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Kim Petras scored her win for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with Sam Smith by reminding people how she paved her way to the Grammy stage.
“Sam graciously wanted me to accept this award because I am the first transgender woman to win this award,” she announced to loud applause.
Smith then encouraged people to keep defending her partner on “Unholy.” This is Smith’s first Grammy win as a non-binary artist (they came out as non-binary after winning four Grammys in 2015).
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“I just want to thank all the amazing trans legends before me who opened these doors for me so I could be here tonight,” said Petras, who went on to remember a late friend who predicted she would end up at the Grammys. She also paid tribute to Madonna for her fight for LGBTQ rights.
Petras isn’t the first transgender artist to win a Grammy. According to Out, electronic music composer Wendy Carlos won Grammys as a trans woman in the ’60s. Several trans artists have also been nominated over the years.
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“I don’t think I could be here without Madonna,” added Petras, who added that she grew up next to “a highway nowhere in Germany.” She also thanked her mother, who always treated her like a daughter.
“Unholy” was released in September as the second single from Smith’s fourth studio album. Gloria.
