Lil Nas X has admitted he was jealous of Billie Eilish after her song “Bad Guy” was named Record of the Year at the 62nd Grammy Awards last year.
The rapper told the British edition of GQ Style as he watched Eilish accept the award, he thought: “Damn, but how? I have the biggest song. That isn’t fair.”
Lil Nas X – whose “Old Time Road” won Grammys for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Music Video – said the COVID-19 lockdown helped him come to terms with his feelings.
“I put all that energy I was feeling onto her,” the 22-year-old said of Eilish. “It became jealousy that wasn’t warranted.”
Lil Nas X said he thought to himself: “You have the longest-running number one song, why the f**k are you jealous about this award? We are already so blessed. Even if you don’t have these things, you’re here. You’re still alive. You exist. You shouldn’t have any reason to be jealous.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the openly gay music star said he does not want to be a role model for LGBTQ youth.
“At first I felt a sense of responsibility,” he said. “But now I kind of just don't care. It's not my job.
“Of course I want to spread good ideals, but I'm not nobody's parents. At the end of the day I'm just doing me, and hoping everybody else is following the lead, and doing themselves.”