Month: May 2021

Like father, like son- The ultimate drag duo

Post author By Nuruz Uddin
Post date 25 May 2021

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in me.”

Dads, don’t we love them. Nothing compares to the bright mood and guidance they can bring into our life. They’re like unsung heroes. In the drag industry, the amount of support we need to flourish can’t be underestimated. You’re thinking drag, dad and support; how? Yes, we know. Sometimes getting your dad to warm up to the idea is easier said than done. For one, we’re sure they don’t imagine spending Sunday mornings tidying makeup and dresses from the floor after what the adventure Saturday night in Soho brought. Thankfully, for Alexander or Kiara Hole, this isn’t an issue, as he carries his dads’ Favolous Flavas’ legacy of the drag queen hype that’s dominated their household since the 90s. Given their popularity in their hometown of Edinburgh, both father and son duo have been dubbed ‘Scotland’s answer to Kim K and Kris Jenner’ by locals.

Favolous Flava has been performing drag since the 80s. Her favourite costume draws inspiration from the Scottish national colours and the St. Georges’ flag. “Back in my heyday, so through the late 80s and majority of the 90s, drag was always kept quiet in the basements
of nightclubs and bars,” she says. “The main impetus when it comes to being on stage was on vocals and exaggerated performance. That’s still the key to many contemporary drag scripts, which gives me a proud feeling.” In the early days of her drag, Favolous Flavas’ desires were monumental in bringing a high work ethic into every performance. She treated each performance as if it were her last. She highlights how competitive this field was in the 80s, underlining that it often didn’t permit any slacking. Competition for limited places was intense. “When I started, I lacked self-belief and courage. There was no formula to success. Drag had no end goal, nor commercially or
financially. For us gay citizens in Edinburgh, it was a safe haven where we could be ourselves. That’s why this passion still stays the same. It’s something we created. I also believe it was much more of a community; Instead of being in direct competition, we almost had to become pioneers for the next generation. I call it community competition rather than individual. The individual competition is more prevalent in the drag field of today.

Kiara Hole agrees with her dad in that the 80s and 90s were much more of a competitive field, but that the generation had more of a family feel than it does today. “I remember, while growing up, I’d see him walk in at 1 a.m. with eyelashes dangling off. I thought to myself, I’ll have some of that,” she recounts. “I’m from outside London, where the drag scene isn’t in the public eye much. We almost have to force and market ourselves to be seen. I remember, back when I was 13 years old, every time after I finished school, my dad and I would have our catwalk competition in the hallway to see who the ultimate queen was,” Kiara details. “While every other kid my age played out in the streets with their friends, my dad and I would slap on contour and our mums’ worn-out dresses. And I loved every second of it,” she states. However, Kiara notes that “back then it was also so much more fun because you didn’t give a toss. Now generations have changed, and social media presence has made the drag industry become a ‘who looks and feels the best’ competition.”

To father and son, it appears to be the 80s generation who got the ball rolling to make drag into the phenomenon it’s become today. However, with every performance in those years came potential harm. Favolous Flava reminisces about her initial foray to CC Blooms, an iconic bar for drag queens situated in the heart of Edinburghs’ city centre. “The first time I stepped foot into this building, I just felt that sensation of home. I knew this place was special. No one judged me, which I found mystifying, as just twenty seconds out the door, I’d just gotten verbally harassed. As soon as I entered the two doors, it’s like the club acted as a shelter,” she recounts with glistening eyes. “The drag queens that were performing on that comedy night welcomed me with open arms. That’s what drag is about, welcoming and providing lost souls with a home and a place to be free. I would’ve loved to bring my son to experience that, but I just wanted to protect his safety. Imagine if something happened to him, it would’ve put him off drag forever.”

Kiara concurs, “it would’ve dampened my vision and probably left me mentally scarred. I’m such a passionate advocate for drag, so if I’d seen something like that, it would’ve hurt.” In mid-thought about the transitions of generations, Kiaras’ mood shifts immediately. “I’m so much more grateful for having been raised in the right era as I know the restrictive realities my father had to endure. Being unable to extensively explore the term drag didn’t help the drag generation in my dads’ time to move in the right direction for a long time,” she explains. “My dad’s club CC Blooms, which he brought early this century, has images of drag performers from the 2nd world war era. However, when you look at images from the 1990s and mid-2000s, the clothing and makeup styles have stayed the same. That’s a half a century year gap where no improvements were made. I’m just thankful for living in a social media era in which I can capitalise from my talents of being a drag queen.”

