Conspiracy theorists think Sam Smith’s Grammy performance was “a satanic ritual”

6 February, 2023

Sam Smith

Sam Smith‘s performance at the Grammys on Sunday night (February 5) caught the attention of conspiracy theorists who thought the singer had been “taken over by demons”.

The artists teamed up for a live rendition of their collaboration ‘Unholy’ in a performance that featured red lighting, pyrotechnics and dancers performing in metal cages, while Smith was seen wearing a horned hat. Indeed, Madonna had introduced the performance by asking the crowd, “Are you ready for a little controversy?”

She went on to say: “Here’s what I’ve learned after four decades in music. If they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely onto something.”

True to Madonna’s word, conspiracy theorists and conservative commentators alike have called out the performance, with one even calling it the start of a “spiritual war”.

Republican senator Ted Cruz, meanwhile, retweeted several strongly-worded quote tweets branding the performance as satanic in otherwise. “This is… evil,” he commented on his retweet of a post by conservative commentator Liz Wheeler, in which she wrote: “Don’t fight the culture wars, they say. Meanwhile demons are teaching your kids to worship Satan. I could throw up.”

“It’s not surprising to see a satanic ritual at the Grammy’s,” right wing blogger Matt Walsh added. “Satanism is the worship of the self. Much of modern pop music is satanic in this sense. Leftism is satanism. The only change is that now they’re being more explicit about it.

Other Twitter users thought that a Pfizer advert airing after the performance was more than a coincidence. (It is legal and commonplace for pharmaceutical companies to advertise on television in the US).

“Sam Smith’s satanic performance at the Grammy’s ended with a Pfizer commercial. You can’t get it more on the nose than that. Pfizer and Hollywood deserve each other,” said music video director turned rightwing politician Robby Starbuck.

“Sam Smith has a SATANIC Grammys performance & it’s sponsored by Pfizer[.] You can’t make this stuff up,” another Twitter user added.

Smith and Petras went on to win pair won the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, making Petras the first transgender woman to win the accolade. In her acceptance speech, she paid tribute to late DJ and producer SOPHIE, along with Madonna and her mother.

The performance was not the only occasion of late where Smith had been derided by conservative figures. Fans came to the singer’s defence after the music video for their recent single ‘I’m Not Here To Make Friends’ courted controversy for its apparent sexual nature.

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