It may be really hard to believe (with everything going on), but it's only been a year since "Old Town Road (Remix)" feat. Billy Ray Cyrus was released — which would go on to set a new record for the longest run at No. 1 on the Hot 100.
Since then, Lil Nas dropped his genre-defying EP, 7, as well as won two Grammys.
He has also become an important queer figure (especially in terms of representation) after officially coming out as gay in June of last year:
some of y’all already know, some of y’all don’t care, some of y’all not gone fwm no more. but before this month ends i want y’all to listen closely to c7osure. 🌈🤩✨
Well, in a recent candid interview with the UK's The Guardian newspaper, Lil Nas opened up and said he actually had no intention of ever coming out.
According to Lil Nas, growing up in a conservative town in Georgia, he saw the bullying and homophobia firsthand that out queer people in his community faced. And that made him think that he could never come out, ever, saying:
The honest truth is, I planned to die with the secret.
Lil Nas said he went out of his way to never wear anything loud and tried to blend in as much as possible. He also thought he'd never be "brave or rich enough to wear such explicitly queer outfits."
He went on to say that once he took on the persona of Lil Nas X, it changed his mind and he felt he could come out.
He now says how much he wants to represent the LGBT community, and also how he worries about his young closeted fans who might not be in safe situations to come out:
I 100% want to represent the LGBT community...I don’t want to encourage them [young closeted queer fans] to do something [come out] they don’t 100% want to do. Especially in, like, middle school or high school. Because it’s just super hard.
It’s easier for me. I’m not depending on anybody. There’s no one who’s going to kick me out of the house — nobody to start treating me shitty.
Honestly, I think we can all agree he is not only a great role model for the LGBT community, but also for everyone about how to just be yourself.
