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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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See latest videos, charts and news
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’
It’s only been two weeks since Lil Nas X officially returned with his first single in over a year “J Christ.” But now, he’s making it clear that the drought is officially over with yet another new track. On Tuesday (Jan. 23), the rapper took to Instagram to let fans know that his next single […]
After a promotional frenzy filled with plenty of controversy, Lil Nas X is officially back like “J Christ” on the Hot 100. Lil Nas X’s latest single “J Christ” debuted at No. 69 on the chart dated Jan. 27, and the rapper is taking that particular ranking as a milestone achievement in his career. “we […]
After three episodes filled with about five thousand new twists, RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 finally sent its first queen packing.
On Friday’s episode (Jan. 19), the now-united cast of 14 queens were tasked with throwing The Mother of All Balls on the main stage. Cycling through three looks on the runway, the contestants showed off their best Mother Goose looks (themed after nursery rhymes) and their best Significant Mother (themed after famous moms), before finally revealing their Call Me Mother/Father Eleganza, which they crafted one day prior in the work room out of nothing but menswear.
But of course, in this season of twists, Ru couldn’t just let the girls off that easily — the hostess revealed that the girls would be using the show’s newly-introduced Rate-A-Queen system one last time to determine the week’s tops and bottoms. After 14 rounds of voting from the contestants and classic judges’ critiques, Nymphia Wind was crowned the winner for her inspired look using men’s ties.
The news was not so good for Geneva Karr and Hershii LiqCour-Jeté, who wound up in the bottom for their lackluster looks. Performing in a high-energy, all-out lip sync to Ava Max’s “Maybe You’re the Problem,” both queens gave it their all, but only Geneva was permitted to stay.
Below, Billboard catches up with Hershii about performing in the ball challenge, speaking about being a queer parent on national television, and why she felt that the Rate-A-Queen system lended itself to “more shade than fairness.”
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You made it to Drag Race, queen! How are you feeling after watching your run on the show?
I don’t feel bad at all — I genuinely feel like I gave it all I could, and I did the best that I could, and I did not quit at any point. I feel like nobody wants to be the Porkchop, but the best I could do is what I gave. I’m pleased!
I wanted to say, before we get into the episode, that it was so cool to see you talking about being a parent and how that affects your view on anti-LGBTQ legislation trying to limit children’s interactions with queerness. How have you been dealing with the ongoing release of these bills?
Honestly, I’m queer, so it’s not anything new with everything that’s going on. This has been happening. I do my best to actually try to not focus on it too much, because when I dwell on that stuff, it makes me sad and I don’t want to put that on my children.
I want them to have the most normal life that they could possibly have — whatever you consider “normal” being. They remind me every day that this normal is just fine for them, too; they don’t look at me as a queer person, they don’t look at me as a drag queen, all they see is Baba. They wanna make sure they get their cereal in the morning and their hugs at night. They are my focus; when it comes to everything else, I do my part in the voting booth, and I do my part being as visible as I possibly can. I mean, even just being a parent who is also a drag queen, even just being visible is political for me.
Did your kids get to watch you on the show?
So, they’ve seen it, but I don’t think they realize that it’s actually on TV. As far as they know, that’s just me at work!
Let’s get into the work, then! This season, we were introduced to the new Rate-A-Queen system — what did you think of this twist when it was first introduced to you on the show?
Oh, I hated it! [Laughs.] I did not like it at all! I just knew that, to an extent, it was going to mess up some chances for me. I knew that people were either going to play the game and be shady, or they were going to be fair — and there was going to be a lot more shade than fairness! I feel like I could’ve potentially gone further had a few of the girls played it a little more on the fair side.
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What did you make of Plane Jane’s “best are bottoms, worst are tops” tactics she used in your premiere episode?
Girl, I saw her wheels turning in the work room! I don’t know if the other girls caught it, but the second she said, “I’m going to make sure I play fair,” I gave her a look, like, “Yeah, sure you will, girl.” She turned out being exactly the girl I knew she was. But, that’s part of the game! The fandom wants TV, they want some mess, they want somebody to come in and shake things up — Plane Jane is your girl!
If you had the opportunity to go back, do you think you would’ve done your Rate-A-Queen picks differently?
Absolutely! I went in there trying to be all integral and nice to everybody and fair — no, if I could go back, I would mess everybody’s placement up. [Laughs.]
It’s episode three, and we’re already at the ball challenge, which is easily one of the hardest challenges on the show. What was your immediate reaction when you found out the ball was happening this early in the show?
I love the ball challenge, because it’s the one challenge where you really get to show the most of yourself and your style on the runway, so I actually really like that they put it this early. My problem was with the design element — I can use a machine, but if you’re asking me to be a Q or a Sapphira or a Nymphia, I’m not that girl!
Completely, and I feel like we always have the same discourse around the ball challenges, where people are shocked that some girls can’t sew. Where do you fall on that debate — do girls need to know how to sew when they go on Drag Race?
Oh, interesting. I don’t think it’s about knowing how to sew, because being a designer is a different type of talent. Everyone can know how to sew or not; I didn’t have to ask for any help with the machines, I didn’t need any glue guns, I could put an outfit together. But I’m not a designer, I cannot see fashion in that way. My drag is heavy on the performance side. It’s about being able to design, not being able to sew — like, when I saw what Q had wrapped around her neck, my jaw dropped.