Fast forward to today, where we have this open-minded generation, the drag industry has become extensively commercialised. It’s much more than merely impersonating a woman. Go on GiGis’ Instagram; every tagged queen has a descriptive version of themselves in the bio. Ask any of them, and you’ll find there’s no such thing as a direct drag queen. There’s always something either in between the two words or before it.

Business ventures within drag are something that’s on the rise. Take a glimpse at the strip in Soho; you are spoiled with choice! The investment in drag and LGBTQIA+ clubs in Edinburghs’ city centre has seen itself to be branded as a ‘mini Soho’ by the Scottish drag community. Pay Favolous Flavas’ club or CC Blooms a visit on a Wednesday night and find the Scots mixing Irn bru with gin and tonic water. Starting a political agenda will attract death stares. However, adorning yourself with a sassy wig and an exquisite dress without forgetting to add a pinch of comedy will attract a flourishing crowd.

This is a standard method drag performer Favolous Flava follows to bring out her ability. “From the beginning, drag has always had elements of political know-how,” she says. “This club itself has used this method to attract fans on a weekday. The entertainment factor will always be in the mix, but politics is what sells now. A lot of my new material pre-covid and post lockdown is politics-related. It takes the piss out of the English, Brexit and all that malarkey,” she explains. “We Scots love it because it gets under the Englishs’ skin. We’re like their annoying sibling. We love em’, really! But by taking it with a grain of salt, it’s much easier to see it from the entertainment point of view than the political one.

This technique of implementing political thought into drag has seen the growth go all the way from performance to impersonation. This has given the artistry a whole new avenue to reach financial rewards. Kiara now uses it to her advantage in her attempt to achieve mainstream success. “I like the impersonation side more than the performative,” she says. “Taking the mick out of another individual – I love it! I used politics to try to get the upper hand on competitors as I know us Scots prefer not taking ourselves too seriously.”

Social media is another advantage Kiara has over Flava. Go on TikTok and type in ‘drag queen’, and you’ll get 3.7 million results. Quite impressive if you ask us! Kiara appreciates the power social media has granted the drag field. However, drag and politics have merged on social media platforms, making it all the more monumental. “Apps such as TikTok have undoubtedly taken the mainstream and commercial side to another level. One I never imagined possible all them years back,” Kiara declares. “Everyone mentions TV shows such as RuPaul, but I feel like social apps have had a better influence. The most popular drag queens on the app are people in their 30s and 40s who’ve taken this trend by storm. It’s not just doing viral dances or funny skits. It’s more. Now, we see more politically aware content. It reveals that drag can also be serious and a valuable tool in fighting larger political issues, such as LGBTQIA+ rights. This generation has given sexuality and gender the middle finger, and, in my eyes, that’s the biggest thing drag has done for this generation,” she says. “When I look into the crowd and see wee people holding hands, being in love and just embracing their gayness, IN PUBLIC I emphasise, I just know it never happened back in my dads’ day. I can’t even remember a time where I was subjected to a lack of acceptance. It’s really that good. My heart is filled with content knowing how people can feel much more comfortable being themselves,” Kiara says with recognisance.

As this artistry has found stability on this eras’ mainstream TV, the next step is financial reward, according to this dynamic duo. The upcoming generation deserves to make this their livelihood. Favolous Flava looks forward to the first time she’ll hit the stage with her son and fellow queen Kiara Hole later this December. Selling out clubs in Soho and Shoreditch with his witty aura, her ‘little cherub’ has had quite the impact on the drag game across all four British borders. “I still get goosebumps talking about it,” she says. “I think our family home will have the same image from the night framed in every room of the house. Being on stage with someone who shares the same blood as me in a prestigious drag club in the heart of Soho will be such an emotional moment for me. Ahh, I wish I could fast forward time to the claps, the acceptance and the laughter. It’ll be the perfect performance,” Flavolous envisions. “Honestly, a father and son drag duo is like finding a needle in a haystack. If it can inspire the child and parent bond as well, it’d give me such satisfaction.”

