Why Was Star Walkin' So Controversial?
The biggest event in the League calendar has finally arrived, with the best teams from every region facing off for the Summoner's Cup and the title of World Champions. The Worlds song has always captured the thrill and intensity of competition, but this year's entry Star Walkin' was met with a lukewarm reception.
A World's Anthem?
There's no denying that Star Walkin' is a fantastic song with a hook that's near impossible to get out of your head. However, it struggles to match the hype of the Worlds' songs that have come before it.
Although the chorus is fantastic, it never builds to a moment that feels epic enough for a Worlds anthem and everything else ends up falling flat. Many people suggested listening to the song on 1.25x speed, which even drew a response from Lil Nas X himself.
Additionally, some of the lyrics have absolutely no place in a song that's meant to encompass the sacrifice and grit needed to be the best in the world:
"Been that, since I came out my mama
Thankin' God daddy never wore a condom"
This underwhelming feeling extends to the music video, which struggles to have an impactful narrative with a worthwhile payoff (unlike songs like RISE and Take Over). The video's setting also feels like a missed opportunity, taking place in a realistic American city when the entire song is about ascending to the cosmos. Surely a celestial theme would have been more fitting, striking and unique?
A Misguided Focus
Consequently, Star Walkin' feels more like a song that Lil Nas wrote independently and was later picked up by Riot to be their Worlds anthem. League of Legends and Worlds were the beating heart of previous Worlds songs, whereas Star Walkin' is more concerned with the artist's meteoric rise to success. The focus is on Lil Nas, rather than the players and the competition.
This is further evidenced by the fact Lil Nas appears multiple times in the video, unlike other Worlds anthems which haven't included the singers. Instead, they only include the most storied players and their signature champions. The announcement video for Star Walkin' was also memey and entertaining, but was once again about Lil Nas instead of Worlds and its competitors.
It's not surprising given Lil Nas's monumental popularity and impact on the music industry, but a Worlds song should always put the players, competition, and League of Legends first, else its purpose is ultimately redundant.
Summary
Star Walkin' is a fantastic song, but unfortunately it does not make for a fantastic Worlds anthem. Nevertheless, Lil Nas X and Riot should be praised for experimenting with a completely different style of music when some previous entries have felt a little samey.
Perhaps the community's response evokes how high expectations are for League of Legends music, considering how phenomenal and ambitious League's extensive music library is. Maybe it's time we take a step back and remember League is first and foremost a game, and any other media we get is a bonus.