Before performing at the official Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras after party, Sam Smith took the time to make a glittery appearance at the parade on Saturday night.
The 27-year-old musician surprised members of LGBTQ organisation, Twenty10 when they joined their float that made its way down Oxford Street.
Wearing a bold green patterned jacket over a laced top, Sam danced along while waving to spectators and posing for photographs.
Twenty10 is an organisation that supports and helps young people aged between 12-25 in the LGBTQIA+ community.
When SBS broadcast hosts Joel Creasey and Narelda Williams asked Sam what Twenty10′s reaction was to the surprise float appearance, they said: “They were so beautiful, I met this beautiful little girl and we were talking together and dancing. I kind of want to be back on the float!”
“On my float there are some beautiful, beautiful people, it is incredible and what Twenty10 do is absolutely sensational,” they added. “I was watching last night everything they do as a charity and it is amazing... I am the one that is proud to walk with them.”
Sam, who came out as non-binary last year, commented on how life has changed since making the announcement.
“I’ve always been non-binary since I was born, I only just found the words for it. But it definitely changed and it is always difficult when you are asking other people to speak to you in a different way or asking other people to change their language because it becomes their business as well as yours,” they explained.
“So it has been difficult, but it has also been wonderful and freeing, and it is just nice to be myself after a good six years in the industry of pretending to be butch. I did an awful job of it!”
Inclusion, equality and amplifying the voices of the marginalised underpinned the 42nd Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras 2020 Parade on Saturday.
There were 200 groups and floats that made a splash in glitter and latex down Oxford Street, with over 12,000 participants taking part in the parade. Meanwhile there were around 200,000 spectators also present to join the celebrations and cheer on the procession.
In 2020 the theme was “What Matters”, with the First Nations float leading the parade.
Other organisations that hosted floats on the night included RU OK?, W Hotels, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT, Bushfire Heroes, Regional Australia and more.
For the first time, SBS broadcast the parade live with presenters Narelda Jacobs, Joel Creasey, Courtney Act and Zoë Coombs Marr.
All of HuffPost Australia’s 2020 Mardi Gras coverage can be found here.