Madonna Defends Sam Smith and Kim Petras in Fiery Grammys Speech

At the 2023 Grammys, LGBTQ+ icon Madonna delivered a powerful speech while introducing Sam Smith and Kim Petras to the stage. The seven-time Grammy winner reflected on the decades of music industry rebels and how they face controversy and backlash.

“If they call you shocking, scandalous, troublesome, problematic, provocative or dangerous, you are definitely on to something,” Madonna told the cheering crowd. She spoke from her own experience, referencing the backlash she faced after using religious imagery in her music videos.

The “Unholy” duo, who made history as the first trans woman to receive the award for best pop duo/group performance, were praised by Madonna for rising above the noise and criticism to achieve their success.

“Madonna’s speech about rebels and embracing those who do things differently and seen as trouble makers was awesome and now i’m in a contemplative state of mind,” one person wrote on Twitter.