With his new single “Unholy”, which he recorded together with the German musician Kim Petras who lives in Los Angeles, Sam Smith proves that he can not only be quiet and soft. “Mummy don’t know Daddy’s getting hot, at the Body Shop, doing something Unholy” says the refrain.
“Unholy” is about a husband who cheats on his wife and leaves their children at home to enjoy himself. The track appeals to listeners to break free from toxic people and was inspired by the famous LA sunset strip club “The Body Shop”.
“I’ve never had so much fun making a recording”
The recordings took place in Jamaica. Sam Smith explained: “Unholy […] was one of the most glorious creative moments I’ve ever experienced as an artist. I’ve never had so much fun making a recording. It was so cathartic and liberating to experiment and throw the rule book in this way. It was also an honor to work with Kim Petras and witness her brilliance.”
To celebrate the release, the duo presented the song live on BBC Radio 1 on September 22 with choir and band. Most recently, Smith released the singles “Love Me More” (2022) and “You Will Be Found” (2021) with Summer Walker. His current album “Dear Evan Hansen”, the songs of which were produced for the musical film of the same name, was released last year.
Watch the live performance of “Unholy” here: