Sam Smith is renowned for releasing heartbreaking songs with themes ranging from unrequited love to pleading for lovers to stay together. But this time, they took a detour in an “Unholy” route and included Kim Petras in the journey.
A choir introduces the song’s lyrics and explains that it is about a secret, hedonistic second life in the British singer’s recently released lyric video for their new single.
“Mummy don’t know daddy’s getting hot / At the body shop / Doing something unholy.”
The song has a cheeky, humorous tone despite confronting lies and unfaithfulness.
“A lucky, lucky girl / She got married to a boy like you / She’d kick you out if she ever, ever knew / ‘Bout all the shit you tell me that you do,” Smith sings cheekily in the first verse. “Dirty, dirty boy / You know everyone is talkin’ on the scene / I hear them whisperin’ ’bout the places that you’ve been / And how you don’t know how to keep your business clean.”
Petras shows up just in time to enjoy both her extravagant and freaky sides.
“Mm, daddy, daddy, if you want it, drop the addy / Give me love, give me Fendi, my Balenciaga daddy. You gon’ need to bag it up ’cause I’m spendin’ on Rodeo / You can watch me back it up, I’ll be gone in the A.M.”
Smith took to social media to express how they “never had so much fun making a record.” “Thank you to the amazing @kimpetras for joining me on the song, loved witnessing your brilliance,” they said. “And sending so much love to each and every one of you sailors. It’s us forever.”
On August 18, teaser clips of the streamy song appeared on TikTok, along with a clip of the two stars dancing in the studio. Petras is seen dancing in the distance. The teaser became popular and became a trend among TikTokers. The user is typically shown in the videos idly listening to the song while still in their jammies before switching to a more glamorous, self-assured side and dancing to the chorus.
Check out the music video of “Unholy” below: