On Friday, Lil Nas X released the music video for his new single "Montero (Call Be By Your Name)," and it definitely got people's attention. The video opens up with a Lil Nas X voiceover saying, "In life, we hide the parts of ourselves we don't want the world to see. We lock them away, we tell them, 'No,' we banish them. But here, we don't. Welcome to Montero."
In Montero, Lil Nas X's real name, we see Lil Nas X give in to temptation, be judged, and then slide down a stripper pole to hell. While in the underworld you might as well make the most of it, so he gives the devil a lapdance before cracking his neck and stealing his horns. Yes, this is Old Town Road Lil Nas X.
Many see this music video as "groundbreaking" for gay artists, and as Variety's Adam B. Vary says, "any clutched pearls have been far, far outmatched by fists pumped and streams run on repeat." But, you know, there will be the detractors who believe the music video has "Illuminati" imagery or see Lil Nas X as "pushing a gay agenda." That damn "gay agenda" is still around?
IS LIL NAS X REBRANDING TOO FAST?
I will leave the Illmunanti and gay agenda talk to Candace Owens; however, on Fox Soul, I thought Al Reynolds and Claudia Jordan brought up good points about Lil Nas X and his brand. Al Reynolds said, "The only rub I have with him is his fast movement in his brand. From one of wearing a cowboy hat with cowboy clothes and cowboy boots and dancing in front of kids to now gyrating and doing the twerk on the devil with a blue, pink, or red wig." Al went on to say that the transition from one brand to the next has to be less jolting.
"Nas evoked everyone from Madonna and Janet Jackson to Nicki Minaj and Megan Thee Stallion, and in doing so proclaimed that he has every right to be just as brazen about his desires and titillating about his body." - Variety
Claudi Jordan added, "You are being marketed to 11 and 12-year-olds, and that's where his bag is coming from, so if he does go too far, I don't want it to hurt him ..."
When you are rebranding, you run the risk of losing part of your audience. If you can replace that audience with new fans, then you are OK, but if you can't...YIKES! I don't even know if there is a real risk of him losing the kids. There are gay kids. However, he does run the risk of losing out on deals.
I will say this, the Grammys love these types of storylines and I doubt he is protesting them.
Do y'all think that Lil Nas X is rebranding too fast with the Montero music video, or was it smart to transition early before he became too pigeonholed into one image?
UPDATE: 3/27 at 2:59 PM PST
Lil Nas X comes out as an adult.....FINALLY!
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