Pride
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If you can’t love (a wax figure of) yourself, then how in the hell can you love somebody else? On Tuesday (Feb. 6), Madame Tussauds London unveiled their new wax figure of drag icon RuPaul. Dressed in a custom-made gown by Ru’s reputable designer Zaldy, the new figure officially debuts as part of the museum’s […]
Queens on RuPaul’s Drag Race “Wannabe” in the top every week — and with the latest episode’s girl group challenge, the contestants had to prove they were “Worth It,” begging the host not to “Say My Name.”
Friday’s episode (Feb. 2) saw the 12 remaining drag stars tasked with writing, recording, choreographing and performing in their own versions of songs off RuPaul’s Black Butta as a series of girl groups. Testing their teamwork and their ability to stand out amongst a crowd, the challenge forced the girls to flex multiple performance muscles at once in order to earn another week in the competition.
With a show-stopping rendition of “A.S.M.R. Lover,” the queens of Thicc and Stick — Mhi’ya Iman LePaige, Geneva Karr, Megami and Nymphia Wind — dominated the challenge and earned themselves a four-way win for the week. As for the bottom two, Ru selected Q, whose dancing left something to be desired, and Amanda Tori Meating, whose pussycat wig runway look fell short in the judges’ estimations.
Lip synching to guest judges Icona Pop’s “Emergency,” Q and Amanda pulled out all of the stops — dancing, emoting and selling every beat of the song to convince Ru that they deserved a second chance. Ultimately, Ru wanted to hear some more A’s from Q, granting her another week in the competition, and determined that Amanda Tori Meating could’ve just been an email, sending her home.
Below, Billboard chats with Amanda about her time on the show, coming out as trans, becoming a meme and why she’s ready for her feud with fellow contestant Plane Jane to end.
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How are you doing after watching your run on Drag Race?
You know, to quote my sister Dawn, I feel so p—y right now!
Love to hear it. Before we get into the episode, I wanted to say I’m so happy for you after talking about your transition this week! How are you feeling after putting that out into the world?
Thank you! Yeah, it’s been a mix — it’s a very personal part of my identity that I have been not necessarily sure of, until coming back from filming Drag Race. That was when I really said, “Oh, I’m trans.” To be on the show and not have a full understanding and acceptance of that, and then gaining that after filming was crazy; I felt like the Amanda that people were seeing on TV was … they were making assumptions about who that is, and what my pronouns are out of drag, so it just felt very nice to just kind of clear it up. The interactions I’ve been having with fans since then, whether it’s online or IRL, it’s just felt a lot more genuine and complete. People can just sort of see me a bit more fully.
I also wanted to talk a bit about the look heard around the world from the premiere episode — I love that you have leaned as hard as you have into meme-ing yourself.
Well, you know what, baby? I was like, “If people are going to clown me for this purple face, then I’d better make some money off of it so I can pay for FFS!”
Period! What’s it been like to watch your face become a meme in real time?
You know, it was something I was kind of expecting after the day on set, and I think I was really dreading to see how it actually looked on camera. All I had were my memories on set, which can get very foggy over the months. But I ended up beating myself up about the whole purple alien situation, and I was expecting it to be so much worse. By the time I actually saw the runway, I was like, “Oh … it’s not good, but it’s not that bad!” At that point, I was like, “People can have their fun and make their jokes — I’m gonna make my coin with this.”
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Throughout this episode, things get pretty heated between you and your “affiliate,” as you called her, Plane Jane. I appreciate that you have kept it 100% real with how you’ve been feeling about it online, because sometimes the on-screen fights spill over into real life. Where are you at with the Plane drama today?
I went into this, before we left for filming, by saying that all I could do was be honest. All I know how to really do is say exactly how I feel. So I said, “If I can do that, I’ll probably be fine.” Plane and I did not really communicate much after filming, to be honest. Through the rest of the summer and the fall, the extent of our relationship was pretty much what you saw on camera. Then, in more recent weeks, we’ve been in talks, we’ve been in negotiations, we’ve been in custody battles offline.
We had a rocky moment with each other in our texts, about two weeks ago. But I do think, after that, we were able to have a dialogue where we were discussing our feelings in an open, honest, genuine way, and not trying to play anything up for cameras that weren’t there.
I also think that the fan base needs to normalize queens on the show being co-workers, not necessarily friends. You don’t have to be friends with everyone!
