9781422271339

CHAPTER 1

A STAR

IS BORN

Exhilarating Entrance As “OldTown Road” reverberated across the entertainment landscape, Lil Nas X was flung into the cauldron of bright lights, big crowds, and probing media. He gratefully soaked up every new and exhilarating second of his brand-new life while embracing all the different challenges and experiences that came his way. While he always had big dreams of making hits and being known, he hadn’t devoted any thought to all the other aspects linked to stardom which can be suffocating and career crushing for the ill-prepared and thin-skinned. However, Lil Nas X proved to be strong, confident, and remarkably resilient in an industry that can be incredibly harsh and unkind. From the start, he displayed versatility and adaptability, astonishing industry insiders with his knack for thriving in all settings. Despite being woefully inexperienced in performing in front of audiences, he powered through on every occasion and began building a fan base that continues to expand by the day. No stage was too big, no crowd too large, and no moment too stressful. He glided through them all with a smile, impressing music executives and other big-time stars who welcomed opportunities to share stages with him nationwide and in Europe.Yet, what made his arrival even more remarkable was looking back at where his journey began.

11

a star is born