Kiara expresses equal excitement. “My dad is so soppy, I agree. I can’t wait! When lockdowns are over, we’ll shut down the stage for sure,” she says confidently. “Make sure you tell the English to pay attention to the guidelines. I’m missing out on money, and we’ve got a whole generation to inspire here.”

Oh, we will. Trust us on that. Keep your eyes peeled on GiGis’ Instagram; we’ll be promoting the show closer to the time.

Before we conclude, Kiara leaves us with a beautiful quote. “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person; he believed in me.”

If you have any heart-warming stories of bonds connected to your drag journey, make sure to e-mail or DM us on Instagram.

glam squad

In the closet of Pasta Parisa

Post author By Gemma Romain
Post date 25 May 2021

Dive into Pasta Parisa’s fabulous closet and discover the inspiration behind 3 fashionable outfits. Stay seated to watch her rock them in her own at-home studio!

Tags drag, Drag queen

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Remembering Remarkable Queens

Post author By Olivia Miraglia Mello
Post date 24 May 2021

Mother Marsha in 1987, Photo by: Stanley Stellar, @stanley.stellar

Some queens go beyond their wigs, outfits, and flawless makeup to redefining drag, fashion and culture all while challenging stereotypes and stigmas around gender, race and sexuality. Indeed, most of us would feel blessed if we accomplished half of their achievements in our lifetime. Here, at GiGi, we wanted to honour just some of these queens of queens. With so many memorable queens who have roamed this earth and gifted us with their humour, personalities, talent, beauty, and more, it was quite the challenge selecting only four to focus on. Time can’t erase the impact these icons have made and the footprints they have left. Starting with, yours truly, Divine!

Divine

Born Harris Glenn Milstead in 1945, Baltimore, and renowned the “drag queen of the century” by People Magazine upon his death in 1988; you may not believe it but in his childhood, Divine was a bit of an outcast and a shy kid. It wasn’t until the age of 16 when he met underground filmmaker John Waters; also known as “The Pope of Trash” according to writer William Burroughs, that Divine flourished. Waters wanted her to be the Godzilla of drag queens, calling her the “most beautiful woman in the world, almost”. Together, this dynamic duo gave rise to transgressive and delightfully trashy films such as Pink Flamingo, Serial Mom, Multiple Maniacs, Hairspray and many other pictures where Divine proved herself to be a talented actress. The queen was also a club performer, successfully producing various singles in the 1970s and 80s such as ‘I’m So Beautiful’ and even appeared on the U.K music show Top of the Pops with her song ‘You Think You’re A Man’.

Divine was iconic, unapologetically big, and self-consciously vulgar. As far as her looks went, it was very in-your-face and aggressive with ostentatious makeup looks and outfits that flaunted her curves; redefining the conventions of drag and challenging who was allowed to perform gender and how. “Divine took a bigger-than-life character… I think she made RuPaul possible,” says Film Historian George Figgs in Divine’s 1998 documentary. Similarly, in Harper’s Bazaar, drag queen Psycadella Facade speculates how we could’ve had Divine’s Drag Race instead of RuPaul’s had Divine’s success not been cut short. At only 42 years old, in 1988, Divine was found dead at the Regency Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles from a heart attack.

Although Divine considered herself more of an actor than a drag queen, her influence was ample. Not only did she fearlessly shift drag from beauty pageant styles, but she also was the inspiration for the villain, Ursula, from Little Mermaid– very few of us can say they have a Disney character influenced by them. Divine is even displayed as a 10-foot statue in the American Museum of Visionary Art in Baltimore. She is a legend with one hell of a personality who daringly paved the way for many queens to come. She is simply, and truly divine.

Marsha P. Johnson

Born Malcolm Michaels Jr. in 1945, New Jersey, Marsha was and continues to be a prominent figure in the LGBTQIA+ community. As an outspoken advocate of gay rights in the 1969 Stonewall uprising, she’s considered by many as the forefront of the gay liberation movement in the United States. She is also the co-founder of the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR), helping homeless transgender youth.

In addition to being an activist, Johnson was also a drag queen, sex worker and a prevalent part of street life in New York’s Greenwich Village where she relocated in 1966 to find herself, with one bag of clothes and $15 dollars to her name. During this transition period, she was initially referred to as Malcolm and Black Marsha. Later, she settled on Marsha P. Johnson, the “P” standing for “Pay It No Mind”; a phrase she used when asked about her gender as a gender-nonconforming individual during a time where this was not widespread or acceptable.

