Staff Reports
Texas Senator Ted Cruz expressed his disapproval of a Satanic-inspired performance at the Grammy Awards in a tweet on Sunday night into Monday. The winning performance, titled “Unholy” and performed by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, received the award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. The stage display included Smith wearing a devil-horned top hat and Petras performing inside a cage surrounded by individuals in red bondage gear with horns, with flames as a backdrop. In response to a tweet by conservative commentator Liz Wheeler, Cruz tweeted “This…is…evil”.
This…is…evil. https://t.co/SBrOgHfFcX
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) February 6, 2023
The performance stirred up controversy among social media users who lamented the “demonic” performance and accused it of honoring Satan. Many expressed frustration over musical artists referencing the devil in their songs and performances. Grammys host Trevor Noah joked that the demonic symbols would enrage many viewers and pretended to be on the phone with his mother to assure her that the actual devil did not perform onstage.
I know we on the right probably use the word satanic too often but this peformance from Sam Smith is literally a tribute to Satan. https://t.co/1GrNgjssZN
— Ben Kew (@ben_kew) February 6, 2023
Nobody:
Every forgotten singer who wants to be popular again: “Time to break out Satan.” https://t.co/TfUftzopeE
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 6, 2023
The Grammy Awards have been known to feature controversial performances in the past, however this one was particularly striking. The performance was a stark contrast to the tributes to Kobe Bryant, Little Richard, and others that were featured earlier in the night. The performance was a reminder of how far-reaching the influence of popular culture can be and how it can be used to make a statement.
The performance by Sam Smith and Kim Petras has sparked a debate about the role of popular culture in society and whether it is appropriate for artists to use it to make political statements. While some may argue that it is an artist’s right to express themselves in whatever way they choose, others may argue that it is inappropriate to use popular culture as a platform for promoting controversial topics. Regardless of one’s opinion, it is clear that this performance has sparked a conversation about the role of popular culture in society and its potential impact on viewers.
The performance by Sam Smith and Kim Petras has certainly caused a stir among viewers, with Senator Ted Cruz being one of the most vocal critics of the performance. Cruz’s tweet serves as a reminder that popular culture can be used to make powerful statements and can have an impact on viewers, whether they agree with the message or not. It remains to be seen how this particular performance will be remembered in years to come, but it is sure to be remembered as one of the most controversial performances in recent memory.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Caller
