“He’s so cute!”

Lil Nas X talks relationship status with Ellen and coming out to family

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Lil Nas X on The Ellen Show (Photo: YouTube)

Lil Nas X guested on the Ellen Show Monday to talk about his meteoric rise to fame, coming out, and his current relationship status.

On the last point, the 20-year-old rapper and singer turned coy. Asked if he was in a relationship, he said, ‘somewhat … somewhat.’

Clearly, whatever’s going on, it’s in the early stages or he doesn’t want to share it with the world just yet.

Related: WATCH: Kevin Hart doesn’t understand the homophobia Lil Nas X faced growing up

He was more comfortable talking about his rise to fame. He says this time last year he was sleeping on his sister’s floor whilst trying to promote his music online.

That all changed when he released his song, “Old Town Road”.

The track spent a record-breaking 19 weeks at number on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and was a hit around the world. This week, his follow-up track, “Panini”, is at number five on the Hot 100 while “Old Town Road” is at number ten, ensuring he’s no one-hit wonder.

It was during the latter’s run at the top of the charts, that Lil Nas X chose to come out as gay on Twitter: on the last day of Pride Month in the US.

DeGeneres applauded him for choosing to come out while at the top of the charts and asked him if his family already knew.

‘My dad and my sister, the same month that I came out, I told them pretty much. I guess give them a heads up a little earlier in the month.’

Last week, in a front cover interview with Billboard, Lil Nas X elaborated further on coming out to his dad, saying the prospect of telling his father about his sexuality had been “nerve-wracking.”

“It’s something I never probably would have did if I was still living with my parents. I have that independence to do it, you know?” he told Billboard.

Related: From Lil’ Nas X to Lena Waithe, Black gays are having a moment of pure joy. And it’s about time.

Ellen asked him what inspired him to come out when he did. He again said that living independently and his newfound success had helped the process.

“Just knowing like, it was something I knew I should of been done but I was like, I was not in a position where I had to worry about family and friends and how they would react, I guess. But it’s like, in the past year … I’m in a new level so it doesn’t really matter.

“And also, how it would be good for the young ‘uns who are listening to me right now who are going to have to go through stuff like this in the future, to know it’s alright.”

Ellen DeGeneres wasn’t the only talk show legend that Lil Nas X got to hang out with yesterday. Also guesting on the show was Oprah Winfrey.

Lil Nas X posted a photo of himself meeting Winfrey for the first time backstage. The image has been liked over 800,000 times across Instagram and Twitter. Winfrey told Ellen she had accidentally walked in on Lil Nas X when he wasn’t quite dressed, adding, “He’s so cute!”

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