The video for “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name),” named after Lil Nas X’s legal name, Montero Lamar Hill, and referencing Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s critically praised LGBT drama “Call Me by Your Name,” the internet exploded over the video’s provocative visuals and Satanic imagery. This self-expression has taken the form of “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name), Lil Was X’s new song and accompanying video that’s set off a blaze of controversy online. But recently, one gay artist has taken his self-expression to a whole new level. All of these artists have taken their unique experiences and tooled them to their advantage by detailing them in music. In 2021 however, several notable LGBT artists used their sexual identity as a new lens through which to make music, such as Tyler, the Creator, Frank Ocean and Lady Gaga. And while these two were some of the most revered and consummate performers of the 20th century, only in very select situations were they able to show the world who they truly were due to the intense backlash they received, such as in Queen’s “I Want To Break Free” music video. When Madonna was popular, the LGBTQ icons were limited to Freddie Mercury and Elton John. But when it comes to the gay music scene, these moments are few and far between.
Some of the biggest stars in the world like Madonna and The Weeknd have defined the most acclaimed moments in their career using sex to help fuel their artistic vision. Being sexually evocative is nothing new in music.