International superstar Lil Nas X debuted his first album, Montero, in September 2021. His most notable song from the album, “Montero (Call Me by Your Name),” took the world by storm as it encaptivated his fans and sparked loads of controversy amongst others. At the time of his single release, Lil Nas X spoke with Billboard about how Montero was meant to “help normalize same-sex lust” and its prevalence in music— something that Lil Nas X has continued to do throughout his entire career as a popstar and rapper.
Just seven months after the release of his first album, Lil Nas X announced his first international tour. Fans queued up in the Live Nation waiting rooms in an attempt to get tickets and Lil Nas X took to the road just last month, kicking off his nearly sold-out tour in Detroit, MI. This week he performed at two small venues in Florida and continues to leave his fans (and the anti-LGBTQ protestors) flabbergasted with his contagious positive energy, breathtaking star quality and relatable personality.
On Sept. 18, anti-LGBTQ protestors appeared outside of Lil Nas X’s concert venue in Boston, MA. What did Lil Nas X do in retaliation? He sent them pizza! His act of kindness went viral after Lil Nas X posted on TikTok about the “homophobic guy he fell in love with” on his Twitter.
With every performance thus far, Lil Nas X has managed to leave his audience in awe. From the incredibly intricate use of technology, the stunning bedazzled looks, unbelievably talented backup dancers, perfectly choreographed production and the intimacy of the venues— Lil Nas X and his team have essentially checked all the boxes.
Lil Nas X is the second artist, after Jack Harlow, to bring augmented reality to his concert stage with Snap. To learn more about what this is and how it enhances his performances check out this Billboard article here. He partnered with Coach to create a collection of outfits that thoroughly encapsulate the ambiance of his performance acts and, more importantly, his personality. Not to mention, he compiled a team of extremely gifted backup dancers, all of whom are very apparently trained in all styles from ballet to hip hop. Lil Nas X also worked to ensure that each dancer is highlighted within the performance, providing them with the recognition they undeniably deserve and increasing that level of intimacy with the audience.
Last night, Oct. 5, I had the opportunity to stand in the front row for Lil Nas X’s performance at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, FL. In addition to having “V.I.P. passes” for the show, my sister and I arrived at 4:30 p.m. (two hours early) to secure our spots in line. I spoke to others in line who arrived at 8 a.m. in the morning to ensure they were first in the venue. When Lil Nas X finally came on stage at 9:15 p.m. the crowd’s excitement immediately intensified, and his vision of Montero came to fruition.
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