Controversial reactions were elicited by Sam Smith’s performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards. Their presentation, which was in partnership with Kim Petras, was regarded as “satanic” and “evil” by conservative commentators.

The performance of their hit single, “Unholy”, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles was seen as a portrayal of hell.

Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican politician from Texas, was one of the prominent figures who voiced his disapproval. He described the production as “evil” in a tweet.

However, many people swiftly replied to Cruz’s tweet, with one person countering, “Evil is when a man walks into a school & murders a dozen children.”

“Evil is when Russia bombs schools & hospitals to steal land. Evil is NOT when a musician dances around in a devil suit performing a hit song.”

Another individual compared the performance to “devil worshipping”.

“This video hits all the checkpoints, from Sam Smith and [their] outlandish stance on cultural appropriateness, to devil worshipping & diminishing religion,” they tweeted.

Despite the backlash, Sam Smith and Kim Petras made history at the event.

Smith, who uses “they/them” pronouns, became the first non-binary artist to win the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance category, while Petras became the first trans woman to take home the award.

Anthony Allen Ramos, the Vice President of Communications and Talent at GLAAD, expressed his views in a statement, “By awarding queer artists from so many segments of the LGBTQ community and representing so many musical genres as Grammy winners, the Recording Academy reminded the world just how impactful LGBTQ people are when it comes to creating music.”

The “Stay With Me” singer was recently the subject of criticism over their costume in the music video for “I’m Not Here to Make Friends”.

The video featured Smith in a series of daring looks by designer Christian Cowan, including a feather headdress, bedazzled corsets with nipple pasties, and high-slit skirts.

Some people deemed the visuals as “vile and evil” and accused Smith of “wearing their sexuality like a costume and shoving it in everyone’s face.”

However, Smith’s fans were quick to defend their favorite artist.

One fan wrote, “If Sam Smith were thin, cis, and straight, they wouldn’t be ridiculed for how they present and dress.”

Sam Smith has received backlash from conservatives in the past.

This latest episode is just one of many instances where the entertainer has been criticized for their actions.

Despite this, Smith continues to be a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.