Sam Smith is on the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone, and in a video accompanying the story, the singer talks about the secrets behind his sudden rise to stardom. "I picture things happening in my head," he says. "And when I picture things happening every single day of my life, it tends to happen. Manifesting things in your mind is quite powerful."

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But there's more to Smith's success than visualization. "The way I stay normal is carry on saying what I'm saying," Smith continues. "When I'm sad, I'm sad. And when I'm having a down day, I'm having a down day. It's important not to pretend everything's OK, because sometimes things aren't OK, and that's all right… I'm a human being, that's how it should be. The way I stay normal is letting my feelings take over -- letting my feelings lead, not my mind. "

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This is part of what gains Smith so many fans. Taylor Swift tells Rolling Stone, "People just want someone real to listen to, and the vulnerability Sam is willing to project comes off as bravery, because it's authentic." Vulnerability also makes for an interesting cover story, as Smith discusses the first time he fell in love, losing weight before the Grammy's and his experiences with bullying as a gay teen. Also: Stop comparing him to Adele already! (Howard Stern was the latest to compare the two.) "It just annoys me that people can't digest two pop stars singing really personal songs who don't look like normal pop stars," he says.

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Watch Rolling Stone's video with Smith below. The magazine comes out this Friday.