Rating: 3/5
On Nov. 13, Lil Nas X dropped his new single, “Holiday,” in anticipation of the holiday season. The song’s release was a success, earning a top 40 position on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and over 40 million views on Youtube as of Nov. 30.
In “Holiday,” Lil Nas X stays true to his proven catchy musical and futuristic visual style. The trailer for the “Holiday” music video, “The Origins of Holiday,” takes place in the year 2220 and shows Lil Nas X traveling into the future to act as the replacement for Santa Claus. Similar to his previous work in “Panini” and “Rodeo,” Lil Nas X uses amazing computer-generated visual effects to give a futuristic look to the world around him. We see Lil Nas X work in Santa’s workshop and travel to famous landmarks such as Mount Rushmore and the Statue of Liberty on a sleigh pulled by robotic reindeer. The extraordinary visuals from the music video really show Lil Nas X’s ability as a director, proving that he is a multitalented creator and much more than just a singer-songwriter.
In “Holiday,” Lil Nas X addresses his critics by saying, “I got the biggest damn song… [frick] the charts, sis, I don’t need ‘em / They wanna know if I’ll be lastin’ /… even if I started floppin’, there’d be fashion / Poppin’ up in movies… / Hee, hee, I’m bad as Michael Jackson.” Lil Nas X basically says that he will be successful for years to come, even without the support of the music industry. In addition, when Lil Nas X came out as gay in 2019, many criticized his sexuality. In response to these critics, he says, “I might bottom on the low, but I top [this].” In one of the few clever lines in the song, Lil Nas X says that even if he may be a “bottom” in bed, he is still on top when it comes to music, fame, and life in general.
Although the release for “Holiday” was successful from a statistical standpoint, the expectations for the song were far too high. After “Old Town Road” was released in early 2019, some praised Lil Nas X as the next big music star while others dismissed him as a one-hit-wonder. In both cases, fans made expectations for Lil Nas X that were nearly insurmountable. I was one of the people who mistakenly had overly high expectations for “Holiday,” and as a result, I was a little disappointed by it. The song is not bad by any measure, but it sounds basic and eerily similar to his previous work on “Panini” and “Rodeo.” Although the lyrics and rhythm in the song are very catchy, they are mostly generic and do not stand out in any way. In addition, the melody seems repetitive throughout the whole song. Unlike in “Old Town Road,” Lil Nas X’s vocals stay in his lower range without visiting his upper range, making the song sound dull and boring compared to his previous work. What made Lil Nas X’s song “Old Town Road” so special was how fresh and unique it was when it first came out. However, “Holiday” sounds like repeated material with a little holiday twist to it.
Although “Holiday” is a disappointing follow-up to his previous work, Lil Nas X still solidifies his place as one of the most intriguing artists of our time while breaking barriers about sexuality and music genres in the music industry.