Lil Nas X Says Miley Cyrus Doesn't 'Even Realize How Much of a Legend' She Is: 'I Really Admire Her'

Lil Nas X talks to Zane Lowe about two of his biggest inspirations: Miley Cyrus and Doja Cat

Lil Nas X is making headlines left and right with his over-the-top 'fits and must-watch performances — and he's thanking two pop queens for their impact on his burgeoning career.

Chatting with Zane Lowe ahead of the release of his debut album Montero, out Friday, the "Industry Baby" singer, 22, shared how Doja Cat and Miley Cyrus have influenced his career and music. (PEOPLE has two exclusive clips from Lowe's interview.)

"Miley is just the sweetest person ever and I feel like she's one of those people that don't even realize how impactful and how much of a legend they already are," he told the Apple Music host. "And what they have done and what they're doing right now, even to this day. And I really admire her and her ability to constantly change herself."

lil nas x interview
Lil Nas X. Courtesy Apple Music

Nas added that he really respects Cyrus, 28, for figuring out who she really is despite her upbringing as the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus and her start on Disney. "It's so hard to do," he said.

"It's just another thing we can connect on, maybe never spoke about it, but yeah, I feel that," he explained.

The other pop queen who has influenced the "Montero" singer is Doja Cat, 25, whom he describes as a "f—ing star."

RELATED VIDEO: Lil Nas X Shares How Doja Cat and Her Performances Inspired Him to 'Start Going to the Gym'

"She is one of my biggest inspirations right now. It first starts with just watching the VMAs last year, seeing her out there looking like a f—ing star," Nas explained, referring to her "Say So" performance at last year's VMAs, where she took home the new artist of the year award. "It literally made me start going to the gym. Because I was like, 'I want to get in shape because I want to start doing crazier, better performances.'"

"And I just want to be in shape in general. And just her music, she's diverse, her videos, and her personality is really colorful and pop," he adds. "She's funny. She's a fun person. She takes things seriously, but doesn't take things seriously. You know what I mean? She takes what she does seriously."

"You can tell she puts a lot of effort into everything she does, but she's not going around like, 'I am the best. I am the queen of everything,'" he concludes. "And rightfully so, she could say that."

lil nas x interview
Lil Nas X and Zane Lowe. Courtesy Apple Music

Lil Nas' chat with Lowe comes days after the singer performed "Industry Baby" and "Montero" at the VMAs on Sunday, when he took home the awards for video of the year, best direction and best visual effects for "Montero (Call Me By Your Name)."

Recently, Lil Nas spoke to PEOPLE about what he's learned during the lockdown and how he has approached his new album.

"I've changed the way that I handle a lot of situations, the way I manage my sadness and anger and just understanding that I don't have to react to emotions in certain ways," he said. "I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose how to react. I've learned to let people's comments roll off my back."

"You're getting a lot of stories about me," he added about his album. "You're getting a lot of stories about my past and where I want to be in my love life. But they're also a bop. I feel like I finally found a great balance between being as real as possible within my music and making a hit song."

Watch Zane Lowe's full interview with Lil Nas X here.

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