Superstar vocalist Sam Smith is turning the page on a new chapter, gearing up for their “villain era.”
Videos by American Songwriter
“It’s time for my villain era, I think. Time to get sexy,” Smith told Entertainment Tonight about their single, “Unholy,” which dropped Thursday (Sept. 22). “It’s a theatre show in one song, and I’m so proud of it,” they said of the new collaborative effort that has been hinted at for weeks.
With the song’s release, Smith took to Instagram to say “So excited for you to hear this it’s unreal!!!! I’ve never had so much fun making a record, so I hope you can all get weird and UNHOLY to it”
“‘Unholy’ was made in Jamaica and was one of the most glorious creative moments I’ve ever had as an artist,” the singer shared in a statement. “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 Petras and get to witness her brilliance,” they added of their musical counterpart. “This song is about liberating oneself from the clutches of others’ secrets…”
“I am such a big fan of Sam,” added German EDM dance-pop artist Petras. “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.
“Sam my fairy godmother I love you forever this has been heaven … but now it’s all unholy,” she added in an Instagram post.
“Unholy,” the lead single off of Smith’s upcoming fourth studio album follows his 2020 album Love Goes. Pulsating, dance-heavy beats drive the song as lusty, sing-a-long lyrics add intrigue. Check out the deliciously debaucherous track below.
Earlier this year, the pair teased a snippet of the track while showing off the dance they made to go along with it. Check out their moves below.
Photo credit: Michael Bailey Gates / Capitol Records
