Kim Petras

Kim Petras, who worked with Sam Smith on the song Unholy, made history by being the first transgender woman to be awarded a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group ...

The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). The FPI route is for foreign investment in rupee-denominated debt. The ECB mechanism is for borrowings in foreign currency. [Kim Petras](/topic/kim-petras)and Sam Smith on Monday shared the Grammy Award for the best pop duo. I simply want to express my gratitude to all the amazing transgender icons that came before me and pushed these doors wide so that I could be present tonight "said Kim. Kim thanked the

Sam Smith and Kim Petras' "Unholy" Grammys set is called "Satanic" and "evil" by conservatives, including Ted Cruz.

During the ceremony on Sunday Another added some conspiracy-baiting into the mix, [saying](https://twitter.com/robbystarbuck/status/1622450108641021953) Madonna (who introduced the performance) [ looked like a statue](https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2023/january/nyc-elevates-horned-statue-paying-homage-to-rbg-and-abortion-critics-say-it-looks-satanic) erected in New York City that conservatives have called “satanic” as well. “I know we on the right probably use the word satanic too often but this performance from Sam Smith is literally a tribute to Satan,” [wrote](https://twitter.com/ben_kew/status/1622451517759315969) one viewer. 5), [Sam Smith](http://billboard.com/artist/sam-smith) and [Kim Petras](http://billboard.com/artist/kim-petras) offered a rousing [performance](https://www.billboard.com/music/awards/sam-smith-kim-petras-unholy-2023-grammys-1235213311/) of their hit single “ [Unholy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq9gPaIzbe8&ab_channel=SamSmithVEVO),” in which Petras performed alongside drag stars Violet Chachki and Gottmik dressed in devil costumes, while Smith was in a bright red top hat with devil horns sticking out from it for the final chorus. “I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” she said during her speech, especially thanking the late SOPHIE for her constant support. “Everyone who believed in me to this point, I love you so much.”

Grammys 2023: Singer Sam Smith and Kim Petras win award for their popular track unholy. Read Petras's emotional speech here.

[Google News](https://news.google.com/s/CBIwo7yAqUE) I, you, and your inspiration will forever be in my music,” she added. Sophie, my friend who passed away two years ago, who told me this would happen and always believed in me.”

"Unholy" collaborators Sam Smith and Kim Petras went for a red-hot coordinated fashion moment on the Grammys 2023 red carpet, joined by Gottmik and Violet ...

[tweeted](https://twitter.com/maemurrayxo/status/1619996988111720448?s=20&t=t1d_lHLyQ1Tyz9ZaWLut1w) in response. [took the stage](https://nypost.com/2023/01/25/bad-bunny-mary-j-blige-more-to-perform-at-grammys-2023/) during the Grammys for a fiery performance of “Unholy” that polarized viewers; conservative types (including Texas Sen. [Added](https://twitter.com/OwenJones84/status/1620004014531448833?s=20&t=t1d_lHLyQ1Tyz9ZaWLut1w) author Owen Jones, “Sex has always been a running theme in modern pop music, and music videos often flaunt it. “If Sam Smith were thin, cis, and straight, they wouldn’t be ridiculed for how they present and dress. If Harry Styles wore the same fits on a magazine cover, y’all would be screaming YAS QUEEN. [on the Grammys 2023 red carpet](https://pagesix.com/2023/02/05/grammys-2023-live-red-carpet-all-the-celebrity-outfits/) Sunday.

The youngest person to go through gender reassignment surgery has broken another record as the first transgender musician to win a Grammy.

Petras began writing music in her bedroom aged 12 — as a form of escape from a life which was at the time isolating, confusing and painful. Dr Luke denies any wrongdoing and is currently in the process of suing Kesha for defamation. Her career also began as a teen — she first started releasing music in 2008 but it wasn’t until 2018 that her first Top 40 hit Heart to Break was released. Petras was ultimately successful — she underwent her surgery aged 16 following an evaluation by a psychiatrist. [award](/topic/award) because I am the first transgender woman to win this award. The track went to number one in multiple countries, including the UK, Australia, the US and Canada.

Kim Petras gave an emotional speech Sunday night accepting her first Grammy Award, dedicating her win to transgender artists who came before her.

I wouldn’t be here without her and her support,” she said. Petras, 30, first rose to international stardom in the early 2000s when she appeared on German airwaves in a push for permission to have gender-affirming surgery. At the time, she was thought to be the youngest trans person in the world to have the procedure, which is rarely performed on minors. "I adore you, and your inspiration will forever be in my music." “I don’t think I could be here without Madonna,” Petras said. “I want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open for me so I could be here tonight,” Petras said.

"You can be yourself and get rewarded for your talent rather than your gender or your sexuality," the singer said backstage at the annual ceremony.

“I think a lot of people have labeled what I stand for and what Sam stands for as ‘religiously not cool.’ I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it, but then slowly realizing it doesn’t want me to be a part of it.” “It’s a take on not being able to choose religion, and not being able to live the way that people might want you to live,” she said matter-of-factly. “So, yeah, Sam will never get rid of me and we will always sing this song for eternity.” “Now, I got a Grammy for making gay club music with my friend, and that’s the best feeling in the world.” Conservatives online referred to the pair’s fire-and-brimstone performance as “ I hope all the kids that saw this that are special or different or feel like they don’t belong …

Ted Cruz and more Republican figures are melting down over Kim Petras and Sam Smith's Grammys performance of "Unholy."

“Unholy” won the Grammy for best pop duo/group performance, making Petras the first openly transgender woman to win in the category. “So it’s a take on not being able to choose religion. “I just want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open before me so I could be here tonight,” Petras said in her acceptance speech. “Satanism is the worship of the self. The playful and relatively tame “Unholy” performance featured Smith wearing a hat with devil horns, Petras singing from inside a cage and background dancers wearing red outfits and holding whips. Several conservative figures stormed social media in the aftermath of the performance to detest Smith and Petras for bringing a “satanic ritual” to screens across America.

The duo took home the award for their hit single, "Unholy," which they performed during the awards ceremony.

She is best known for scoring Stanley Kubrick's 1971 cult classic, "Clockwork Orange." "I adore you, and your inspiration will forever be in my music." It was the first number one hit for both artists, according to The duo took home the award for their hit single, "Unholy," which they also performed during the awards ceremony. [Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/sam-smith-kim-petras-unholy-number-one-hot-100-1235160237/), and Smith and Petras were the first publicly nonbinary and transgender artsts to top the Hot 100. Kim Petras and Sam Smith become the first transgender and nonbinary winners of the Grammy for Best Pop Duo Performance

Kim Petras and Sam Smith accept Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Unholy” onstage during the 65th Grammy Awards. (Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The ...

Conservative US politicians and conspiracy theorists accused the Grammys of hosting a 'satanic ritual'

evil,” he commented on his retweet of a post by conservative commentator Liz Wheeler, in which she wrote: “Don’t fight the culture wars, they say. Much of modern pop music is satanic in this sense. The only change is that now they’re being more explicit about it.” Smith and Petras won the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Unholy”, with Petras becoming the first ever trans woman to receive the award. “This is… [Sam Smith](/topic/sam-smith) and Kim Petras’s performance at the Grammy Awards on Sunday (5 February) was a part of a “satanic ritual”.