Sun Goes Down (Lil Nas X song) explained

Sun Goes Down
Type:single
Cover:Lil Nas X - Sun Goes Down.png
Artist:Lil Nas X
Album:Montero
Recorded:June 19, 2020
Length:2:48
Label:Columbia
Producer:
Prev Title:Montero (Call Me by Your Name)
Prev Year:2021
Next Title:Industry Baby
Next Year:2021

"Sun Goes Down" (stylized in all caps) is a song by American rapper Lil Nas X. It was released as a single through Columbia on May 21, 2021, as the second single from his first studio album Montero.[1] [2]

In the song, Lil Nas X addresses his younger closeted self, reflecting on his struggles with bullying and coming to terms with his homosexuality growing up. In contrast to his past music videos carrying surrealistic and futuristic elements, this one is more grounded in reality to reflect the more contemplative nature of the song.

Background and release

On May 3, 2021, Lil Nas X announced that he would perform "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)" and a new song on Saturday Night Live on May 22.[3] [4] On May 13, he revealed the song title, release date and cover art of the song on his social media.[5] The cover depicts him sitting in the sky in a suit controlling water with his fingers,[1] drawing comparisons to .[6] He wrote on Twitter on May 16 that the music video will depict him going back in time to uplift his younger closeted self, and that it is "really special" to him.[7] He elaborates that it is his most "vulnerable" song, noting the song's exploration of his troubled upbringing.[8]

Prior to the song's release, Lil Nas X posted the following message for his younger self on Twitter on February 2, 2021, "Dear 14 year old Montero, I wrote a song with our name in it. It's about a guy I met last summer. I know we promised to never come out publicly, I know we promised never to be 'that' type of gay person, I know we promised to die with the secret, but this will open doors for many other queer people to simply exist. You see this is very scary for me, people will be angry, they will say I'm pushing an agenda. But the truth is, I am. The agenda to make people stay the fuck out of other people's lives and stop dictating who they should be. Sending you love from the future."[9]

The song was released on May 21, 2021, with a music video premiering on YouTube alongside it.[10] Shortly after the song's release, he commented on people's negative reaction to a line about Nicki Minaj. He notes that the song was about his life, of which 6 years were "dedicated" to her, addressing his past as a former Barb, a term for someone who is part of the fandom surrounding Minaj.[11]

Composition

"Sun Goes Down" follows in the footsteps of his previous single "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)", containing prominent homosexual themes. Throughout the song, Lil Nas X describes his feeling of not fitting in with his peers while growing up, noting that the Nicki Minaj fandom community on social media was the only place where he felt he belonged. He further depicts his struggles with bullying and coming to terms with his sexuality, and in the song's chorus, he sings about contemplating suicide.[12]

Music video

The video starts with Lil Nas X depicted meditating above a lake of water with a galactic backdrop dressed in white, manipulating water with his hands.[13] [14] The video continues with him skimming through memories, including music videos for previous songs. He then enters a memory of himself in high school, first at his work at Taco Bell, and later being depicted praying in his bedroom to God to take away his gay thoughts. The video later cuts to a prom dance, where his teenage self struggles to fit in, before leaving to hide in the bathroom to cry.[15] After composing himself in front of the mirror, his older self appears behind him, lending him a supporting hand, leading him back to the prom, where he is now far more comfortable, being depicted dancing with his friends.

Like past music videos of Lil Nas X, this video uses elements of surrealism and futurism, but tones it down to keep it grounded in reality, as he wanted it to feel "very real".[16] The concept for the video was largely the brainchild of Lil Nas X himself, though the visuals were co-directed by the L.A.-based Psycho Films.

Track listing

Digital download / streaming

  1. "Sun Goes Down"2:48

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[17]

Charts

Chart (2021)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[18] 74
Belgium Urban (Ultratop)[19] 30
Lithuania (AGATA)[20] 91
New Zealand Hot Singles (RMNZ)[21] 6