Yes! It’s interesting because there has been so much discourse around our relationship. There are a lot of fans who think they can just jump online and send a bunch of random hate to people, which is not OK. The response from the girls to a lot of that is usually, “We’re all friends! We all love each other!” And I was sitting in my trailer, reading those tweets going, “Well … I don’t know that we’re all friends!” But, just because we’re not necessarily “friends” doesn’t mean we can’t be co-workers who respect each other.
So, in terms of the relationship with Plane, that’s where she and I have arrived — we might not be “friends” at the moment, though I don’t think either of us has written that off. But, we can be cordial and respectful and mature adults in the workplace, and I’m grateful for that.
I’ll be honest, I have a bone to pick with the judges in this episode, because I loved your robin’s nest look. It was conceptual, the message came across, and it fit the theme — what were you thinking when you were receiving those critiques on the runway?
Can I be honest?
Please be honest.
I was standing there on that stage thinking, “Are they blind? Are they looking at what I’m looking at? This is camp, this is concept, this is cool!” I didn’t necessarily feel very pretty in it, but I thought it was cool! Yeah, I did not agree with them on the critiques. But here we are!
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Before I have to let you go, we’re asking all the girls this season — what music, other than “My Kitty,” have you been listening to in recent weeks?
Well, “My Kitty” is available on Spotify and Apple Music [Laughs]. To be honest, I’m still hooked on Renaissance, I cannot and will not let it go. Because of Drag Race I had to miss the concert this summer, which was one of the devastating losses of my life. I’d give it all back! Take me off the season and put me on season 17 just so I can go see the Renaissance Tour! Every single time I get in drag, I have the album on repeat, and it’s gotten to the point where instead of checking what time it is, I can tell how long it’s been by hearing what song we’re at on the album.
Okay, but importantly, is there any particular song on the album that you find yourself gravitating toward?
“Church Girl.” Now, I love Beyoncé because she’s an album artist, and you know she’s going to give you a body of work that should be listened to in full. Every song on that album is a banger. But there is something about “Church Girl” that just moves my spirit — when I listen to it, I’m crying, and then I am throwing my a–.
The 2024 Grammy Awards held on Sunday night (Feb. 4) boasted a wealth of history-making moments: female artists took home trophies in each of the Big Four categories for the third time in just five years; Taylor Swift became the first artist to win album of the year four times; Miley Cyrus won her first-ever Grammy for best pop solo performance with “Flowers.”
But one such historic moment went quietly overlooked on Sunday night — three of the winners in the Big Four categories were queer women. Cyrus’s record of the year win with “Flowers,” Billie Eilish’s song of the year win for “What Was I Made For?” and Victoria Monét’s best new artist win mark the first time in recent memory that three different LGBTQ artists took home trophies in the evening’s main categories.
“It’s huge,” says Anthony Allen Ramos, vice president of communications and talent at LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD. “Seeing LGBTQ women dominate three of the biggest categories is something to be really excited about and proud of, especially today.”
Wins for queer artists weren’t relegated to the evening’s big categories, either — LGBTQ artists earned wins across a multitude of genres. Boygenius, the supergroup made up of queer superstars Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, took home three trophies for best rock performance, best rock song and best alternative music album; Bridgers, meanwhile, walked away as the most awarded artist of the night with her four wins. Monét nabbed a win for best R&B album with Jaguar II. Americana categories awarded trophies to LGBTQ stars like Allison Russell (best american roots performance for “Eve Was Black”), Brandy Clark and Brandi Carlile (both in best Americana performance for “Dear Insecurity”).
Ramos points out that even in oft-undiscussed categories, LGBTQ artists saw huge wins. “We had Carla Patullo winning for best new age, ambient or chant album,” he tells Billboard. “It felt like we finally had wonderful representation in all genres, and I think that’s really important, because it’s not just about [queer artists] being in pop or dance. I never even thought about having LGBTQ inclusion in the best new age category!”
Representation for LGBTQ talent at the Grammys has steadily risen over the last few years, with the Recording Academy even debuting their new Academy Proud initiative this year to help “support and amplify LGBTQIA+ voices and drive queer representation at the Recording Academy and the music industry at-large.”
These major successes for queer folks at the 2024 Grammys come at a time of upheaval for the LGBTQ+ community at large — nearly 400 bills targeting the community have already been proposed this year in state legislatures around the United States, with more no doubt still to come. While LGBTQ+ artists earning record-high honors at an awards show might seem trivial in the face of direct attacks against queer and trans people around the world, the facts actually show otherwise.
