AUSTIN, Texas — Lil Nas X burst into fame in 2019 with the release of "Old Town Road" with Billy Ray Cyrus, but the Georgia native has trekked a long way since.
Known for his show-stopping red carpet looks, the outspoken style icon gave Texas what they wanted at the 2022 Austin City Limits Music Festival.
With multiple costume changes and a three-act theatrical spectacle, he's what some might call the "Prince of Rap." And each of his three acts – "Rebirth," "Transformation" and "Becoming" – had a full-fledged production fit for royalty. There was even a giant horse!
But Austin fans were quick to notice a tribute to Houston's own Beyoncé, as he took a ballroom dance break to the tune of "PURE/HONEY" from her latest album, "RENAISSANCE."
Despite all the fanfare, the breakthrough artist remained humble and allowed some time for many his backup dancers to shine, giving each of them – Bernard, Amari, Kebahb, Devin, Chris, Dobbin, Alex and Zacharia – a solo moment on their own. He also invited some fans on stage to dance and later got intimate with the crowd.
"I don't think I've performed here since, like, 2019. And, you know, a lot has changed in my life and probably y'all lives right now. And I know the pandemic or whatever happened, and that's, like, in the past or whatever. But if I don't see y'all for another three years, I hope y'all have the m----- f------ best years of all time," he told the crowd while wearing giant butterfly wings before jumping into his defining single, "MONTERO (Call Me by Your Name)."
After the festival, the two-time Grammy award winner will wrap up his sold-out "Long Live Montero" world tour, hitting Houston and Dallas next week.
But, in recent weeks, he's also made headlines for the release of his new single "STAR WALKIN'" in collaboration with the hit online video game "League of Legends." And, last month, Lil Nas X was also featured in the new "Courage to be Real" campaign for Coach as the brand's new ambassador.
"My whole career has been about breaking down doors, and this campaign represents everything I've overcome so far," the queer rapper said about the campaign. "It's about walking into new chapters of life, new experiences and new versions of myself, and it's rooted in authenticity and self-expression – two things I really care about."
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