MUSIC RECOMMENDATION – POLEDANCING TO HELL

In every episode of KET Talks, the Brussels queer podcast, Vjeran recommends some tracks to add to your playlist ! This week we are going local with a two for one deal !

Today we are recommending a true pioneer. Young, brave and proudly outspoken, openly gay African-American rapper and singer – Lil Nas X who rose to prominence when his country rap single “Old Town Road” went viral on TikTok in early 2019 after which the song started climbing music charts internationally and becoming diamond certified by November 2019.

Lil Nas X – MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)

“Old Town Road” spent nineteen weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the longest-running number-one song in chart’s history after dethroning yet another gay icon – Mariah Carey and her song One Sweet Day, proving that gays run the world and music industry! We are LIVING for a fact that such a record was broken by then 19-year-old gay black man! Nevertheless, Lil Nas X also became the first artist in history to come out as gay while the song was still no. 1 on the Billboard list, even though he later said that many people were advising him not to do it as it would supposedly ruin his career.

Now for the recommendations part – Give yourself an audio-visual favor and watch Lil Nas X’s latest music video – MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name). Obviously referencing one of our favorite books (and a movie) Call Me By Your Name. In the music video, Lil Nas X introduces us to the fantasy land of Montero, named after him (Montero Lamar Hill), where he is free to embody his sexuality as he pleases. The video depicts several Lil Nas X alter-egos in scenes inspired by history and mythology, including a make out session with an alien version of himself, a Marie Antoinette-inspired stoning, and a lap dance with the Devil.

For the best part, prepare your tissues – Alongside the “Call Me by Your Name” video Lil Nas X went to twitter to release a letter to his 14-year-old self in which he says: “Dear 14-year-old Montero, I wrote a song with our name in it. It’s about a guy I met last summer. I know we promised to never come out publicly, I know we promised to never be ‘that’ type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist. You see this is very scary for me, people will be angry, they will say I’m pushing an agenda. But the truth is, I am. The agenda to make people stay the f**k out of other people’s lives and stop dictating who they should be. Sending you love from the future. -LNX”

We are sending love to Lil Nas X and to our lovely readers!

Listen to KET Talks now on Spotify, YouTube, IGTV, Deezer and Apple Podcasts! Enjoy this sixth episode of the Brussels queer podcast and feel free to give us your feedback on Facebook and Instagram.

To discover all of Vjeran’s music recommendations, follow KET magazine’s playlist on Spotify.