Kidz Bop's Lil Nas X cover is being called out for removing all the gay references

2 November 2021, 12:51

Kidz Bop cover Lil Nas X’s Call Me By Your Name in 2022 commercial

By Sam Prance

The Kidz Bop version of Lil Nas X's Montero Call Me By Your Name doesn't contain any lyrics about same-sex attraction.

Kidz Bop is facing backlash for removing all references to gay attraction from Lil Nas X's 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)'.

Ever since Kidz Bop first launched in 2001, the brand has become synonymous with creating child-friendly versions of pop's biggest hits. Kidz Bop albums are often hugely successful and they regularly top the US Kids albums chart. Kidz Bop 2022 is no different and it features covers of Olivia Rodrigo's 'Good 4 U', Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' and many other 2021 singles.

In most instances, Kidz Bop simply remove swear words, as well as references to sex, drugs and alcohol from songs. But, in the case, of Lil Nas X's 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)', they've removed the queer lyrics too and fans aren't happy.

READ MORE: Jack Harlow says his team didn't want him to collaborate with Lil Nas X

Fans of Lil Nas X will already know that the original version of 'Montero (Call Me By Your Name)' contains references to sex, drugs and alcohol, so it's no surprise that Kidz Bop removed those lyrics. However, they've also removed any suggestions that the song is about same-sex love.

For example, 'You live in the dark boy' is changed to 'You live in the dark yeah' and Kidz Bop also changed "if Eve ain't in your garden" to "if you ain't in the garden".

KIDZ BOP Kids - Montero (Call Me By Your Name) (Behind The Scenes) [KIDZ BOP 2022]

In a viral TikTok video, @combat_ostrich replied to a comment which said "they took out boy". They said: "Yes. They did. In fact, they took out all references to the fact that the song is written about a man from the perspective of a man. I wonder why on Earth they would have done that?"

Another person commented, "they de-gayified it," and it got over 7,000 likes.

People are taking issue with the fact that it seems like Kidz Bop essentially consider being LGBTQ+ inappropriate for kids.

As it stands, Kidz Bop are yet to respond to the backlash. We shall update you if they do.

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