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateFormat(s)Label
VariousMay 21, 2021Columbia[22]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lil Nas X Announces New "Sun Goes Down" Single, Releasing Next Week. Andriyashchuk. Yuriy. Hip-Hopvibe. May 13, 2021. May 14, 2021. May 13, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210513211232/https://www.hip-hopvibe.com/news/lil-nas-x-announces-new-sun-goes-down-single-releasing-next-week/. live.
  2. Web site: Kenneally . Cerys . May 14, 2021 . . Lil Nas X announces new single "Sun Goes Down" . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514212256/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/lil-nas-x-announces-new-single-sun-goes-down . May 14, 2021 . live .
  3. Lil Nas X Will Perform a New Song on 'Saturday Night Live'. Shaffer. Claire. Rolling Stone. May 3, 2021. May 14, 2021. May 6, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506215604/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lil-nas-x-saturday-night-live-1164428/. live.
  4. Web site: Lil Nas X and Olivia Rodrigo Announced as SNL Musical Guests. Strauss. Matthew. Pitchfork. May 3, 2021. May 14, 2021. May 5, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210505230106/https://pitchfork.com/news/lil-nas-x-and-olivia-rodrigo-announced-as-snl-musical-guests/. live.
  5. News: Droke . Carolyn . May 14, 2021 . . Lil Nas X's New Single 'Sun Goes Down' Will Debut Ahead Of His 'SNL' Performance . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514190056/https://uproxx.com/music/lil-nas-x-sun-goes-down-announcement/ . May 14, 2021 . live .
  6. News: Milton . Josh . May 14, 2021 . . Lil Nas X ditches Satan and flies straight up to the heavens in first teaser for new single . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514190650/https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/05/14/lil-nas-x-new-song-sun-goes-dow/ . May 14, 2021 . live .
  7. Web site: Penn . Marianne . May 16, 2021 . TheThings . Lil Nas X Reveals The 'Sun Comes Down' Music Video Is About Uplifting His Closeted Younger Self . https://web.archive.org/web/20210516184624/https://www.thethings.com/lil-nas-x-reveals-the-sun-comes-down-music-video-is-about-uplifting-his-closeted-younger-self/ . May 16, 2021 . live .
  8. Garner . Glenn . May 20, 2021 . . Lil Nas X Says 'It's Rare' That Online Hate Gets to Him After Coming Out: 'The Love Outweighs the Hate' . https://web.archive.org/web/20210520171738/https://people.com/music/lil-nas-x-says-the-love-outweighs-the-hate/ . May 20, 2021 . live .
  9. Web site: MONTERO LYRICS - LIL NAS X - CALL ME BY YOUR NAME. 2021-09-19.
  10. Legaspi . Althea . May 21, 2021 . . Lil Nas X Helps Struggling Younger Version of Self in 'Sun Goes Down' Video . https://web.archive.org/web/20210521143520/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/lil-nas-x-sun-goes-down-song-video-1172737/ . May 21, 2021 . live .
  11. . May 21, 2021 . Lil Nas X Says He Won't Bring Up Nicki Minaj Again After Backlash . https://archive.today/20210521225125/https://www.rap-up.com/2021/05/21/lil-nas-x-nicki-minaj-sun-goes-down-backlash/ . May 21, 2021 . live .
  12. Web site: Mench . Chris . May 21, 2021 . . Lil Nas X Addresses Suicidal Thoughts, Coming Out, & His History As A Barb On "Sun Goes Down" . https://archive.today/20210521224416/https://genius.com/a/lil-nas-x-addresses-suicidal-thoughts-coming-out-his-history-as-a-barb-on-sun-goes-down . May 21, 2021 . live .
  13. . May 21, 2021 . Lil Nas X Goes Right Back To Teenhood In "SUN GOES DOWN" . https://web.archive.org/web/20210521145329/https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2021/05/21/lil-nas-x-sun-goes-down-video-high-school-hell/ . May 21, 2021 . live .
  14. Lash . Jolie . May 21, 2021 . . Lil Nas X goes back to high school in 'Sun Goes Down' video, tells younger self things get better . https://archive.today/20210521150135/https://ew.com/music/lil-nas-x-releases-sun-goes-down-song-video/ . May 21, 2021 . live .
  15. Web site: Banim . Julia . May 21, 2021 . . Lil Nas X Dropped A New Track Last Night And People Can't Get Over How Sad It Is . https://archive.today/20210521153031/https://www.unilad.co.uk/music/lil-nas-x-dropped-a-new-track-last-night-and-people-cant-get-over-how-sad-it-is/ . May 21, 2021 . live .
  16. Anderson . Sage . May 20, 2021 . . Lil Nas X on Queer Style, Gaga's Inspiration and His Pride-Themed Collection With UGG . https://web.archive.org/web/20210521155521/https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/lifestyle/lil-nas-x-ugg-pride-shoes-1171811/ . May 21, 2021 . live .
  17. Web site: . Credits / SUN GOES DOWN / Lil Nas X – TIDAL . May 23, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210523020038/https://listen.tidal.com/album/184903960/credits . May 23, 2021 . live .
  18. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 27 September 2021. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1647. 4. September 27, 2021.
  19. Web site: Belgium R&B/Hip-hop. Ultratop. May 29, 2021. June 1, 2021.
  20. Web site: 2021 21-os SAVAITĖS (gegužės 21-27 d.) SINGLŲ TOP100. lt. AGATA. May 28, 2021. May 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210528143430/https://www.agata.lt/lt/naujienos/21s/. May 28, 2021. live.
  21. Web site: NZ Hot Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. May 31, 2021. May 29, 2021.
  22. Web site: Sun Goes Down - Single by Lil Nas X. Apple Music. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20210521173812/https://music.apple.com/us/album/sun-goes-down-single/1567410554. May 21, 2021. May 25, 2021.

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