Kim Petras

How do you top winning your first Grammy and then having Madonna introduce your performance on the Grammy stage with Sam Smith? For Kim Petras, you release your major label debut album, collaborate with one of the biggest artists in the world, and embark on a global tour.

Petras triumphed in Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the Grammys alongside Smith for “Unholy,” and they made history by becoming the first transgender and nonbinary winners in this category. She says this was her proudest accomplishment of 2023. Petras then released Feed the Beast in June, giving the LGBTQ+ community a perfect soundtrack for Pride. The album included collaborations with Smith, Banks, and one of Kim’s idols, Nicki Minaj. Oh, and she also was the cover star of Out’s Pride issue as well as Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue. Not a bad year!

“I always think of myself as an artist first and have always wanted to be known for my craft,” Petras says. “I love being transgender, but I think we’re all so much more than just one thing. To me, what you do and what you love says so much more about you as a person than your gender, race, or sexuality, so it felt amazing to be recognized as a musician and for something I have devoted years and years to.”

Now that she’s a global pop princess, Petras has the whole world at her fingertips. If her 2023 was this good, we can’t wait to see what’s in store next year. @kimpetras