Unholy was released in September 2022 by Sam Smith featuring Kim Petras, after Smith teased the chorus on TikTok and the snippet quickly went viral before the full song arrived. The track became a global chart hit and won Best Pop Duo or Group Performance at the 2023 Grammy Awards. Its dark, theatrical chorus made it a natural fit for short-form video, where creators used it for reveals, transformations and villain edits long after its chart peak. That association with confidence and mischief keeps the short hook in circulation as a meme sound.
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The dark chorus hook from Sam Smith and Kim Petras' Unholy, used in TikTok edits and meme videos for dramatic reveals and villain-style entrances.
This clip captures the instantly recognisable chorus of Unholy, built around a low, pulsing beat, whispered backing vocals and Sam Smith's smooth, menacing delivery over Kim Petras' sharper counter-vocal. It feels dark, confident and a little dangerous, like the moment a character stops pretending to be innocent. The production is minimal but heavy, with space around each line that makes the hook land harder. Played over a video, it instantly changes the mood, turning an ordinary reveal into something theatrical, seductive and slightly villainous, which is why editors reach for it for transformations and power moves.
