Sam Smith returns to the stage following several weeks of enforced vocal rest

By Mike Bedigan, PA Los Angeles Correspondent

Sam Smith made a triumphant return to the stage on Wednesday after taking several weeks of enforced vocal rest.

The British singer headlined the sixth night of the Montreux Jazz Festival, which is taking place on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

Smith was forced to cancel several UK shows in May due to a “vocal cord injury” which halted their Manchester show.

Prior to the performance at the Swiss festival, they spent several days rehearsing at the Montreux Casino which burned down in 1971, inspiring Deep Purple’s classic track Smoke on the Water.

Smith has said attending Montreux Jazz Festival “will change your life” after first performing there in 2015.

Wearing high platform heels and a golden corset, Smith opened the set with a rendition of their anthemic hit Stay With Me, before working through their back catalogue.

The show included an explosive performance of Smith’s Grammy-winning song Unholy, written in collaboration with Kim Petras.

Smith closed the set with a high-energy dance routine to Vulgar, their new collaborative track with Madonna – the first time the single has featured within their setlist.

“My first time here was like eight years ago, I came here on a tour and I had no idea what this festival was,” Smith said.

“I was 22 years old and it blew my mind how beautiful this place was. It inspired me so much, learning about all the amazing people that had performed here.

“So I came back but as a punter… and I had the most amazing time here, two years in a row. I watched so much music and I got drunk on the lake and it was all so fun.

“I just want to say to Montreux and all the powers that be, thank you for having me and my friends here again.”

The Montreux Jazz Festival continues until July 15 with this year’s line-up spanning genres and eras with acts including Wet Leg, Norah Jones, Iggy Pop, Gabriels, Nile Rodgers and Loyle Carner.