LOS ANGELES, Dec 29 — Sam Smith made a “very conscious decision” to stay away from TV talent shows.

The 22-year-old ‘Stay with Me’ crooner recently shot to fame with the release of his debut album ‘In the Lonely Hour,’ which hit shelves in May.

And in hindsight, Sam is glad he never auditioned for television singing competitions like “The Voice” or “X Factor.”

“It was a very conscious decision for me not to audition. It is for people, and it isn’t for people,” he explained to UK newspaper The Mirror.

“I feel that ‘X Factor’ is perfect for singers who sing, and that’s all they want to do. They don’t care what they sing, they just love singing.

“You could sing on a cruise ship or release a cover album, that’s what it’s for. Because when you think about it, every week, that’s what you do.

"You’re singing other people’s songs. People are judging you on other people’s music.”

Sam made the realisation the “X Factor” wasn’t for him when he began penning tunes.

The star wanted to make history with his singular musical aesthetic.

“The minute I started writing music, I knew that none of that stuff was going to be for me. I want people judging me on my voice and my songs — that’s what’s important to me,” he explained.

“I always say to people: ‘If you’re a singer, go for it.’ It’s an amazing platform. But if you’re not, and you’re a songwriter, I think it’s actually quite damaging for you to go on there.

"You’re singing other people’s music, so then when you release your own stuff, people might not like it.” — Cover Media