With a liking for feminine clothing since she was five years old, Marsha found tremendous joy in being a drag queen, quickly establishing her presence in the village through her vibrant outfits which she would tend to scavenge for in rubbish bins. She was usually seen wearing bright red heels, colorful wigs rendered with artificial fruits and flowers sourced from the streets of Manhattan’s Flower District, stacks of jewelry and glittering dresses. She occasionally performed on stage in ‘high drag’, but primarily in grassroots groups such as the drag performance group Hot Peaches whom she successfully toured the world with.

Marsha’s body was found in the Hudson River in 1992, soon after the Pride parade. Initially ruled as a suicide, the case has been reopened as a possible murder. Despite her tragic death, her legacy lives on and her story of determination in the face of oppression echoes to this day.

“I’d like to let you know Marsha, that your fire never went out. I see it on the streets, in the bars and dance floors, on the piers. I see it in the eyes of those who are fearlessly themselves. I see it in black and brown queer and trans people. Marsha, your fire never went out. It spread like wildfire and set us ablaze. I will fight for you forever, Marsha,” says West Dakota, a Brooklyn-based drag queen said to possess a star quality to rival Lady Gaga, according to Vogue.

Mario Montez

Born René Rivera in 1935, Puerto Rico, but New York made, Mario Montez, whose name is a homage to the iconic Dominican actress, Maria Montez; was a substantial influence in the history of film, theatre, art and queer performance. His poised and glamorous drag made him a successful figure in the avant-garde, camp, and underground film culture in the 60s, becoming a fixture in films by Andy Warhol as his first drag “superstar” and a favourite of artist Jack Smith.

Presented with a lifetime achievement award in queer film by the Berlin International Film Festival and crowned “the great drag superstar,” Montez was a sought-after actor, making appearances in 13 films by Andy Warhol such as Harlot, Camp, More Milk, Yvette and The Chelsea Girls as well as in Flaming Creatures and the unfinished film, Normal Love by Jack Smith. Other features included films by Puerto Rican filmmaker José Rodríguez-Soltero and Brazilian visual artist Hélio Oiticica.

As a member of Charles Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theater Company, Montez would design and make costumes for himself as well as other cast members by refashioning clothing found at thrift shops and trash piles which he labelled, “Montez Creations”. On stage, he was known for his timely humour, over-the-top acting and versatility in capturing the essence of femininity independent of what role he was playing. “Whether he is playing The Wife, The Mother, The Whore or The Virgin, Montez captures the ineffable essence of femininity,” says Charles Ludlam, founder of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company.

Although Montez performed in drag, as a devout Roman Catholic, his relationship with drag was an intricate one, calling it “going into costume” and being fearful of revealing this to his family. According to Warhol in the book, Popism, “The only spiritual comfort he allowed himself was the logic that even though God surely didn’t like him for going into drag, that still, if he really hated him, he would have struck him dead.”

This queen, fascinated with the Hollywood glitz and considered a royal in the world of underground filmmaking, was every inch a star, one which shines to this day. Bringing drag to the theatre as well as representation for Latinos in the US cinema with his striking performances.

Montez died in 2013 in Key West, Florida, at the age of 78. The cause according to Claire K. Henry, senior curatorial assistant of the Andy Warhol Film Project, was complications of a stroke.

Sylvester

Born Sylvester James in 1947, Los Angeles, this queen is the creator of one of disco’s impermeable classics, an everlasting Pride anthem and a groundbreaking hit in Pop history, You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)’. One of the first openly gender fluid musicians, Sylvester embraced the gender spectrum at a time not particularly warm to the LGBTQIA+ community. His emotive and soaring falsetto voice was rooted in Gospel and Blues, creating a template that was long followed into the future by the Pop industry.

