Earlier this month, Saturday Night Live announced Lil Nas X would be the musical guest on the NBC series’ season 46 finale. The performance took place this past weekend, and it quickly became a trending topic on the internet.
Lil Nas X’s SNL set garnered a lot of attention due to its use of provocative dance moves, fashion, and subject matter. However, it was a “wardrobe malfunction” during the “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” performance that went super viral.
“At first I was afraid to even perform. Then we rehearsed for 2 weeks, then all of the dancers got removed because one had [COVID-19] and new ones had to learn the routine in 24 hours, and then I ended up ripping my pants and couldn’t finish. Everything happens for a reason tho lol,” tweeted Lil Nas X on the morning after his SNL apperance.
While many of Lil Nas X’s fans expressed support for the 22-year-old entertainer, there were some skeptics that believed the incident was purposely staged for publicity. LNX addressed the PR stunt speculation while on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The late-night program’s host played a clip from Lil Nas X’s Saturday Night Live dress rehearsal where he was able to complete his planned pole dance routine. The 7 EP creator told Fallon, “I want everybody who thought it was a publicity stunt to see that. It was not. I would never rip my pants in public on purpose.”
Some viewers questioned whether Lil Nas X set up the headline-grabbing moment because of his history on social media. A teenage Montero Hill reportedly spent years trolling celebrities via his now-deleted @NasMaraj Twitter account. Plus, the music star seemed to intentionally want to enrage his critics by selling “Satan Shoes” and presenting controversial content.
In addition to performing the former #1 Hot 100 single “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” on SNL, Lil Nas X also ran through his new song titled “Sun Goes Down.” Both tracks are expected to live on LNX’s forthcoming debut studio album Montero.
