London and then hanging out at the 2014 American Music Awards, the hit-maker was blown away by her kindness and talent.

"Taylor Swift is amazing...She's a role model," he said without hesitation. "I really respect her. And she manages to sell a lot of records and make a lot of people happy financially, but also to keep that soulfulness, that honesty."

Speaking of honesty, Smith also wasn't afraid to talk dating and relationships in his latest interview. Recently, the singer met two guys that were complete opposites. One was perfect on paper while another could be considered "dangerous." Guess who he chose? Yep, the latter.

"I want that excitement. I want something that's unobtainable," he confessed. "I made a statement recently about how Grindr and Tinder and those dating apps are just killing romance. People are losing the ability to just walk up to people in a bar and say hello. Sex is on tap, isn't it, with apps like that?"

He continued, "It may work for some people, but I miss the mystery. I find it much more sexy when someone's fully dressed in a suit and you've got to work to undress them. Do you know what I mean?"

Romance aside, Smith hopes fans will continue to focus on his music and performances instead of his sexuality and relationship status.

"I am not Sam Smith, the gay singer. I am Sam Smith, the singer who happens to be gay," he declared. "I'm still figuring out who I am. I don't want to pretend I've got everything sorted out in my mind, because I really don't."