His life as a musician began at a young age during his church choir performances at regional Gospel Music events. Later as a teenager, Sylvester joined The Disquotays, a group of passionate and fearless black teenage drag queens, “somewhere between a street gang and a sorority house,” says a previous member to The Guardian. The group would courageously defy California’s law against public cross-dressing by wandering the streets in full-drag and throwing scandalous parties. They also joined the 1965 Watts riots, a series of violent confrontations by Los Angeles police and residents of Watts, caused by the arrest of an African American man by a white California Highway Patrol officer on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

Outrageously gay, Sylvester was all about high fashion drama. He flaunted fur coats, satin and disco sequins in his soulful performances where he was known for his movie-like stage entrances. Ironically, he preferred to work with straight musicians as he would say, “There’s only room for one queen in this band and I’m it.” Despite his preference, in 1969 when he moved to San Francisco, Sylvester was invited to join the cabaret troupe, The Cockettes. There, he was given a star spot in one of their revues, signing ‘The Big City Blues’, becoming their main attraction. However, with critics not embracing the group’s stage insanity but Sylvester’s authentic Blues, he decided to go solo.

In addition to ‘You Make Me Feel’, he made other successful records such as ‘Dance Stars’, ‘Do Ya Wanna Funk’ and a live album called Living Proof. It is hard to pinpoint the root of his success as simply a product of his extravagant personality or outrageous style, but many agree that it is the modern figure he would portray as a woman one day and man the other during an era when this was unheard of. “Sometimes, folks make us feel strange, but we’re not strange. And those folks – they’ll just have to catch up,” says Sylvester to a New York audience in 1978 while enjoying the fame his record had brought him. In 1988 and only 41 years old, Sylvester was found dead in his bed in San Francisco of complications from AIDS.

This era-transcending record means Sylvester’s relevance as a staple of the 70s-music industry, and gender anarchist is still “mighty real.” He was a rebel and radical visionary who turned everything that could be the basis of his marginalisation into superstardom. Not bad for a queen who was just “trying to get on the radio.”

Want to know more about drag history, see our article on a little drag through history.

Tags drag history, Drag queen

real talk

Picture This!

Post author By Chantelle Lewis
Post date 23 May 2021

Besides having a desirable personality that makes everyone want to be your friend, another signature of being a drag artist is having an epic Instagram feed full of unapologetic looks, show-stopping make-up and trademark that could kick ass.

There’s no doubt that many of RuPauls’ Drag Race finalists have gone on to become mainstream celebrities, with fans all over the world and millions of followers online. As a result, many of these drag performers have become digital influencers in their own right, battling for copious sponsorships, gigs, and interaction with their enormous online personalities.

The number of Instagram followers a celebrity has may appear to be a minor concern for fans. However, the queens have often voiced that their fan base directly impacts their opportunities and how frequently they are hired to appear. With no further ado, here are the top five most-followed queens on Instagram.

Alaska – 1.8 Million followers

When it comes to RuPauls’ Drag Race, she placed second in season five and then became the winner of All Stars season two. Alaska is one of the franchises’ most popular stars. Since being on the programme, Alaska has recorded many songs, co-founded the Race Chaser podcast with fellow queen William, and has even participated in the first season of VH1s’ Scared Famous.

Alaska has heaps of YouTube subscribers and thousands of monthly Spotify listeners due to her Drag Race success. With 1.8 million followers, she’s one of the most popular Drag Race participants on the platform.

Sasha Velour – 1.8 Million followers

Sasha Velour is one of the main reasons Drag Races’ 9th season finale has gone down in history as one of the most memorable and thrilling episodes of the whole series. Since winning the crown in 2017, Sasha has run the nightGowns concerts in New York City, which has now been turned into a Quibi docu-series. Broad City and The Bold Type were also among the series where she made appearances.

Sasha Velour, too, is amongst the list of popular drag queens obtaining over 1.8 million followers. Her Instagram is a fantasy filled with bold colours and perfectly posed images that flaunt her originality and creativity.

Katya – 2.3 Million followers

Katya, Miss Congeniality of season seven and the runner up of All Stars two, is the first drag queen to reach the two million Instagram mark. Katya has been in oodles of TV episodes since she burst onto our screens in 2015. These include Love, Victor, Tales of the City and EastSiders. 

More importantly, Katya has had great success presenting World of Wonders UNHhhh, and Netflixs’ I Like To Watch, alongside her season seven sister, Trixie Mattel. Released in 2020, Trixie and Katyas’ Guide to Modern Womanhood  is the duos’ debut book. 

