LGBTQ+ communities are making historical past on the Grammys. Kim Petras turned the primary overtly transgender individual to win the Grammy for Greatest Pop Group/Duo Efficiency for her primary collaboration with Sam Smith, “Unholy” throughout the 2023 ceremony on Feb. 5. Smith additionally received their first Grammy since popping out as non-binary in 2019, marking an enormous achievement for the non-binary neighborhood.
Throughout their acceptance speech, Petras mentioned Smith “graciously” needed her to simply accept the award due to her historic achievement, main Smith to encourage the viewers to provide her a standing ovation. “I simply needed to thank all of the unimaginable transgender legends earlier than me who kicked these doorways open for me so I may very well be right here tonight,” she mentioned.
The singer went on to pay tribute to her late buddy and collaborator SOPHIE, who additionally acquired a Grammy nomination in 2018 earlier than her 2021 demise. “Thanks a lot in your inspiration,” Petras mentioned. “I like you and your inspiration will at all times be in my music.” She additionally gave a shoutout to famous ally Madonna for at all times preventing for LGBTQ+ rights. “I do not suppose I may very well be right here with out Madonna,” she remarked. Petras concluded her speech by honoring her mom. “I grew up subsequent to a freeway in nowhere Germany, and my mom believed me that I used to be a lady, and I wouldn’t be right here with out her,” she mentioned.
Smith beforehand received 4 Grammys in 2015, together with Greatest New Artist and File and Track of the 12 months for his or her breakout single “Keep With Me,” whereas this marks Petras’ first Grammy win and nom general. She mirrored on her achievement in a latest interview with Grammy.com, saying she by no means thought she’d get nominated by the Recording Academy. “I feel it is unimaginable to get acknowledged from one thing as prestigious as [the GRAMMYs],” she mentioned. “I actually did not suppose that that might ever occur for me as a result of I am such a bubblegum pop lady, and I do not actually really feel like that is normally one thing the GRAMMYs go for, ? I feel it is uncommon.”