The song “Unholy” by Sam Smith and Kim Petras continues to make trans history.
Since the singles chart’s establishment in 1991, Smith and Petras are the first nonbinary and trans artists, respectively, to have reached No. 1 with the sensuous pop song that topped the Billboard Hot 100 on Monday. It also so happens to be the first song to top the charts that has a music video with a gay porn star (Paddy O’Brian). Prior to this, “Unholy” spent three weeks in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
Smith and Petras’ duet has accomplished other ground-breaking feats before. “Unholy” topped the Billboard Global 200 and Billboard Global Excluding U.S. charts earlier this month.
“NUMBER ONEEEE HOT 100! I’m so grateful. Sam I can’t thank you enough for riding with me for years at this point,” Petras wrote in a celebratory Instagram post. “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.”
“Unholy,” which was released on September 24, tells the story of an affair, with Petras portraying the “other woman.” Prior to its official release, the song became popular on TikTok, and more than 986,600 videos have featured the song’s official music.
Petras recognized in an interview with Billboard earlier this month how uncommon it is to see trans artists at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
Even while “Unholy” has been a huge success, controversy has surrounded its release. Fans have attacked Petras throughout the years for her many collaborations with Dr. Luke, with whom she most recently produced the 2022 EP Slut Pop. The producer is credited with co-writing and producing Petras’ most recent EP in its entirety. Kesha had previously accused the producer of sexual, physical, and verbal assault.
Although Kesha abandoned her 2014 case against Dr. Luke in the intervening years, his defamation countersuit against the musician is still active.
Despite not having produced “Unholy,” Dr. Luke just had a #1 success in the United States with Nicki Minaj’s “Super Freaky Girl.”
Smith’s upcoming fourth studio album Gloria, due out on January 27, 2023, has the first track, “Unholy.”