Adore Delano – 2.1 Million followers

During her appearance on Drag Race season six, Adore Delano earned the hearts of many fans across the globe. Despite her disappointing performance on All Stars season two, Adore is still one of the most popular Drag Race participants to have ever walked the runway. With her relatable collection of everyday photos that she posts for her fans, she’s gained 2.1 million followers.

Only trailing a little behind Bianca Del Rio but much ahead of her drag sisters, Adore Delano has been the second most-followed queen on Instagram for a long time. However, several queens have recently seen an increase in their social following, closing the gap between Adores’ ever-increasing Instagram following.

Bianca Del Rio – 2.5 Million followers

No other contender has ever dethroned Bianca Del Rio, the most-followed Drag Race queen of all time, who starred in season six of RuPauls’ Drag Race in 2014. Bianca has profusely participated in comedy tours and television appearances such as Hurricane Bianca and Dragged and rules supreme on all social media platforms.

Biancas’ Instagram helps keep her fans updated on her current projects and shows she is currently working on and various comedic skits.

glam squad

7 Drag stores for garments, shoes and accessories

Post author By Joana Ndoka
Post date 22 May 2021

Although queens make the gender-bending art of drag look like a piece of cake, just finding the fitting garments requires thorough research on its own. Most queens prefer designing or altering clothes to match their personal style by making outfits more revealing, glittery, extravagant and fun. Finding places to buy drag outfits is only where you start. You then work your own magic on the clothes themselves. Buying at drag artist-owned businesses is ideal for finding the perfect performance looks and a brilliant way to support the community affordably and effectively.

The seven following “drag” stores are an optimal starting point for building up your closet and supporting drag artists with your purchase. It’s a win-win for all!

Tags drag king, Drag queen, drag stores

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The Drag Queens Revolutionising the Brazilian Music Industry

Post author By Olivia Miraglia Mello
Post date 21 May 2021

Pabllo Vittar, Aretuza Lovi and Kaya Conky by Gabriel Renné @gabrielrenne
and Gloria Groove by Rodolfo Magalhães @rodolfomagalhaes

From marginalised groups to national and international stars, Brazilian drag singers are opening doors within the music industry, breaking barriers, and conquering spaces unlike anywhere else in the world.

It’s difficult to start any conversation about Brazil’s drag queens without mentioning the one and only, Pabllo Vittar. She is far from being the first drag queen in Brazil but surely is the first to reach such great heights in her career, initiated with her 2015 single, ‘Open Bar’; a Brazilian version of Major Lazor’s song, ‘Lean On’. Pabllo’s hit has over 70 million views on YouTube and at the time, was even shared by Diplo, the original producer of ‘Lean On’.

In addition to winning the nation’s heart, Pabllo has started to gain international recognition in the past four years. She’s performed in Coachella and Europe Music Awards and participated in significant collaborations with artists such as Major Lazer alongside the queen of Brazilian Pop, An i tta, in the 2017 hit, ‘Sua Cara’. Recently, she even became the world’s most-followed drag queen on every social media channel, with a total of 22 million followers combined.

Pabllo Vittar, has paved the way for many other queens within the music industry; with Aretuza Lovi, Gloria Groove, Kaya Conky, Lia Clark and many others following right behind her. In 2020, Gloria won hit of the year for her single ‘Deve ser Horrível Dormir Sem Mim’ for Prêmio Portal Music BR awards and Lia Clark’s latest single, ‘Eu Viciei’, increased her number of unique listeners by 530% with over two million views on YouTube. These queens are revolutionising the Brazilian music industry, shifting the spotlight and bringing visibility to the LGBTQIA + community in a society still very much defined by machismo: “I will not be hypocritical and say that the prejudice is ending. But it is something we’re fighting against,” says Pabllo.

The Brazilian music scene may bring you a tropical breeze of Bossa Nova or the drums of Carnaval and Samba, but these genres just scratch the surface of what is a thriving and diverse music scene. Music is integral to Brazil’s national identity and society; as different people sought home throughout Brazil, they established different music styles, each accompanied by a unique form of dance. While drag queens are primarily represented in Brazilian Pop, they flaunt their talents within other music styles such as Forró, Funk and Sertanejo, the most listened to genre in the nation.

Now, without further ado, let us meet the phenomena of the Brazilian music industry-ladies and gentlemen, the queens who take composing, singing and performing to a whole new level!

