By Jessica Clifford-Jones | Review Editor
Lil Nas XÔÇÖs debut album has been long anticipated ever since the rapper-singer started making waves in 2017 when his country rap single ÔÇÿOld Town RoadÔÇÖ became a viral sensation. The song broke records by staying in the charts for 19 weeks, becoming the longest-running number one hit on BillboardÔÇÖs Top 100 chart. During this time, Lil Nas came out as gay, becoming the first and only artist to do so while having a number one hit.
Lil Nas has remained in the public eye since then, but his release of the single ÔÇÿMONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)ÔÇÖ and its music video put him back into the spotlight. The song and video sparked both praise and controversy due to its use of religious imagery and explicitly homosexual nature. It became Lil NasÔÇÖ second number one hit and was the first single released from his eponymous album ÔÇÿMONTEROÔÇÖ (NasÔÇÖ real name being Montero Hill).
ÔÇÿMONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)ÔÇÖ is an excellent lead single, showcasing Lil NasÔÇÖ bold song-writing, eclectic genre inspiration and themes of sexuality. The song seems to take inspiration from a variety of genres, mainly hip-hop, electropop and trap, but it also has been noted to have Latin and reggae influences too. My main complaint about the song is its short length, leaving it feeling slightly unfinished. However, thankfully it is the shortest track on the album; while many of the songs donÔÇÖt hit the three-minute mark, which is a little too short for my taste, there is overall a wider range of lengths.
While the album is primarily pop-rap, it has an interesting range of inspirations and influences, specifically R&B, trap, and rock. I was surprised to find that the majority of the songs were moodier and more soulful than Lil NasÔÇÖ singles and usual style. This isn’t a problem, however; Lil Nas does ballads well. His lyrics are heartfelt and, while IÔÇÖd say heÔÇÖs a stronger rapper than singer, his vocals are emotive and dreamy, his higher pitches especially impressive and enjoyable.
His slower-tempo songs seem to dominate the album sometimes, making me wish for a bit more variety. However I enjoyed them enough that I didnÔÇÖt mind, as the lyrics and instrumentals are interesting enough to prevent them for becoming too similar.
One of my favourite tracks is his collaboration with Miley Cyrus, ÔÇÿAM I DREAMING.ÔÇÖ ItÔÇÖs about being a young person growing up and exploring their sexuality in the public eye, something both artists have experienced. The pared down instrumentals are evocative of indie rock with simple guitars and violins, the vocals are lovely and melancholy, and the lyrics are poignant. Songs like ÔÇÿVOIDÔÇÖ, ÔÇÿSUN GOES DOWNÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿTALES OF DOMINICAÔÇÖ similarly display Lil NasÔÇÖ lyrical and vocal skills, being deeply personal songs with simple but effective instrumentals.
However, Lil Nas does change it up. He deviates from his usual tone with ÔÇÿLIFE AFTER SALEMÔÇÖ, a dark rock song with a chilling, bitter vibe. ÔÇÿTHATS WHAT I WANTÔÇÖ is an upbeat pop song backed with an acoustic guitar that gives an almost country feel. Lil Nas goes back to his signature style in ÔÇÿDOLLA SIGN SLIMEÔÇÖ (featuring Megan Thee Stallion) a boastful and confident trap pop song. Lil Nas and Megan Thee Stallion work excellently together, though sometimes Megan Thee Stallion can overshadow with her force of personality. Both ÔÇÿDOLLA SIGN SLIMEÔÇÖ and single ÔÇÿINDUSTRY BABYÔÇÖ (featuring Jack Harlow) make an interesting and effective use of brass as its backing instrumental, lending a triumphant tone that works perfectly with the songsÔÇÖ tone.
ÔÇÿMONTEROÔÇÖ is an incredible debut album from Lil Nas X. While sometimes the songs risk being too similar, Lil Nas avoids this with his eclectic cross-genre influences, interesting use of instrumentals and bold, sincere lyrics about his personal experiences as a gay black man in the music industry. Those who thought Lil Nas X to be a one-hit wonder or a meme are sorely mistaken, and I truly believe heÔÇÖs lived up to his own hype. I only hope he continues to do so.
