German pop singer Kim Petras was named one of four cover designs for 2023 Swimsuit illustrated by Sports editing.
As a transgender woman, Petras has become an icon in the LGBTQ+ community. She opened up to SI Swim about the “pressure” she sometimes feels to represent the trans community. You can watch his full discussion on the topic by clicking here.
Petras burst onto the scene in 2017 when she released her first song, “I Don’t Want It at All.” Since then, the thirty-year-old has continued to make music.
Her popularity has skyrocketed over the past year, as she was featured in Sam Smith’s “Unholy”, which reached number one on the chart. Billboard Hot 100 chart as of October 2022.
See the full gallery of Kim Petras’ SI 2023 swimsuit here.
The song ultimately earned Petras and Smith a Grammy Award for Best Pop Group/Duo Performance. Petras became the first openly transgender woman to win a Grammy. The duo performed the hit song at the awards show, and the performance subsequently went viral.
Kim Petras is one of four cover models for SI Swimsuit’s 2023 issue.
Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated
Petras’ most recent song, “Alone,” features rap superstar Nicki Minaj. Petras is currently signed with Republic Records.
“The Grammy-winning pop star, an inspiration to the LGBTQ+ community, has charted her own path to superstardom, but it has been anything but a straight line,” SI Swimsuit Editor-in-Chief MJ Day said.
Petras emphasized in his interview with SI Swim that she doesn’t just want to be seen for her gender and sexuality, but rather for the art she creates and the way she hopes she can inspire people.