According to data collected by The Trevor Project, 79% of LGBTQ+ youth reported that seeing musicians come out as members of the LGBTQ+ community made them feel better about their own identity. Meanwhile, 71% of respondents said that seeing straight, cisgender celebrities advocate for the LGBTQ+ community improved their own feelings on gender and sexuality.
Kevin Wong, the Trevor Project’s senior vice president of marketing, communications and content, tells Billboard in an emailed statement that representation at awards shows like the Grammys isn’t just about winning more trophies for queer-identifying artists — it’s about providing an example to kids in desperate need of hope in dark times.
“Seeing queer artists celebrated for their contributions to the music industry can make a positive impact on LGBTQ+ young people’s mental health,” he explains, adding that the onslaught of anti-LGBTQ legislation makes that representation “especially meaningful for LGBTQ+ young people.”
Even in the realm of music, Ramos says that queer success only begets more queer success. “The more success and art that they put out into the universe, the more that will resonate and connect with other artists and [help them] feel empowered to be themselves and to tell their authentic stories,” he says. “I was speaking with TJ Osborne, and he said it’s incredible how many times people have come up to him and said, ‘I am part of the community, I never felt like I could be a fan of country music, but you are changing that.’”
While Ramos points to a continued lack of representation for transgender and non-binary artists at the annual ceremony as an “area for improvement,” he makes it clear that the road ahead for LGBTQ+ artists only gets brighter. “This is a moment for everyone to realize that accepting yourself affects the art that you put out in the best way.”
As the groundbreaking series celebrates its 15th anniversary, Billboard highlights the greatest lip syncs from each season of the celebrated reality show.
Sitting at a small workstation at his Nashville home, alt-pop artist Morgxn holds up a piece of white poster board. On it, he’s drawn a large circle, with scribbled words that have been crossed out, rewritten and crossed out again adorning the wheel’s outer edges. “You can see how chaotic it is,” he tells Billboard over Zoom, chuckling at his frenzied handwriting.
In contrast, the center of the drawn circle is calm, with three words featured front and center: “The Hero’s Journey.” Points surrounding the interior show a variety of steps, like “supernatural aid,” “abyss” and “atonement,” while a large line through the upper half of the circle separates these points into what is “known” and what is “unknown.”
The illustration Morgxn drew shows the cyclical structure of the monomyth, a blueprint for storytelling popularized by Joseph Campbell in which an archetypal protagonist sets out on a transformative journey, succeeds in a moment of climactic catastrophe, and returns home a changed person. The scrawling words outside of the structure, meanwhile, are Morgxn’s own songs, placed strategically to explain his own journey.
“I’ve thought a lot about how my music has always been about tracing the path of my own story,” he explains, gesturing to the the myriad titles he’s crossed out and replaced on the outer rim of the diagram. “Writing this out into my own hero’s journey just felt right.”
All that plotting resulted in Beacon, Morgxn’s latest album (due out Friday Feb. 2 via Nettwerk Music Group) that sees the singer-songwriter claiming his history for himself, and looking for a path forward. With a bombastic pop sound to accompany the lyrics’ unabashed self-assurance, Beacon stands out immediately when compared against the singer’s past work — much like its title would suggest.
Each of the albums 10 tracks — which were culled from “over 100 songs” written for the project, he says — emblematize a different step in the hero’s journey. Where album opener “Beacon” serves as a classic “call to adventure,” later tracks like “What We Could Be” examine the “challenges and tempations” faced throughout the trek, while “My Revival” takes the story to its turning point of “death & rebirth.”
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Yet it’s the song immediately following that turning point, the poignant “To Be Human,” that Morgxn points to as an example of the album’s importance — at the moment of “transformation” in his own journey, the songwriter placed a song about what happens when your life collapses around you. “There’s no journey that that doesn’t hit a peak, and then fall apart,” he says. “That is what happened to me in making music, in the music industry.”
That falling apart came shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down in early 2020, when Morgxn learned that he had been dropped from Hollywood Records. No longer working with the label that served as his home through the release of his breakthrough single “Home” and his debut album Vital, the singer faced the prospect of continuing his music career on his own. “I remember the feeling where I asked myself, ‘I wonder if anyone will hear this. I wonder if I’ll go broke trying to keep on going,’” he says. “Spoiler alert; that didn’t happen.”
