Kim Petras and Sam Smith just picked up the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their smash hit “Unholy,” which makes the former the first ever transgender woman to win the award. In a magnanimous feat for Petras, Smith, and the LGBTQ community, this historic win is deserving of much praise.
The single, which was the second single from Smith’s fourth studio album, Gloria, was a chart-topping success, and became Petras’ first entry on the Billboard Hot 100, where it debuted at the third spot before climbing to the peak. It also reached the top spot on the UK Singles Chart, as well as the official charts in Australia, Ireland, Netherlands, and many more.
“Unholy” continues to perform very well on TikTok, and is still enjoying radi and streaming success in the new year. This is her first win at the ceremony, while Smith takes home their fifth trophy overall, and first in eight years after bagging the Record of the Year and Song of the Year awards in 2015 for “Stay with Me (Darkchild Version)”.
Petras has had a steady rise to mainstream fame. The 30-year old started out as an independent artist before signing with Republic Records in 2021, which has undoubtedly boosted her career prospects.
Congratulations are in order for the trans singer, who, along with the non-binary Smith, continue to break barriers in music. The pair beat out Camila Cabello’s “Bam Bam” featuring Ed Sheeran, as well as Coldplay and BTS’ “My Universe”, ABBA’s “Don’t Shut Me Down”, and Post Malone and Doja Cat’s “I Like You”.