Reddy Allor and Sabrina Angel the Queens of Sertanejo

These incredibly talented queens are best known to fans of Sertanejo, a type of music originating from the countryside of Brazil in the 1920s. Its lyrics spoke of life in the countryside and later developed into Sertanejo Universitário, a sub-genre focusing on young-adult life and care-free relationships. Despite the rise of feminejo, a term used to describe the increase in female singers within the genre, this is a field still very much dominated by men. So, you can only imagine the challenges Reddy and Sabrina have faced and continue to battle when building this path for other upcoming queens.

As Reddy says, “For existing as LGBTQ+, we already suffer prejudice with stares, jokes and worse, so, it is inevitable that being a drag queen in Sertanejo has made me go through several difficult situations.”

Reddy, who recently released her newest album, ‘ASCENSAO’, started her career at a young age. As early as 12 years old, she began singing professionally in a duo with her brother. She later developed her dragnejo (a term combining drag and Sertanejo) career around 2018 with her single ‘Tira o Olho’ and was the only drag queen in the Sertanejo market at that time. “What inspired me was the desire to feel included, because I always loved Sertanejo but I never felt represented,” she says.

Reddy often sings of self-identity and self-reflection such as in her song ‘Deixa Ela Voar’ which speaks of a broken relationship and of letting her go and liberating her smile. “What I feel and how I feel it, I have always expressed myself through music,” she says. For her, the art of drag challenges gender stereotypes, and when combined with music, “allows for the message to arrive faster and in a way that moves people to a point where we start questioning our own lives.”

When asked to describe the movement with one word, Reddy chooses ‘resistance’. “This evolution is certainly happening and will not pass as a moment. We are here to show our existence and above all, resistance, as people and artists who deserve their space in the industry just like any other.”

For Sabrina who recently released ‘Video Chamada’, their roles go beyond entertainment. “We are here to deconstruct and contribute to society,” she says. “Having names that represent the LGBTQIA + community present on TV programs and on the charts has a significant objective. It shows a large portion of the population what happens in a sector that until recently, was very segmented and viewed with disdain by society. After all, what we all want is respect, equal rights and representation. We want to feel included, and end prejudice once and for all.”

She reveals that producers and studios refused to record her songs and music clips. “When I would contact them introducing myself as a drag queen, they would increase the prices or say they had no available time slots. However, when I’d introduce myself without mentioning drag or anything related to the LGBTQIA+ community, I would find out that the price was four times lower and that they were available on the same day.”

For Sabrina, music allows her to learn and teach that drag queens, too, have their place and value in society as they do in the music industry. Her main goal with her art is to be happy. Secondly, she also wishes to touch people in some way. “When I realised that I could carry a message and be heard by uniting the two things I love, that is music with drag art, I had the certainty that this was my main way of contributing to our LGBTQIA+ community.”

A word that exemplifies the movement for Sabrina is ‘love’. “It is the love for our art, for our community and mainly for the desire and responsibility to make a difference in this society where the majority are sexist, transphobic, homophobic, and oppressive that we are increasingly producing music and clips, making our voices heard.”

Yara Aquino the Forró Diva

This Northeastern queen has recently entered the world of Forró, a popular type of music in the north of Brazil which originated in the end of the 19th century. The style is marked by the sound of the zabumba, a type of bass drum, and a combination of the triangle and accordion. It is represented by a dance between couples, who with bodies almost glued together, drag their feet on the floor.

Yara began her career only one year ago, mainly drawing inspiration from Pabllo Vittar, Gloria Groove and Lia Clark. Since, she has already released her first single, ‘YARA’, which tells a love story between her male alter ego and her drag persona being betrayed and manipulated by him; to later realising this and her journey overcoming it. Having grown up with the genre, Yara thanks it for moulding her into the person she has become; with every special moment in her life having a Forró soundtrack behind it. Even her name has references to Forró singers, Yara Tchê and Silvana Aquino.

For the future songs that Yara states are already written and ready to be released towards the end of this year, she hopes to convey the north-eastern culture in rhythm, aesthetics, and stories. “I have no interest in singing other genres, I want to bring and represent the northeast through Forró like the women I watched when I was a child, wanting to be them, to be on stage. And I hope I can make this dream come true.”

