The Unholy singer Sam Smith is opening up about a difficult period in his career and the person who made sure the singer did not face it alone. During a new interview on Apple Music’s The Zane Lowe Show, the Grammy and Oscar winner spoke about the 2022 hit Unholy backlash with Kim Petras and revealed how Madonna reached out when things got ugly.
Sam Smith exposes how Madonna stepped in during the brutal ‘Unholy’ Grammy outrage
“Madonna is my mother,” Sam said. “She’s just unf–kingreal.” Sam revealed that Madonna reached out as soon as the controversy began. “The minute it happened, she made sure she got through to me,” Sam said, describing her music as “a lifeline” and praising her support for the LGBTQ+ community. “You feel that in her music.”
Madonna also made her support clear at the 2023 Grammy Awards, where she introduced Sam and Kim’s “Unholy” performance.
“I’m here to give thanks to all the rebels out there forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it. You guys need to know — all you troublemakers out there — you need to know that your fearlessness doesn’t go unnoticed. You are seen, you are heard; and most of all, you are appreciated,” Madonna said.
She added, “So now, speaking of controversy, it gives me great pleasure to introduce two incredibly talented artists who have risen above the noise, the doubt, the critics; into something beautifully unholy.”
Sam and Kim performed in red latex and devil horns, drawing criticism from right-wing conservatives. They called the performance “evil” and demonic. Days later, Sam faced homophobic and transphobic verbal attacks.
Months afterward, Madonna teamed up with Sam for Vulgar, released around Pride. Sam said, “She’s so aware of queer news and what’s happening in the community, to the artists within the community,” adding, “Her music is a lifeline to queer people and just all of the eras of her and her stamina and how she’s just always carried on and on and on. I just find it very inspiring.”
Madonna had also encouraged Kim ahead of their Grammys performance.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MADONNA’S SUPPORT FOR SAM SMITH DURING THE ‘UNHOLY’ BACKLASH?
