SAM SMITH CONFIRMS ENGAGEMENT TO FASHION DESIGNER CHRISTIAN COWAN
Singer Sam Smith has confirmed their engagement to fashion designer Christian Cowan, ending months of speculation, in an interview with The New York Times published July 29, 2026.
Smith, 34, and Cowan, 32, have been dating for roughly three years, with the relationship first becoming public following a joint appearance at the 2024 Met Gala. Speculation about an engagement intensified after the couple was overheard discussing wedding plans at the 2026 Met Gala in May, where Cowan was seen wearing a large yellow diamond Cartier ring, designed by Cowan himself alongside both of their red-carpet looks that evening.
Confirming the news to the Times, Smith reflected on the significance of writing openly about queer love amid ongoing challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community, describing it as a radical act in the current climate. Smith, who came out publicly as non-binary in 2019 and uses they/them pronouns, has been a prominent voice on gender identity in mainstream media throughout their career.
The engagement is closely tied to Smith's upcoming album, "Hazel Eyes," released Aug. 21, which the artist has described as a love letter to Cowan, with the title drawn directly from Cowan's eye color. Smith noted the album marks a departure from the heartbreak ballads — including hits like "Too Good at Goodbyes" and "I Know I'm Not the Only One" — that first built their career, saying it was the first time they had been able to write from a place of unguarded joy rather than loss.
Smith rose to mainstream prominence in 2012 after featuring on Disclosure's breakout single "Latch," and went on to become the first openly non-binary artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 and win a Grammy Award.