MONTERO
/
courtesy of columbia records
Montero is the first studio album released by Lil Nas X. It debuted in September of 2021, just in time for the beginning of the school year. When it was released, I played the album all the way through and had it on repeat for the next couple of weeks. Montero is essentially the diary of Lil Nas X that documents his journey through life in 15 songs.
“Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” was the first single released and the first track. Lil Nas X posted to Instagram, dedicating the song to his younger self. The music video sparked much controversy among Christians and conservatives as it shows Lil Nas X giving Satan a lap dance. The song and music video play on the hypocrisy of Christianity that treats homosexuality as a sin. But, the song is more about the love we need to teach ourselves rather than the religious hate towards gay people.
“Dead Right Now” is the second track on the album and is a narrative about his family and friends who didn’t support him growing up. Now that he’s hugely successful, these people have tried to come back into his life.
“Industry Baby” is the third song and features Jack Harlow. This song highlights that Lil Nas X is not just a “one-hit wonder” as he boasts about his accomplishments as an artist with his multiple Grammy wins.
“That’s What I Want” comes next and tells the story of Lil Nas X’s love life. It highlights the struggles he has faced while trying to date as a black, gay man. There are limited portrayals of black, gay men in relationships in media, so a relationship like this has seemed unattainable for Lil Nas X. But he remains hopeful and knows he is deserving of love.
lil nas x at the 2021 met gala: image courtesy of teenvogue.com
“The Art of Realization” is a 24-second interlude. It acts as a transition between the previous song and “Scoop.” “Scoop,” which features Doja Cat, focuses on how Lil Nas X often seeks companionship through casual hookups. He acknowledges that even though he wants a relationship, he often settles for the next best thing: a casual relationship.
“One of Me” focuses Lil Nas X’s criticisms on his way to stardom. He also touches on how he’s often not taken seriously as an artist. The song features Elton John, who received similar criticisms after coming out as gay during his career so, while this pairing is unexpected, it’s appropriate.
Lil nas x’s satan shoes designed in collaboration with mschf for the promotion of montero: image courtesy of cnn.com
“Lost in the Citadel” tells the story of how Lil Nas X lost himself in a past relationship. He was so infatuated with his partner that he was blind to how toxic the relationship was.
“Dolla Sign Slime” features Megan Thee Stallion and is essentially the two of them playing off one another about their successes.
“Tales of Dominica” touches on Lil Nas X’s insecurities and the pressure for him to succeed. Even though he’s wildly successful now, he still questions the possibility that the people in his past were right, that he’ll never amount to anything.
In “Sun Goes Down,” Lil Nas X expresses his struggles with depression and being suicidal. It touches on how he was picked on for being black and gay. Despite encountering these obstacles growing up, he’s glad that he decided to be unapologetically himself.
“Void” shows Lil Nas X’s vulnerable side. He sings about how he often feels alone, even though many people look up to him
“Don’t Want It” is about how if you want something, you can have it, and Lil Nas X sings that he is proof of this message.
“I think Lil Nas X really epitomizes the idea of expressing yourself through style. I love how he keeps breaking boundaries through his music, through his videos and with his style choices.” - Donatella Versace for GQ magazine.
“Life After Salem” has a punk-rock sound that complements its message of how an ex-lover that caused him pain and heartache ultimately left him feeling numb.
The album finishes with “Am I Dreaming.” It features Miley Cyrus, whose dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, helped Lil Nas X start his career with “Old Town Road.” Having this song last is Lil Nas X’s final way of saying, “I made it.”
Not only is this album a joy to listen to, but it also tells a wonderful story of how a young, black, gay man rose to the top, despite having so many people tell him that he would fail.
Molly Briggs-Webb
Molly is a student at Algonquin College. She loves writing, traveling and photography.
