Who sponsored the Grammys 2023? Pfizer backlash erupts on Twitter in wake of satanic controversy 

Pfizer sponsored 2023 Grammy Awards. (Image via Gabriel Bouys/Getty, Gado/Getty)
Pfizer sponsored 2023 Grammy Awards. (Image via Gabriel Bouys/Getty, Gado/Getty)

American pharmaceutical company Pfizer's sponsorship of the 2023 Grammy Awards has sparked controversy online in the wake of Sam Smith and Kim Petras' performance of their song, Unholy.

A commercial for Pfizer was played immediately after the performance, which had Smith sporting horns akin to that of a devil, leading many to deem the performance "satanic" and question the pharmaceutical brand sponsoring it.

In a statement issued to Newsweek, a spokesperson for the company wrote:

“We sponsored the overall Grammy’s event, not any particular performance. Beyond that, we don’t comment on our efforts to raise awareness.”

The awards ceremony was held on February 5, 2023, at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, and saw many iconic moments, including Harry Styles winning the acclaimed Album of the Year award for Harry's House, and Beyonce creating history for bagging the most number of Grammys.

However, some viewers noticed several mentions of Pfizer, which led to the belief that the pharmaceutical company was one of the sponsors for the event. As per the official website of the Grammys, the official partners for the awards ceremony include Google Pixel, IBM, Mastercard, Amazon Music, JBL, GREY GOOSE, City National Bank, Hilton, People, United Airlines, Frontera, FIJI Water, and SiriusXM.

It must be noted that Pfizer is not mentioned in the list of official partners.


"You can't make this stuff up": Pfizer comes under fire online after Sam Smith's Unholy performance

Sam Smith and Kim Petras performed their song Unholy at the 2023 Grammy Awards. The performance featured fire, red lighting, and the former sporting a pair of horns, traditionally associated with Satan as believed by some.

The Pfizer commercial was played right after their musical performance, which irked some viewers, prompting them to draw a connection between the pharmaceutical company and Sam Smith's "Satanic" performance.

Several right-wing politicians took this opportunity to call out the company as well as the controversial performance during the 2023 Grammy Awards.

Political commentator Liz Wheeler wrote:

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene also commented on Smith's "demonic performance," adding that "American Christians need to get to work."

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk also shared his remarks on Twitter about the pharmaceutical company sponsoring "The Devil" performance at the awards function.

Other internet users also slammed the pharmaceutical company for sponsoring the controversial performance, despite the latter's claims that they sponsored the whole event, not one specific performance.

Both Sam Smith and Kim Petras, are members of the LGBTQIA+ community, with the former coming out as non-binary in 2019 and using they/them pronouns. Petras was 16 when she had a gender confirmation surgery.

Even though their performance has garnered significant backlash online, the pair made history at the 2023 Grammy Awards and won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance, with Smith becoming the first non-binary artist and Petras the first trans woman to bag the award.

Unholy, which was released in September 2022, has been topping various charts since its release and continues to do so.


As for Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company's name has not been listed as an official partner on the Recording Academy's website, unlike its other official partners like Google Pixel, Grey Goose, IBM, and Mastercard.

However, its logo clearly appeared during the live broadcast of the 2023 Grammy Awards, along with text that read, "sponsored by Pfizer." Furthermore, the company's official statement in response to the backlash online, further confirmed the pharmaceutical company's sponsorship at the event.

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Edited by Upasya Bhowal
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