Lil Nas X said he believes releasing his provocative 2021 hit “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” in today’s political environment would put his life at risk.
He cited the return of Donald Trump to the presidency and a more hostile conservative climate, which could potentially put his life at risk.
“If I did that today, they’d actually try to kill me, like I’m not kidding,” Lil Nas X told Paper magazine.
The track, which featured biblical imagery and LGBTQ+ themes, ignited controversy when it dropped three years ago.
But Lil Nas X suggested the backlash would be far more dangerous now.
The 25-year-old artist, born Montero Hill, is promoting his latest project, Dreamboy, which includes the upbeat single “Hotbox.”
He said the song is meant to offer a brief escape from the chaos of the world.
“I know a lot of people are very scared in the world right now, about all the s**t that’s happening, especially in our own country,” he said. “I don’t want to think about it. And I don’t mean that in the sense of being dismissive. If this song could even for three minutes make somebody forget what’s going on and feel some oblivious joy, then so be it.”
Lil Nas X also opened up about the emotional toll of public scrutiny and credited singer Camila Cabello with helping him regain confidence after collaborating on her track “He Knows” last summer.
“We did a great job at uplifting each other and showing each other how we view the situation and how we view each other from outside of ourselves,” he said.
“To hear affirmation from somebody who you greatly respect and you love what they’ve done, it feels great, especially because you can feel like it comes from a genuine place, and not like someone trying to get something from you.”