Kim Petras Makes History As First Trans Woman To Win Best Pop Duo Grammy And Her Speech Is Everything
Kim Petras made history at the 2023 Grammys on Sunday night as the first transgender woman to win the Grammy Award for pop duo/group performance.
The German singer accepted the award, which she won with non-binary British artist Sam Smith for their chart-topping collaboration, ‘Unholy’.
Accepting the award from Madonna, Petras delivered a heartwarming speech about becoming the first transgender woman to receive the gong, and paid tribute to her late friend, Sophie, a Scottish-born music producer who passed away in January 2021.
'I’m the first transgender woman to win this award,' she began. 'I want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open.'
‘Sophie especially, my friend who passed away two years ago who told me this would happen and always believed in me. Thank you so much for your inspiration, Sophie. I adore you and your inspiration will always be in my music.
“My mother believed me that I was a girl and I wouldn’t be here without her.”
Kim Petras’ speech is such a highlight tonight. #Grammys pic.twitter.com/CW4O5BUYwy— Tomás Mier (@Tomas_Mier) February 6, 2023
'I grew up next to a highway in nowhere Germany and my mother believed me that I was a girl and I wouldn’t be here without her and her support,' the hitmaker added.
Petras also gave a nod to Madonna ‘for fighting for LGBTQ+ rights’, before she received a standing ovation form the star-studded crowd.
MADONNA #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/asxXyGaOHp
— alex (@alexsimpsxn) February 6, 2023
‘This is a huge moment for me,’ she continued. ‘Sam, thank you. You’re a true angel and hero in my life, and I love you. And everyone who made the song too! I love you guys so much. Sorry I didn’t write down the names. I love you.’
Following her win, Petras and Smith performed their hit song, which appears on Smith’s fourth studio album, Gloria, with the award-winner going on to explain what the win meant to her in the Grammys press room.
‘All these years are going through my head of people saying I’d be a niche artist because I’m transgender, and my music would only ever play in gay clubs — and what’s wrong with that, because I love gay clubs — but now I got a Grammy for making gay club music with my friend,’ she said. ‘It’s the best feeling in the world.’
Soon after her win Twitter users congratulated the singer on the milestone occasion.
‘Goosebumps and tears after that kim petras speech,’ tweeted Rolling Stone reporter Tomás Mier.
goosebumps and tears after that kim petras speech. that's historic
— Tomás Mier (@Tomas_Mier) February 6, 2023
‘I love that kim petras made her speech not only about herself and shouted the dolls that have inspired her that came before her,’ tweeted another user.
I love that kim petras made her speech not only about herself and shouted the dolls that have inspired her that came before her
— NATE (@NATERERUN) February 6, 2023
One added: ‘So f— proud of you @kimpetras and everything you do for pop music and the community! What a beautiful speech. Been here from the start and your journey is so inspiring. We ain’t going no where, I t’s only up from here!! WOO-AHH!!!’
So f**king proud of you @kimpetras and everything you do for pop music and the community! What a beautiful speech. 🥺🥺🥺 Been here from the start and your journey is so inspiring. We ain’t going no where, I t’s only up from here!! WOO-AHH!!! #GRAMMYS
— TETRIS (@itstetrisbish) February 6, 2023
Elsewhere on the night Beyonce became the biggest Grammy winner in history with 32 staggering wins, while Harry Styles won Album of the Year.
You Might Also Like