CALLUM SMITH WANTS TO TRANSPORT YOU TO THE CLUB WITh 'RODEO'

Callum Smith’s latest single, RODEO, lands at the end of a year that has kept them busier than ever, and it caps a run of releases that has seen them build a music catalogue alongside a career spent working on the other side of the image, styling other people for a living. That catalogue has grown steadily since their debut single FEMME 4 FEMME arrived in 2024, with FOLLOW MY COMMAND following in 2025 before RAGE and then ELECTRIC came out this year; the latter premiered in June during Pride Month as a celebratory release that put their individuality front and centre.

Represented as a model by The Social Inc, Callum has always treated their music as something to be dressed as much as heard, and the visual world around each release tends to carry the same care and attention to detail they bring to a fitting. RODEO picks up where that run of singles left off, and it arrives as Callum seems more certain than ever about the kind of artist they want to be, with a sound and an image that feel increasingly like their own.

So, naturally, we sat down with them to ask about where the song came from, who was in the room when they made it, what the word rodeo means to them and how someone whose job is deciding how other people look goes about styling themselves.

RODEO is out now. Tell us about what it means to you?

Rodeo is my fifth single to be released, and I now feel like I’ve really come into my own sound, and where I can see the future of my music going, the dark electronic world suits me best

ELECTRIC and RAGE both came out earlier this year. How does RODEO compare?

Electric was a really fun one to make because it was the first time I leaned into techno, which is definitely an area I would like to explore more. With Rodeo, I was going back to the core of the feeling: when you’re out in the club with your friends, and you’re not thinking of anything else other than that one moment. That’s how I want my music to relate to people.

When did you know the song was complete?

I don’t think you'll ever know when it’s completely ready; there’s always something you can add or remove. I just know, in that moment, how I would want to feel listening to the music in a queer space.

You style for a living alongside music. How did you build the look and visuals around this release, and who did you bring in to help?

First and foremost, I’m a Stylist, so I already have a very strong vision and aesthetic for how I want to present myself to the world. So going into music was just another extension of who I am and my vision. The visual side, putting together a video or a cover image, is the easy part. As soon as I’ve made the song, I can already envision how I want everything to look, the colours, patterns, and overall design.

You move between styling, modelling and music, so how has working in fashion shaped the kind of artist you are becoming?

It was just a natural next step for me. I don’t always like to Limit myself to be able to do one thing. Where I was & still am styling so many different artists, It Felt like a very natural next step for me within my career.

Is there one lyric in RODEO you most want people to hold onto, and why that one?

To be honest, none of my songs is serious. They really are made for the Club or working out. I just want people to enjoy and vibe with it.

What comes after RODEO, and is it part of a bigger project you're building towards?

Definitely a lot more to come, continuing to expand & evolve in my creative journey, and see where it takes me.

RODEO is out now on all major streaming platforms, and if this conversation is anything to go by, it is a release Callum has thought about as carefully from the outside as from the inside, with the same eye for detail that runs through their styling work, shaping how the song looks, sounds and finds its way to the people listening.

You can follow Callum at @CallumSmitth to keep up with what comes next.