The genius behind “Old Town Road” Lil Nas X, has released a new single, “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” which is sure to leave audiences forgetting they ever had his country-rap lyrics ever stuck in their heads.
The inspiration for the song stems from an interaction the rapper had during COVID-19 while working on his upcoming album. The rapper was invited to visit a friend’s new house, Lil Nas X recalled quickly realizing he had developed serious feelings for the friend and wrote the song the following day.
The title of the song alludes to Lil Nas X’s given name, Montero Lamar Hill, but was heavily inspired by the 2017 film Call Me By Your Name. Like the themes within the film, Lil Nas X wanted to create an anthem in which he proudly embraced his sexuality.
Lil Nas X told Billboard, “That was one of the first gay films that I had watched and I thought the theme was so dope of calling somebody by your own name,” he said. “The way everything is shot, the way the dialogue goes on, the way the background sounds are used, everything about it is so artsy.”
Lil Nas X also dropped a new music video to accompany the release of the new song. The video features Lil Nas X sliding down a stripper pole going straight towards Hell and then he giving the devil a lap dance. The video was quick to receive criticism from fans and even conservative politicians who deemed the video to be scandalizing for young fans due to rhetoric which ‘worshipped the devil.’
Lil Nas X has never shied away from talking about or expressing his identity — whether it be in a YouTube video with James Charles or this red carpet look — and this video is no different.
“You see this is very scary for me, people will be angry, they will say I’m pushing an agenda. But the truth is, I am. The agenda to make people stay the fuck out of other people’s lives and stop dictating who they should be.” Lil Nas X said to The Guardian.
Just as he utilized the power of the Internet in order to capitalize on the virality of Old Town Road, Lil Nas X has spent the past couple of weeks posting memes, TikToks and even promoting Satan Shoes in preparation for the song’s release. In true Lil Nas X fashion, he hasn’t shied away from responding to conservative viewers critical of the song via social media.
The release of Montero (Call Me By Your Name) is just a part of his continued efforts to normalize queerness in mainstream music and something tells me he isn’t planning on slowing down anytime soon.
