Sam Smith and Kim Petras have gone to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with their track, ‘Unholy’. In doing so, they make history. It makes German-born Petras the first out trans woman to go to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and Smith the first non-binary person to achieve the feat.
The track proved a big hit on TikTok before charting worldwide. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 three weeks ago at three, before rising to two and then one. It’s also been at number one on the singles chart in Smith’s home country, the UK, for the past four weeks.
Petras took to Instagram to celebrate the achievement.
She said, “I’m so grateful. Sam I can’t thank you enough for riding with me for years at this point. I’m so honored to be a part of your first number one in the US which you should have 500 of at this point. I love you forever angel Sam 💗”
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In her Instagram stories, Petras shared a quote she gave during an interview with Paper magazine in 2017. She’d been asked about her ambition and being taken seriously as a songwriter.
“A lot of people didn’t believe that I could be a great songwriter, or be super talented, and be transgender,” Petras said then. “I feel like a lot of people felt like ‘transgender’ would set you up to not be able to do that. I just want to prove people wrong. I want to get a Number 1 on the [Billboard] Hot 100.”
Huge congratulations to Petras and Smith on this amazing achievement!
Kim Petras’s life in the limelight
Petras, 30, became a media personality in her home country of Germany at a young age. As a 13-year-old, she appeared on one of Germany’s biggest talk shows to talk about her transition. She’s been building a music fanbase diligently over the past half a dozen years.
Sam Smith rose to prominence as a featured artist with the dance duo, Disclosure, before releasing their hugely successful debut album, In the Lonely Hour, in 2014. They have had seven top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100, with a previous peak at number 2 for ‘Stay With Me’ in 2014.
They came out as non-binary, which also falls under the trans umbrella, in 2019. Smith uses they/them pronouns.
Related: Sam Smith just made a big announcement
Petras is now gearing up for the release of her next solo single, ‘If Jesus Was a Rockstar.’ Smith has announced their fourth studio album, Gloria, will be out in January, followed by a major European tour. US concerts will hopefully follow.
Check out the video for ‘Unholy’ below.
UPDATE
Shortly after this article was published, Sam Smith also posted their joy at scoring their first Billboard Hot 100 number one.
“I can’t believe it. Number 1 in America,” they said. “I am honestly speechless, overwhelmed, nautious and extremely happy. This song is so special to me for so many reasons and I am just so proud of everyone involved for their bravery and guts and spirit.
“I am so honoured to get to work with such incredibly talented musicians and humans. And Kim… what magic you are. You are a treasure and an inspiration to so many. Thank you for jumping with me ❤️ @kimpetras ❤️ this is ours sailors ⚓️ I do this for you and you only. What a journey. What a 10 years. What a life Xx”
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thebaddestbabby
“and Smith the first non-binary person to achieve the feat”
being a talented musician was too much for Sam Smith, he now has to rely on marketing gimmicks
dbmcvey
And he had a #1 hit so it must be working.
inbama
Do any of the “celebrity nobinaries” undergo “gender nullification surgery,” or is that only for the insecure and confused teenagers they inspire?
dbmcvey
Do you just sit around thinking of stupid things to post?
GameBoy
It’s the absolute ignorance & bitterness of these two unnecessary comments.
Anyways..
Sam Smith’s career as a hit maker is fascinating. Every time you think you’ve seen the last of them in the top 10, they come back with a big hit or two in every album cycle, congrats for Talent & representation winning
thebaddestbabby
ok, sure, go ahead and name one time — just one time — in recent memory when “they” have “come back with a big hit or two” in a “album cycle”
you fake ass industry shill
Observant
@the baddestbabby
Dang—who tied your butt hairs in a knot?
dbmcvey
@thebaddestbabby
GameBoy already answered you but do you always comment on things you know nothing about?
How many hits, let’s even expand it to top 100 have you had?
bachy
I’m a big fan of both Sam Smith and Kim Petras and have music from both on my playlists.
But this song is not among their best.
GameBoy
@the baddestbabby To answer your stupid question when google is there
In The Lonely Hour:
Stay With Me (2014)
I’m Not The Only One (2014)
Lay Me Down (2015)
The Thrill Of It All:
Too Good At Goodbyes (2017)
Love Goes:
Promises (2018)
Dancing With A Stranger (2019)
How Do You Sleep? (2019)
Gloria:
Unholy (2022)
dbmcvey
Good for them.
All the haters posting can just come back when they do anything worthy of attention.