On Feb. 5, Kim Petras made history, becoming the first openly transgender singer to win a Grammy.
The German-born singer won in her category of Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for “Unholy,” her chart-topping collaboration with non-binary singer Sam Smith. (Smith may also be the first non-binary singer to win the award.)
It should be noted that Wendy Carlos was actually the first trans singer to win a Grammy, which she did in 1969. However, she lived privately as a woman, according to The Evening Standard.
According to USA Today, Petras also took a moment onstage to thank Smith as well as some of her musical heroes, including Madonna (who introduced her) and the late Sophie, a trans electronic DJ/producer who died in 2021.
Petras and Smith also performed their hit at the Grammys. According to Variety, Smith started the song in red leather, surround a fleet of dancers who evoked Samara from The Ring, before cutting to Petras dancing in a cage, flanked by dominatrices (including RuPaul’s Drag Race alumnae Violet Chachki and Gottmik) wearing satanic headgear.
With “Unholy,” Petras and Smith became the first openly transgender solo artist and non-binary solo artist, respectively, to top the Billboard Hot 100, a press release noted. The item also announced that Petras will be honored with the Chartbreaker Award this March before she heads to Australia to headline Sydney WorldPride.