Kim Petras has joined the short list of transgender women who have modeled for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit cover.
The 30-year-old ‘Heart to Break’ songstress graced the cover of the magazine by donning a glittering gold bikini top that showed off her toned midriff.
The German singer-songwriter’s platinum blonde hair was styled in a sleek side part and she sported a glowing palette of make-up as she struck a sultry pose in the pool.
The ‘Unholy’ singer joins a host of A-listers including Martha Stewart and Megan Fox that stunned on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2023, which will hit newsstands on May 18.
Petras spoke to People magazine about the special opportunity and said: “I was so excited when I got the call to be in Sports Illustrated. It’s very iconic, and a lot of very iconic people have done it before, so [it was a] big dream come true for me.”
“It’s super exciting to have my Sports Illustrated cover and album announcement happening at the same time! Yu Tsai and the whole team at Sports Illustrated made me feel really comfortable and like I belonged there. I had the best time and, honestly, it was a huge confidence boost,” she added.
The singer will release her debut album, Feed the Beast, on June 23. She made the announcement on Twitter by sharing a picture of the cover art.
She also opened up to the publication about her exciting musical plans and said: “I am so excited that my album is coming out. It has been in the works for three years.”
“I’ve really sacrificed my entire life to it and have been writing these songs that mean the world to me. I feel like it’s something that you’ve never heard from me before!” she added.
2023 has been a successful year for the pop star who shot to worldwide fame after featuring on ‘Unholy’ – which was released in September 2022 as the second single from Sam Smith’s fourth studio album, Gloria.
In February, she made history as the first openly trans woman to win a Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance with 30-year-old Smith.
During her emotional acceptance speech, the ‘Close Your Eyes’ singer thanked Madonna for advocating for LGBTQ rights and paid tribute to the late artist SOPHIE for inspiring her.
“I’m the first transgender woman to win this award; I want to thank all the incredible transgender legends before me who kicked these doors open,” she said. “SOPHIE especially, my friend who passed away two years ago who told me this would happen and always believed in me. Thank you so much for your inspiration, SOPHIE. I adore you and your inspiration will always be in my music.”