Sadly, you wound up in the bottom this week, lip synching to Ava Max’s “Maybe You’re the Problem” against Geneva Karr, and I was obsessed with the unhinged, church-lady energy you brought to this lip sync. What was your strategy going into that performance?
To be completely honest with you, I already felt like everybody had decided that I was going home. There was no need to ask Sapphira or Jane for immunity, because nobody was coming to save me. Plus, if you know me, you know that Ava Max is so far outside my wheelhouse — I love her as an artist, but that is not my wheelhouse. My thought process was, “If I’m leaving, I’m going to have the best time of my life on that stage.” So, the second the music hit, and that one camera swung in front of me, that was all I needed. I was just living my life on that stage.
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Well, before we let you go, I wanted to ask — is there any music you’ve been obsessing over lately?
Actually, yes there is! I just ran into this artist, his name is Dre Scot, and he is so good. I cannot listen to club music in my downtime, I need some relaxing, good vibe music, and Dre Scot’s voice is so relaxing, I love him. Oh, and Victoria Monét! Both of them are on constant repeat in the Hershii household.
With West End sensation Rob Madge heading to the Great White Way to perform their show My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?), it makes sense that they would partner with Mother Monster herself to spread their message as far as they can. Explore Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest […]
With the weather getting colder, warm up your ears with a few new tracks 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.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
From Aurora’s stunning new single to Green Day’s bisexual anthem, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below.
Aurora, “The Conflict of the Mind”
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Norwegian pop star Aurora is firmly in her empath era. With “The Conflict of the Mind,” the singer pushes every emotion she’s felt to the forefront, and embraces the feelings of those she loves dearly in a gorgeous, sharply-crafted melody. The production of her latest track retains all the dainty aspects of her past projects, while simultaneously pushing her sound forward into new sonic territory. Her voice, meanwhile, remains her strongest instrument, evoking pain and pleasure and love and heartbreak and every other emotion she’s left unspoken for this long.
Green Day, “Bobby Sox”
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Leave it to Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong to pen a grungy pop-punk song that doubles as a much-needed bisexual anthem. “Bobby Sox” plays as a punchy-yet-sweet love song, with the romantic lyrics asking if the song’s subject wants to be his girlfriend while sitting around and watching TV, while the chorus’ chunky guitars and pounding drums throw long-time fans back to the band’s Dookie days. But from the second verse on, Armstrong switches up the game, intermittently switching out “girlfriend” for “boyfriend,” giving everyone a new celebratory single to jam along to.
Adrianne Lenker, “Sadness as a Gift”
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Big Thief frontwoman Adrianne Lenker has always thrived at transforming complex emotions into revelatory pieces of songwriting. That trend shows no sign of ending on “Sadness as a Gift,” the singer-songwriter’s latest solo single. The spare indie-folk song pairs Lenker’s inimitable vocal with a simple guitar-and-violin combo, as she embraces the ending of a relationship. She wants it to be simpler than it is, but knows that nothing will make it easy right now; “We could see the sadness as a gift and still/ Feel too heavy to hold,” she sings.
Maggie Lindemann, “Hostage”
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For anyone who’s ever felt trapped in their own psyche, alt-pop singer Maggie Lindemann has just the song. “Hostage,” the singer’s volatile new single, follows Lindemann into the recesses of her own mind, as she explains the various ways her brain places her in a constant state of panic, even when the world around her does nothing to arouse those fears. Over a torrent of gothic synths, Lindemann begs the listener to “hold me close when my voice gets shaky, be patient with me.”
Sleater-Kinney, Little Rope
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When you live in a world where catastrophe is the new normal, how do you learn to keep going? That’s a central question posed on Sleater-Kinney’s phenomenal new project Little Rope, an LP that revels in its elusiveness at every given opportunity. Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker masterfully craft each song on the LP with enigmatic shifts in sound and theme, all while providing emotive new tracks for fans to dive deep into. Whether foreboding (“Hunt You Down”), fatalist (“Dress Yourself”), or frenzied (“Needlessly Wild”), Little Rope is an execellent ode to finding meaning — or the lack thereof — in pain.
Shygirl feat. Boys Noize, “Tell Me”
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Get ready to rave, because Shygirl and Boys Noize are here to heat up your next party. “Tell Me,” the latest single off of Shygirl’s forthcoming Club Shy EP, delights in it’s early-2000s Eurodance aesthetics — Boys Noize amp up every ounce of the song with out-of-this-world synths and a relentless beat. But Shygirl’s vital voice centers the track in the here-and-now, begging a lover to stay with her.
Gossip, “Real Power”
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Just when we need them, Gossip is back, baby. With their latest anthem “Real Power,” the alt-rock trio is calling on people to seize their own means of self-actualization, even in the face of controlling systems that would try and stop them. Inspired by frontwoman Beth Ditto’s hometown Portland and the city’s Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, “Real Power” brings everything that makes Gossip great — advocacy-focused writing with infectious melodies and stratospheric vocals — into one glorious song.
Check out all of our picks on Billboard’s Queer Jams of the Week playlist below: