Sam Smith Is ‘Speechless, Overwhelmed‘ After ’Unholy’ Becomes Their First No. 1 Single: ‘I Can’t Believe It’
After a decade of tireless work in the music industry, Sam Smith is finally celebrating a long-awaited career milestone.
On Tuesday (Oct. 25), Smith posted a message on their Twitter reacting to “Unholy,” the viral collaboration with Kim Petras, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. “I can’t believe it. Number 1 in America,” they wrote. “I am honestly speechless, overwhelmed, nautious [sic], and extremely happy.”
The singer explained that “Unholy” is “so special to me for so many reasons,” and expressed gratitude to those who worked on the track for their “bravery and guts and spirit.” They also shared a special thank you for Petras: “And Kim … what magic you are. You are a treasure and an inspiration to so many. Thank you for jumping with me.”
Despite Smith’s popularity over the last decade, “Unholy” is their first song to hit No. 1 on the Hot 100. “Stay With Me,” their breakthrough 2014 hit, peaked at No. 2 on the chart dated August 16, 2014, just underneath “Rude” by Magic. Throughout their career, Smith has scored seven other top 10 singles, including “Too Good at Goodbyes,” “I’m Not the Only One,” “Dancing With a Stranger” and more.
“Unholy” is just the first taste of new music to come from Smith. Following the song’s debut on the chart, Smith announced their fourth studio album, Gloria, which is set to be released Jan. 27, 2023. In their interview for Billboard‘s cover story earlier this year, Smith teased that the project is their “first non-heartbreak album,” and that the subject matter would focus primarily on queer joy. “I think joy for me, and for a lot of queer people, is quite a dangerous place,” Smith said. “We’re all masters of pain, and I think it’s actually a very courageous act to step into the queer joy of it all.”’
Closing out their statement on Twitter, Smith expressed gratitude most of all to their fans. “This is ours Sailors,” they wrote, using their fanbase’s affectionate nickname. “I do this for you and you only,” they wrote. “What a journey. What a 10 years. What a life.”
Check out Smith’s full statement on Twitter, as well as their music video for “Unholy,” below:
Stephen Daw
Billboard
