Lil Nas X is the rare pop star who has survived the whiplash caused by sudden fame. After his 2019 country-rap debut, Old Town Road, went from TikTok curio to US No 1 quicker than you can say “yeehaw agenda”, his debut album, last year’s Montero, cemented his status as pop’s newest superstar. Musing on fame, sexuality and mental health, it alchemised the 23-year-old’s tricky upbringing into gold-plated bangers and downcast anthems for dispirited youth, upsetting racists, homophobes, rap gatekeepers and trainer companies with expert precision. The live arena remained his final frontier – the only previous showcases for his onstage prowess were a slew of elaborate, headline-grabbing TV performances featuring same sex snogs and unfortunate wardrobe mishaps. On his first ever tour, Lil Nas X delves into the album’s gloriously queer, David LaChappelle-esque world.
A thoroughly modern superstar – incredibly online, instantly divisive, proudly anti-genre – Lil Nas X’s ability to immaculately court (and curate) attention and controversy also feels like a throwback to a bygone era. In fact, the show – formatted as theatre, complete with its own Playbill-style programme handed out upon arrival – has the feel of a slick 00s pop extravaganza. For a start, there’s an elaborate, overarching conceptual framework. Based on the highs and lows of Lil Nas X’s accelerated, barrier-breaking career progression, it’s split into three sections: Rebirth, Transformation and Becoming. The chintzy set dressing – all gilded drapes, Y2K-era butterflies and neon-hued regalia – feels like a Britney Spears fragrance advert, while the lack of band, and the fact that the backing track of Lil Nas X’s voice can still be heard even when his mic is pointed towards the front rows, only adds to the glorious time-warp feel.
