Sam Smith and Kim Petras became the first openly non-binary solo artist and first openly transgender solo artist, respectively, to ascend to No. 1 on Billboard's Hot 100 song chart.
"I just really don't want to be the last," Petras told
last week about her then-No. 2 spot on the Hot 100 chart."There's always been incredible and talented trans artists.", who helped usher in a new era of electronic pop music, and others such as Amanda Lear and Ayesha Erotica who she looked up to. "That same story just keeps repeating over and over for trans girls who have been making exceptional music and have been pushed under the rug while someone else takes credit from them," she said."I'm just happy that Sam gave me the chance to shine here. I hope I can help break the cycle — it feels like people are finally ready for us to succeed, and that fills me with a lot of joy.