Lil Nas X Promises a New Album of “Happy Escapism” At His TIFF Documentary Premiere

The Toronto International Film Film Festival can add Lil Nas X to the growing list of music megastars who have taken part in the festival in recent years. The Billboard record-breaker and Grammy winner arrived Saturday night with his new documentary Lil Nas X: Long Live Montero, sharing with audiences his celebratory spectacle both onstage and off.

Co-directed by Blindspotting’s Carlos López Estrada and Zac Manuel, the film follows the artist as he embarks on his Long Live Montero tour, but also takes time to reflect on the whirlwind of his past few years. Between performances, he recalls the tribulations of coming out while in the spotlight, cracks endless jokes, and finds liberation and inspiration listening to “Free” by Deniece Williams. It also features cameos from Saucy Santana and the queen of confessional concert docs herself, Madonna.

And the film ends with hints of where the artist will be going in the next phase of his career. “I want to be a new me now,” he says. Later, he promised the audience a next album filled with “happy escapism. I want to be more alive.” The film’s credits featured a previously unreleased and melancholy song, fittingly titled “Where Do We Go Now.”

In the Q&A after the film, Lil Nas X told fans in the audience he wants to explore folk and Brazilian funk in future music, promising another tour once music arrives. “I want to drop this good-ass, fire-ass music first and then I’m gonna be back out there.” He also added “I’ve made it important for me for this last year or so to make sure I keep my inner child alive, because that’s what keeps me going and creative.” So even as he continues to evolve, we shouldn’t expect that trademark irreverence to go away any time soon.

Much like Lil Nas X himself, the film itself resists being reduced to one thing. Along with opulent concert footage, the film includes details from his family life, touching confessionals from fans sharing their own journey, and Nas’ unwavering wit in the face of the pressures of fame. Estrada stated that the tapestry quality to the film was inspired by Lil Nas X’s social media presence: “We said this is so funny, so strange, so beautiful, and so warm and what can we do for this film to feel exactly how we feel when we scroll through your TikTok or through your Twitter.”

Though Lil Nas X initially resisted participating in the documentary, he saw the appeal of immortalizing this personal and creative period. The film is obsessed with exploring the finer points of what Lil Nas X considers transitional phases of his young career. He cites the 2021 release of the single and music video for “Call My By Your Name (Montero)” as an example, shifting his public perception from a “friendly neighborhood cowboy” to an unapologetic figure who inspires conservative rants. “I’m obsessed with time. We can’t get that back. Guys, that’s deep, you gotta clap,” he joked with the crowd.

But even with the film’s intense focus on the artist himself,  the film contextualizes his impact. “This story is about Montero, but it’s also a bigger story about embarking on a journey to find out who you really are and how you want to present yourself to the world,” Manuel told the crowd while introducing the film, “I hope this gives people peace in their journey.”

Estrada added, “[Making the film] was a lot more than a concert experience. We kept saying that it felt a lot like a support group, and one for people who are desperately wanting to reach inwardly … and fully love who they are. I think especially today when the queer community is experiencing so much prejudice and their most basic rights being taken away from them, we really are excited to share this.”

As the film makes clear, there’s no limit to the personal growth Montero looks to achieve and inspire in his fanbase, nor the creative. TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey asked the artist if directing a feature film might be in his future, to which he responded “Oh, there’s going to be something that’s going to happen.” Move over, Taylor Swift.