Lil Nas X’s Debut Album ‘MONTERO’ Is Here After Two Years Of Anticipation And It’s Absolutely Wonderful
Samantha Colleran, September 2021
Author’s Note: Please be aware of the fact there a few songs on this album that talk about mentions of suicidal thoughts and drug use. If these are triggering subjects for you, please avoid reading this review and listening to the album. Your mental health always comes first!
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Lil Nas X has always been a game changer, he doesn’t care much about what people think of him, and even pokes fun at the people who criticize him for being ‘too much’ in his artistic approach. After nearly two years since the release of the wildly popular “Old Town Road” with a Billy Ray Cyrus feature that broke all sorts of musical records, Lil Nas is finally ready to share his baby MONTERO with the world! (He quite literally shared a baby with the world. With a mock maternity photoshoot and baby shower where the singer wore a fake baby bump, and a video of the ‘birth’ posted at midnight, Lil Nas X has given us one of the most interesting album releases possibly ever. A baby registry is listed on the official MONTERO website that seems funny at first but is worth looking at; every track on the album is paired with a non-profit covering a wide range of categories such as mental health, social and racial justice, among other things, which is pretty incredible if you ask me!)
With three singles leading up to the album, Lil Nas X created a lot of hype surrounding the official release. “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” with its ‘controversial’ music video (“Montero” rightfully won the VMAs for Video Of The Year, Best Visual Effects, and Best Direction on Sunday) and steamy lyrics, the hard hitting “SUN GOES DOWN” where Lil Nas X sings about having suicidal thoughts, and upbeat “INDUSTRY BABY feat. Jack Harlow” all have a different feel and perfectly staged the arrival for the remainder of the tracks.
Lil Nas X surprisingly opens up about a lot of his life struggles. “DEAD RIGHT NOW” talks about his life before his songs charted; he lived with his sister, his dad had no faith in his career, and his mom was going through her own struggles with drug abuse. “TALES OF DOMINICA” expands on this; in a quite literal broken home, Lil Nas tells us his mother’s actions become ‘predictable’, and even after being away for so long he still “can’t face her face”.
As a gay black man, Lil Nas X finds it hard to find love due to the homophobia and racism still prevalent in the world. On “THAT’S WHAT I WANT”, Lil Nas X tells us about his desire to be loved, “’Cause it don’t feel right when it’s late at night/ And it’s just me in my dreams/ So I want, someone to love”. “VOID” sees the artist opening up similarly to “SUN GOES DOWN”, he talks about his struggles with finding love, never feeling like he’s doing enough, and overall feeling like life can be too hard. It’s not something I was expecting, and I may or may not have shed a few tears while listening.
A star studded list of collaborations are scattered throughout the album. “SCOOP feat. Doja Cat” is a smooth self love anthem, seeing both Lil Nas and Doja working on themselves with the desire to be the “daily scoop” of people’s conversations. “ONE OF ME feat. Elton John” (which will also be featured on the singer’s Lockdown Sessions album coming out in October) allows the icon to shine on the backing piano track as Lil Nas X sings about the struggles of people constantly calling him a one hit wonder and expecting him to fail after “Old Town Road”. “DOLLA SIGN SLIME feat. Megan Thee Stallion” has a similar vibe to “INDUSTRY BABY” lyrically, both Lil Nas and Megan sing about their success and their ability to change the game musically. “AM I DREAMING feat. Miley Cyrus” ends our album, and it feels like a full circle moment ending the album by collaborating with Billy Ray’s daughter, who of course is talented in her own right. Miley and Lil Nas X’s voices blend together perfectly on the final chorus, “Oh-oh-oh, never forget me, and everything I’ve done/ Oh-oh-oh, never forget me, like I’m your favorite song/ I’m fadin’ (Fadin’), replayin’ (Mmm)/ These thoughts I thought while sinking down”.
A few tracks I failed to mention above make up the remainder of the album. Twenty four second track “THE ART OF REALIZATION” sees the singer questioning where he’s going in life, “Is it for me? Am I happy?”. Lil Nas is stuck in a bad relationship cycle on “LOST IN THE CITADEL”. When he first met this person he thought they were sent by the universe, now he needs time to pick himself up off the floor and move on again. Lil Nas X opens up about coping with fame in “DON’T WANT IT”. His past haunts him at times (“Started thinkin’ am I stupid to be funny over things that’s been hauntin’ me all my life?” / “I’ve done things in my past I’m sorry for, so please don’t hold me”), and life altering changes during his rise to fame led him down a path of self medicating with marijuana (“I smoked myself to sleep, I’m sad, I think I’m feelin’ lonely”), but he’s still here as “fuckin’ living proof that if you want it, you can have anything right before your eyes”.
With infectious instrumentals, the perfect balance of both intense and happier lyrical content, and the confidence Lil Nas X radiates, it’s hard to dislike this album. Lil Nas X is one of the most genuine artists of this generation, he’s not afraid to speak his mind. He can have fun but get serious when necessary, and that makes a true talent. I’m so happy MONTERO is finally here, and I hope you all enjoy it as well!
Sam’s Song Selection
This is subject to change. For now…
1. “THAT’S WHAT I WANT”- At the end of the day, everyone wants someone to love. The way Lil Nas X sings these lyrics is so passionate, you can’t help but sing along.
2. “LOST IN THE CITADEL”- I love the overall feel of the song. The lyrics are somewhat sad, but the backing music is upbeat and light, this is definitely a song I could drive around with the windows down listening to.
3. “VOID”- It’s a strong moment for Lil Nas X. He isn’t just the silly, goofy meme machine the world knows him as. This song grounds him, makes him feel human, and of course if a song evokes some sort of emotional reaction you know it’s good.
You can of course stream MONTERO on Apple Music, Spotify, or any other streaming service. If you listened to the album, feel free to share your favorite song in the comments!