Madonna signal boosts Sam Smith amid the singer’s ‘satanic panic’ controversies

There has been an awful lot of heat facing singer Sam Smith since their performance alongside Kim Petras at the 2023 Grammy Awards earlier this year. From comments about their appearance not becoming of someone of their “build” to the bouts of satanic panic surrounding Smith’s aesthetic during their current “Gloria” tour, one member of the music industry used to controversy has, in their own small way, given the “Unholy” singer a massive signal boost on social media - and Smith has reciprocated the love they have received. 

Funnily enough, Madonna was subjected to similar cruel taunts about her visage when she introduced Sam and Kim before their Grammy performance, and it is the Queen of Pop once again coming to show her support for her new buddy Smith; she reposted a Twitter clip of the singer performing their cover of her 1995 track “Human Nature.” Having undressed down to their almost short-and-curlies, fans of both Smith and Madonna heralded the boost given from the iconic popstar - once again coming close to passing the torch to another “transgressive” musician.

It would also be at the Grammy Awards and the performance of “Unholy” that has led to a resurgence of satanic panic in the (conservative) media. Smith’s choice of attire and choreography throughout the tour has led to a number of internet users going on a proverbial witch hunt, stating that Smith’s choice of aesthetic currently is akin to that of black masses and Satan worshipping.

It’s the second time in recent history that “satanic panic” has risen its ugly head, which throughout the history of popular culture has always popped up as a reason for the “decline of the moral fabric” of decent society. While Stranger Things fans will be familiar with the outcry Dungeons and Dragons had as a means of summon Baphomet and those of us who were familiar with the metal community know all to well the moral panic that occurred in the ‘80s during the fallout from backmasking, it’s become interesting to see the cause celebre rise up once again.

The first instance of this recent speight of “won’t somebody think of the children” syndrome came after Lil Nas X released his signature trainer, complete with air soles that contain a drop of his blood. That led to a wave of controversy for the “Small Town Road” singer, from the pragmatic response it was unhygienic to the hyperbolic that he was conducting blood rituals - all of which have been discredited over time. 

How long the comments regarding Smith’s apparent pact with the devil remain to be seen; but they are a lot less damaging than the body shaming comments Smith is also contending with. Not that it’s affected their performance - they’re still stripping down to the delight of Smith fans everywhere. Satanists, we’ve not asked…