Morgxn did what songwriters do best and put those fears to good use. Releasing his single “Wonder” as an independent artist in July 2020, the singer didn’t expect much — but within a few months, the song picked up significant traction on TikTok, leading to a series of remixes and reimaginings, including a duet version of the track with Sara Bareilles that landed him a spot singing the track with her on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
“I kind of felt like Keanu in The Matrix; like, ‘Oh my goodness, this is not real,’” he recalls. “The things about the music industry that I had been taught were not happening the way [I was told] they would. I made six figures from my music independently, because I owned every part of the process for the first time ever. I was discovering this whole new side of the music industry, which changed the way that I that I went about doing deals. It changed everything, to be honest.”
In this time of rediscovery, Morgxn was approached by Marshall Altman, a producer and A&R representative from Nashville working with Nettwerk Music Group. He’d listened to the singer’s work, and noticed a pattern among his songs; “I’d been singing about home for a very long time, but the idea of moving back home was the most terrifying thing I had ever faced, because all of my trauma exists because of this town,” Morgxn says, referring to Nashville. “Marshall listened to my music and said, ‘I want to do this.’ Because of Marshall and Eric [Robinson, another A&R rep with Nettwerk], I said, ‘I’m going to make this album in Nashville.’”
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In facing his fear of returning home, Morgxn also decided to change his approach to recording. Where past albums saw Morgxn primarily using digital recreations of instruments, Beacon incorporates a live band and chorus throughout the project, creating maximalist soundscapes wherever possible to amplify the underlying message of growth on the LP.
“We stripped everything down to the piano at the beginning, and decided if it didn’t make me and my dog sing, we wouldn’t put it on the record,” he says, scratching his boxer mix Stevie behind her ears. “Once we put the rhythm section on the songs, I think we could just feel it. You can tell the difference between my last record and this record because I put a lot of actual humanity into making this album.”
Part of returning home to Nashville also involved “getting loud,” as he puts it, when things got dire for the queer community. After Gov. Bill Lee passed a batch of anti-LGBTQ laws criminalizing drag performances and gender-affirming care for minors in 2023, Morgxn regularly attended protests against the rise of transphobia and promoted politicians fighting against the wave of bigotry faced by Tennesseans. When progressive candidate Freddie O’Connell won his bid to become Nashville’s next mayor, the politician walked on stage to Morgxn’s track “My Revival.”
As he reflects on his last year in his hometown, Morgxn says that there was never any question that he would push back against the state’s anti-LGBTQ policies. “If you’re trans and you’re looking for trans healthcare, it’s a state that is genuinely scary to live in,” he says. “So, if you’re a white gay person, you should be loud and fighting for all of these people who need your help, and who deserve their rights. It’s not enough to celebrate gay pride if you’re not also standing up for the other marginalized communities that need your voice.”
The final stage of the monomyth is the “return,” where our hero, victorious after his trials in an unfamiliar world, comes back home a changed man. For Morgxn, that return came in the form of “Where I’m From,” a triumphant power-pop anthem that sees him not only accept Nashville as his home, but embrace it in all its vast complexity. “I’m livin’ on the edge, but I still know where I’m from,” he proudly declares on the closer.
Just as the singer’s voice fades away on the final track, listeners hear one final message; Morgxn’s father, leaving his son a voicemail before a show. “I love you, good luck tonight,” his voice says. “Break a leg, I hope it goes great.” It’s the last message he received before his father’s unexpected death eight years ago.
Closing the album on such a poignant note was important to his own healing, Morgxn says — after spending most of his career writing about his relationship with his dad’s death, he’s ready to end this particular chapter. “I wish so much that he could see every part of the journey I’ve been on,” he says, tears welling in his eyes. “I held on to that voicemail for so long, and it kind of feels like when you make an album and you release it; it’s no longer yours. So, for anyone who’s lost somebody, they’re still a part of your journey. And they helped shape who you are, for good and bad.”
Even in releasing Beacon and letting his audience finally take ownership of the music, Morgxn acknowledges that the beauty of the hero’s journey lies in its shape; the circle ensures that reaching the end of one story means arriving at the beginning of another. And even without knowing exactly what it holds, Morgxn knows that his next chapter will be glorious. “I’m breaking my whole idea of what it means to make music in the recording industry in 2024,” he says. “And I’m doing it successfully.”
