Flashback: 'This Is Evil': 'Woke' Grammys Under Fire for 'Unholy' Satan-Worshipping Performance
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
Sam Smith and Kim Petras were roundly condemned after they brought a satanic touch to the Grammy awards Feb. 5.
The duo performed their hit “Unholy” on a night when they won the Grammy for best pop duo or group, according to Variety.
Smith began clad in red leather, then added a satanic-horned top hat. Petras was shown dancing in a cage, surrounded by dancers also wearing satanic headgear.
Revulsion flowed on Twitter.
“This…is…evil,” Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas posted, responding to a Liz Wheeler post that said “demons are teaching your kids to worship Satan.”
This…is…evil. https://t.co/SBrOgHfFcX
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 6, 2023
Hollywood freaks still thinking they’re so edgy with their Satanic themed performances 🤡🤡🤡 #GRAMMYs #kimpetras #SamSmith pic.twitter.com/6IyL8YYFdt
— Stephanie Hamill (@STEPHMHAMILL) February 6, 2023
“Hollywood freaks still thinking they’re so edgy with their Satanic themed performances,” Stephanie Hamill wrote.
“WOKE #GRAMMYs Satanic worshiping. I cannot believe what i just witnessed,” Sabina Palermo wrote.
WOKE #GRAMMYs Satanic worshiping. I cannot believe what i just witnessed #SamSmith 🤮
— Sabina Palermo (@Sabipalermo) February 6, 2023
After the show, Petras gave an opinion of religion, explaining the performance, according to Variety.
“I think a lot of people, honestly, have kind of labeled what I stand for and what Sam stands for as religiously not cool, and I personally grew up wondering about religion and wanting to be a part of it but slowly realizing it didn’t want me to be a part of it,” Petras said.
“So it’s a take on not being able to choose religion. And not being able to live the way that people might want you to live because as a trans person I’m already not kind of wanted in religion. So we were doing a take on that, and I was kind of hellkeeper Kim.”
Others shared their opinions as well, with one Twitter user saying “This song is sinfully blasphemous,” while another called the performance “a tribute to Satan.”
I know we on the right probably use the word satanic too often but this peformance from Sam Smith is literally a tribute to Satan. pic.twitter.com/1GrNgjssZN
— Ben Kew 🐶 (@ben_kew) February 6, 2023
But during the show, it was treated as one big joke by host Trevor Noah, according to the U.K.’s Daily Mail.
Acting as though he was on the phone with his mother, he said, “No, mom, it wasn’t the actual devil … Yeah, you did warn me about Hollywood.”
The Daily Mail noted that Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were among those laughing at the remark.
Noah then wrapped up the fake call and told the audience, “She said she’s praying for all of us.”
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