Track will be included on forthcoming album
Sam Smith teams up with international pop star and critically acclaimed songwriter Kim Petras on “Unholy” – the lead single from Smith’s hotly-tipped fourth studio album due via Capitol Records. “Unholy” is a bold, ambitious departure for the singer. Crafted around a sultry Arabic scale, the track delivers a multi-voiced, menacing sound collage with instant club appeal, underpinned with a throbbing bass. After a blistering choral hook, Smith calls out a cheating husband who, unbeknownst to his wife and kids, ducks out to have some fun at a “body shop.” Petras’ fierce verse tells the story from a dancer’s point of view.
Smith produced the track in Jamaica alongside ILYA (Max Martin, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez), Blake Slatkin (Lizzo, 24K Golden), Cirkut (Nikki Minaj, The Weeknd), Omer Fendi (Lil Nas X, The Kid Laroi) and long-time collaborator Jimmy Napes.
“‘Unholy’ was made in Jamaica and was one of the most glorious creative moments I’ve ever had as an artist,” Smith says of the track. “I’ve never had so much fun making a record. It was so cathartic and freeing to experiment like this and throw out the rule book. It has also been an honor to work with Kim and get to witness her brilliance. This song is about liberating oneself from the clutches of others’ secrets…”
“I am such a big fan of Sam. It is cool to meet another artist who is a really good writer and has a vision that’s their own. I had the best time in the studio with them. They really believed in me and encouraged me to be totally myself. I feel so honored that they chose me to be on this song,” Petras adds.
Fans embraced “Unholy” before its release, quickly sending views of the first teaser soaring past 26 million with over 300K creates on TikTok. Simultaneously, a new sound for “I’m Not The Only One” was trending on TikTok, causing the 2014 hit to re-enter the Global Spotify Daily Top 200.