Drag-focused management firm Producer Entertainment Group (PEG) is officially expanding their stiletto-shaped footprint in the entertainment industry. On Thursday (Feb. 1), PEG announced their acquisition of Five Senses Reeling (FSR), a touring and events agency catering to LGBTQ audiences, Billboard can reveal. FSR joins PEG’s growing suite of businesses, including music label PEG Records, SERV […]
It’s been a few weeks since Lil Nas X made headlines for his controversial comeback single “J Christ,” and the singer is ready to talk frankly about the public’s reception of his latest track.
During his appearance on the podcast On Purpose with Jay Shetty, the rapper explained that he felt the messaging of his song was taken out of context. “[‘J Christ’] was this thing that artistically was just supposed to be like, I’m returning … I’m back like Him, you know what I mean?” he said. “It turned into this whole thing where it was me trying to dunk on Christians or something, and that was never what it was. Never.”
Lil Nas agreed with some of the backlash, saying that the anger over a video of him eating communion wafers “looks really bad on paper,” adding that he did properly apologize for releasing that video. “This [was a] thing that I thought was just like a little jokey fun video. I also had to think about how many of my family members are Christian, like my grandmothers and stuff, and like aunties and things like that,” he said. “And I’m like, ‘Wow, do they see this as that too?’ If they do, you know, that’s really messed up. And it makes me sad.”
But the rapper said the he did not apologize for the song or the music video because he stood by his intended messaging. “That message turned around and I didn’t know how to do anything with it. It wasn’t my chaos anymore. It was the world’s and anything anybody said was true because that’s who I am as a person,” he said. “I’m this troll and I want to make these people mad. And so everybody can run with that. And there’s nothing I can do about that. I can say as many things as I want, but knowing my history, they look right, I look wrong.”
The interview comes after Lil Nas X spoke publicly about the release of “J Christ” in a video posted to his Instagram. In the original clip, the rapper explained that those online claiming that he was insulting Christianity with his song were mistaken. “I knew there would be some upset people simply because religion is a very sensitive topic for a lot of people,” he said. “But I also didn’t mean to mock — this wasn’t a f— you to the Christians. It was literally me saying I’m back like Jesus.”
Elsewhere in his interview on On Purpose, Lil Nas said that he’s now reflecting on what his future releases will look like, where his music will go in the future. “You’ve been so focused and zoned in on what you’re doing, and you push your art out into the world and it’s kind of received negatively by the majority … but then also understanding why, you know, and having to see it through,” he said. “So I guess that’s where I’m at right now and my next move, you know, the things that I’m planning on right now, I feel like somewhere in here that’s gonna be this magical moment that I can’t even take credit for.”
Check out the full episode of On Purpose featuring Lil Nas X below:
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Another week means another set of new tunes from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ artists.
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From Fletcher’s delicate new pop single to Lil Nas X’s introspective new song, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below:
Fletcher, “Lead Me On”
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Throughout her short-but-lively career, pop singer-songwriter Fletcher has proven to be particularly adept at creating emotive pop ballads about the messiest parts of love. But with “Lead Me On,” the singer’s latest single off her forthcoming album In Search of the Antidote, Fletcher takes on new meaning. While the thrilling guitar-and-drum-led melody echoes back to songs of Fletcher’s past, the lyrics play double duty — the words let the singer fall down the rabbit hole of a new romantic interest, or they help her follow a path toward becoming a better version of herself. However you interpret the star’s new song, one thing’s for certain: it’s a bonafide banger.
Lil Nas X, “Where Do We Go Now?”
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Lil Nas X’s detractors love to claim that his songs lack substance — so the superstar decided to show them exactly what he’s capable of on “Where Do We Go Now?” The emotive soft-rock ballad, which appears in his new documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, sees Lil Nas X searching for meaning in the space he occupies — he’s already become a pop icon at age 24, so what is meant to do next? The song doesn’t provide easy answers to the star’s complex question, but it does show just how versatile Lil Nas X can be as a forward-thinking artist.
Brittany Howard, “Prove It To You”
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Brittany Howard wants you to dance — she just also wants you to think while you’re busy tearing up the dancefloor. “Prove It To You,” the latest single off the performer’s forthcoming album, breaks out from Howard’s past discograhpy, embracing pure dance aesthetics to create a deliriously fun sound. As bass bumps and synths flitter in and out of your ears, Howard’s voice reminds you that she’s also a phenomenally good songwriter: “I’ve never been good at saying what I mean/ Every time I try, it comes out incomplete,” she shares in the song’s opening lines. “Believe me, baby/ I will show you how I feel for you right now.”
