Sam Smith released their fourth studio album, Gloria, in January 2023. The album was supported by several singles, including "Unholy" (2022), which reached number one on record charts.[2] Sam Smith performed the song with Kim Petras at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards on 5 February 2023, which was introduced by Madonna. While introducing the performance, Madonna gave a speech about controversy, stating: "I'm here to give thanks to all the rebels out there forging a new path and taking the heat for all of it. You guys need to know — all you troublemakers out there — you need to know that your fearlessness doesn't go unnoticed. You are seen, you are heard; and most of all, you are appreciated." The song won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the ceremony.[3][4] One day later, Smith recorded "Vulgar" with Madonna, and called the experience "an amazing evening creating and writing and expressing".[5]
Smith began teasing a collaboration with Madonna on 24 May 2023, sharing a video clip that stated: "Manchester, we've got a surprise for you this evening. 'Unholy' won't be the last song…."[6][7][8] The show was cancelled and the song was not premiered there,[9] but it was teased for over a week.[10] In May 2023, Madonna shared the song's artwork, which depicts their bodies in "a pair of tightly cinched black-and-white corsets", underneath Smith and Madonna's initials shortened to just "S&M".[10][11][12] According to Sam Smith, both Madonna and the accompanying songwriters went to the studio the following day from the Grammy awards to record the music.[5] Sam Smith stated the song is "very special to me", and continued saying: "Me, the QUEEN, and a group of some of the most talented people I know ... created this piece of music. The creativity was pure and the energy was alive".[13] In a conversation with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, Smith called "Vulgar", "one of the most exciting songs I've been a part of".[5]
Based on its snippet, iHeartRadio's Rebekah Gonzalez commented that it "sounds like it's taking heavy influence from ballroom music, which is music created especially for voguing".[18] Described as a dance-party anthem and a "club-ready" banger song,[19][14][13][11] it contains Middle Eastern-influenced strings,[20][21][22] with electronic elements.[15][16]
It contains spoken words,[15] while Exclaim!'s Sydney Brasil and Alexis Petridis from The Guardian noted the absence of a chorus.[23][24] Thematically, "Vulgar" explores the concept of embracing a provocative demeanor, and track about the beauty in being sexy and free, the power of self-expression, and "the importance of doing what you want while paying no attention to haters" according to Muri Assunção from the New York Daily News.[16][13] Some critics noted its features a cheeky nod to Madonna's "Into the Groove" in its lyrics,[25][26][27][19] while shows a self-referential Madonna in the style of "Bitch I'm Madonna".[27][22] Others labeled it as a continuation of Sam Smith and Kim Petras' "Unholy".[27][23]
Critical reception
Writing for NME, Liberty Dunworth called it a "sultry" single,[12] while Mey Rude from Out referred to it as a "sexy and slinky" song, "with a heavy beat perfect for grinding in the gay club at 2am".[28] Sal Cinquemani, music critic of Slant magazine describes "it's messy, it's campy, and it's gloriously self-aware" and is a "very much a transgressive, capital-S statement" song but he felt "isn't spit-shined for mass consumption".[29] Joey Nolfi from Entertainment Weekly named it a "delicious" banger, and claimed "Madonna dominates the deliciously obscene manifesto with lyrics that offer a stern warning to the musical duo's detractors".[26] Jamie Tabberer from Attitude gave three out of five stars labelling it as "a jaw-dropping declaration of resistance".[22]American Songwriter's Tiffany Goldstein called it a "bold and fearless anthem".[14] Cervanté Pope from Consequence felt "'Vulgar' isn't unnecessarily filthy — rather, the artists are asserting a message of empowerment, and demanding respect".[20] Similar to Pope, The Music's Mary Varvaris commented "isn't sexually explicit like some would expect [...] but its language certainly is".[15]
The Economic Times labeled it as a "sizzling" and "scintillating" collaboration "which showcases their sensual prowess".[30] Similarly, Hugh McIntyre from Metro Weekly said it "showcases the audacity that these two icons are renowned for", and while he called it an "undeniably a solid offering", editor continued saying "it fails to rank among the most remarkable compositions from either artist's repertoire", considering "the megawatt talent involved, it's a bit disappointing".[16] Giving only two out of five stars, Alexis Petridis from The Guardian reacted critical calling it "a tame attempt at manufacturing outrage".[24]
Variety named one of the worst songs of 2023.[31] The song achieved a nomination at the 2024 Queerty Awards in the category Best Anthem.[32]
Commercial performance
"Vulgar" debuted at number 11 on the Billboard multi-metric chart Hot Dance/Electronic Songs with 3,000 downloads and 1.8 million official streams according to Luminate.[33] In the United Kingdom, "Vulgar" debuted at number 69 with 8,154 sales in its first week according to the Official Charts Company.[34] Elsewhere, it charted in a number of countries including Greece, Hungary, Ireland and New Zealand.
^Seminara, Emanuela Ali. "Sam Smith 'Vulgar'" (Press release) (in Italian). Radio Airplay SRL. Archived from the original on 12 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
