History
Kim Petras, born August 27, 1992, is a German singer and songwriter. She began her recording career as a teenager, releasing her debut EP One Piece of Tape in 2011. Petras initially operated as an independent artist under her own imprint, Bunhead Records, from 2017 to 2021, before signing with Republic Records.
Her independent debut single, "I Don't Want It at All," released in 2017, gained significant traction, topping several viral music charts on Spotify. This was followed by a series of singles, including "Feeling of Falling" with Cheat Codes, "Heart to Break," and "1, 2, 3 Dayz Up" featuring Sophie.
Petras compiled these early digital singles into an unofficial body of work titled Era 1. Her official debut project, Clarity, was released on June 28, 2019, supported by a nine-week promotional campaign featuring a new single and visual lyric video each week. Later that year, in October 2019, she released the Halloween-themed album Turn Off the Light.
In 2020, Petras achieved international chart success with singles like "Malibu" and "Broken Glass," a collaboration with Kygo. In 2021, following her signing with Republic Records, she released "Future Starts Now" and "Coconuts," the latter of which became viral on TikTok.
The Slut Pop EP was released in 2022. In October of that year, her collaboration with Sam Smith, "Unholy," became a global hit, reaching number 1 in over fifteen countries. This achievement marked a significant milestone, making Petras the first openly trans artist to top the charts in many of these regions. Petras and Smith also made history by becoming the first openly trans and non-binary artists to win a Grammy Award, securing the trophy for Pop Duo/Group Performance.
2023 saw the release of Petras's debut studio album, Feed The Beast, on June 23. The album included the collaboration "Alone" with Nicki Minaj. Additionally, Petras surprise-released her previously shelved album Problématique on September 18. Feed The Beast went on to become one of the year's most streamed albums, accumulating over a billion streams collectively.
