Sam Smith Praises Madonna For Support During Unholy Backlash

Sam Smith has voiced their admiration for Madonna, after she helped them through a particularly turbulent time in their career.

Back in 2022, the British musician released the Kim Petras collaboration Unholy, which hit number one in the UK upon its release.

However, despite the song’s popularity, it didn’t sit well with everyone, with certain right-wing commentators taking issue with its accompanying music video and a subsequent performance at the Grammys.

In the ensuing moral panic, some conservatives even went as far as accusing the singer of being “satanic”, after they sported an all-red ensemble complete with a top hat adorned with devil horns on stage (this crossed over into the real world when, in one TikTok clip, they were seen being heckled while out in public by someone branding them “demonic” and “sick”).

During a new interview with Zane Lowe for Apple Music, Sam described Madonna as the “most important artist in my life”.

“I got the chance to get to know her and communicate with her,” they enthused, describing the Queen of Pop as “my mother” and “un-fucking-real”.

“When I had the controversy happen around me with Unholy, and the stuff in the press, and the heaviness that came with that for me… I talk to current artists right now, if I meet them, and they don’t even know it happened,” Sam said.

“[But] the minute it happened, she made sure that she got through to me. She’s so aware of queer news, and what’s happening to the community, and to artists within the community. And you feel that in her music.”

They continued: “I feel like her music is a lifeline to queer people, and all of the eras of her, and her stamina, and how she’s always carried on and on and on, I just find it very inspiring, and I think a lot of queer people find it inspiring.”

Madonna introduced Sam and Kim on stage at the 2022 Grammys, describing them as “two incredibly talented artists” who were “forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it”.

“All you troublemakers out there, you need to know that your fearlessness does not go unnoticed,” she said. “You are seen, you are heard and, most of all, you are appreciated.”

Following this, Madonna and Sam recorded the duet Vulgar, on which the Vogue singer was heard delivering the immortal line: “If you fuck with Sam tonight you’re fucking with me, so watch what you say or I’ll split your banana.”

Sam then covered Madonna’s Human Nature on their Gloria world tour, while she repaid the favour by including a snippet of Unholy while performing Like A Prayer on her Celebration tour.