Jade LeMac, “Narcissistic”
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We often get to hear songs of people figuring out their lover is toxic — but Jade LeMac is embracing her own toxicity on the thrilling “Narcissistic.” Throughout the pounding pop track, LeMac paints a picture of an imbalanced relationship where she is more than happy to play the part of the villain. With a set of moody synths permeating every inch of the song, LeMac directs the listener’s attention with a gentle touch and deliciously stern lyrics, perfectly laying out why she’s an artist to keep your eye on.
Cakes Da Killa feat. Stout, “Mind Reader”
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Leave it to an artist as multifaceted as Cakes Da Killa to give you a song that revels in its own volatility. “Mind Reader,” Cakes’ new track off his forthcoming album Black Sheep, follows the celebrated MC as he flexes his supernatural flow and reminds his listeners that he’ll “never code switch, I shape-shift, it’s drastic.” Much like his words, the song’s club production never confines itself to one space — moving between four-on-the-floor, house and even jazz as featured guest Stout croons over an ecstatic chorus, “Mind Reader” serves as yet another reminder that Cakes Da Killa is one of the best to ever do it.
Cavetown, “Let Them Know They’re on Your Mind”
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DIY artist Cavetown could have easily returned with a gorgeously-written, minimally-produced ballad, and fans would have loved it — instead, the indie star decided to give fans something unexpected. “Let Them Know They’re on Your Mind” is a chaotic little thing; a song that shifts effortlessly between Cavetown’s quieter indie sensibilities, and balls-to-the-wall pop-rock production that makes it a thrilling listen everytime you press play.
Isaac Dunbar, “Apartment A”
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There is a unique chaos that comes with attending a crowded house party in New York City — a chaos that Isaac Dunbar brilliantly bottles on “Apartment A.” The pop singer’s latest track basks in its own revelry, inviting the listener in the door for a bacchanalian celebration. Fuzzy production and relentless drums keep the song in a constant state of hyper speed, as Dunbar wails that he’s looking for “love, no ricochet.”
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6JaXyDN8L1aEuVZElWwAE4?si=ab85b8991a714491
He came back like “J Christ” — now Lil Nas X wants to figure out what happens next. On Friday (Jan. 26), the pop singer unveiled his latest song “Where Do We Go Now,” a poignant slow-jam that poses its titular question to remarkable effect. Stepping away from his signature tongue-in-cheek braggadocio, Lil Nas X […]
Over the course of a few years, Lil Nas X went from a college kid scared about his future to an internationally-acclaimed, record-breaking star. His fans know him as the funny, terminally online, occasionally controversial pop-meets-rap-meets-country artist next door. They even know a bit about Montero Lamar Hill, the man behind the moniker, thanks to more than a few revelatory lyrics on his debut album.
But with Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, the new documentary debuting on HBO this Saturday (Jan. 27), the “Industry Baby” singer is done trying to prove anything — he’s simply letting the audience see him in all lights possible.
The 95-minute feature follows Lil Nas X over the course of 60 days as he embarks on the North American leg his first-ever headlining tour in late 2022. Unlike Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour before it, the documentary gives fans only a peek into the star’s live show, occasionally showing off minute-long snippets of the titular concert before cutting away to backstage footage.
The rest of the movie, though, serves as a glimpse inside the mind of a blossoming artist looking to manage his impact on a career he crash-landed into. Hill opens up about everything from his upbringing, to his start in the industry, to the grueling process of putting together a tour . But most of all, Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero watches Hill learn, in real time, what it means to be one of the most publicly visible members of the LGBTQ+ community, and how that public perception impacts his own search for meaning.
“Some people think my music is dope, but they think I do too much as far as videos and the things I do online go. And some people think the things I do online are cool, but they don’t like my music. Some people still see me as the kid-friendly artist, and some people see me as this Satanic devil that’s gonna ruin the world, or who’s part of some big agenda,” he says at one point in the documentary. “People feel a lot of things about me. But me? Boy, do I love this kid.”
Below, Billboard takes a look at five of the biggest revelations throughout Long Live Montero, from the rapper opening up about his relationship with his family, to a tribute for the music icon that continues to inspire him to this day.
Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero premieres on HBO Saturday, January 27 at 8 p.m. ET.
The ‘Ghost’-ly Sample Haunting ‘Old Town Road’