For this diva, the drag queens have arrived to completely change the Brazilian music industry. One word to describe this revolution is ‘innovation’. “I think that the drag singers are the future of music. They’re already shaping music both in its style and aesthetics, so for the future, drags in charge, always. I mean, they already are, but I would like to see more drags bringing new music and rhythms.”

Larissa Santel and Sarah Mitch Take Over Brazilian Pop

These drop-dead-gorgeous queens don’t go unnoticed when it comes to Brazilian Pop, a modern genre and important aspect of the Brazilian culture, popularising sounds and voices which were previously hidden in small niches.

For Larissa, who is soon to release her single at the end of May, Pop was where she found herself. Her eyes would shimmer while watching international Pop singers, hoping to one day, obtain the same success in Brazil. “I chose to work with Pop as it involves not only music but also dance, fashion and culture. It’s a genre that takes many musical styles from different regions to the public in a much more commercial way.”

She also says how the divas of Pop have always embraced the LGBTQIA+ community with Lady Gaga and ‘Born This Way’, a hymn for the drag community. Like many queens, she also praises Pabllo Vittar, Gloria Groove and Lia Clark for bringing visibility by making songs that extended beyond the community. “Drag art in Brazil is splendid, we have artists who overcome incredible barriers and I can’t wait for all of them to show their art to the world. And in the music industry, we already have incredible singers who unfortunately still do not have the space they deserve but are battling to achieve their place here in Brazil and in the world”. Larissa is doing just that, fighting for her art to be recognised, “We’re strong and we have to take every bump in the road with a smile and platform-15 high heels,” she says.

When it comes to Sarah, she knows the Pop industry from inside and out, having even been featured in legendary programs such as ‘Amor e Sexo’ from Rede Globo, a talk show with weekly guests who discuss topics and taboos related to love and sex. For her, the movement is surreal. “I come from a time when there wasn’t a place for drag and music. People thought I was crazy, wanting to sing live in the clubs 20 years ago! Then I saw Pabllo, and her success made me complete. Having this representation with such success, paved the way for a very relevant discussion in broad media channels. It’s surreal! It doesn’t matter the genre or theme of the songs, what matters is who is there appearing and singing them! This is very important for the LGBTQIA+ community. This is what really matters, besides putting everyone on the dance floor!”

Sarah always tries to convey a message in her music, be it profound or not. Her latest single, for example, ‘Janela’, talks about a personal loss. She also addresses those who simply seek “to dance”, for instance, with her 2013 song, ‘Bad Girl’.

Both queens, coincidently, chose the word ‘warriors’ to describe the drag singers changing the industry. “In addition to the successful drags, there are hundreds of invisible artists who fight for space every day, just like me!” says Sarah. Similarly, Larissa focuses on the strength and determination needed to enter an industry that remains very closed to anything other than the norm, one which heavily excludes the drag community.

Lilo, Feminism and Funk

Similar to Lia Clark, Aretuza Lovi and Kaya Conky, Lilo is making history when it comes to Brazilian Funk. With its roots in the peripheries of the south zone of Rio de Janeiro, Funk began in the 1950s inspired by USA’s Rhythm and Blues and Gospel. The genre is characterised by its unique beats and has been a medium for many marginalised voices to represent themselves, especially their lives in the favelas. Funk has long been stigmatised due to its controversial lyrics which tend to normalise sexism, ostentation culture, crime and even rape culture. However, the rise in drag queens within the industry is a clear sign of its evolvement.

Lilo started her singing career about five years ago with her first Pop/House single, ‘I Want You’ in 2018. She recently got into Funk with her latest song, ‘Coitado’, which brings together a new sub-genre of Funk called Brega Funk and Funk Pop. Similar to MC Pocah’s, ‘Não Sou Obrigada’, her new single, which translates to “poor you,” talks about unfaithfulness, moving on quick and realising ones’ value, showing in the end, that it was his loss. The theme of women empowerment and revenge is extremely prevalent within the feminist movement in Funk, changing traditional roles present in Funk and society of women as submissive, also representing an unruliness and transgression from normative discourses on gender and sex.

For Lilo, it’s more than just the culture these queens bring, noting that if Funk is already marginalised in every aspect, imagine drag within Funk. “We break gender and sexuality paradigms and stereotypes with our art, showing different ways of doing gender. Little by little, we are conquering spaces and a deserved recognition. We already have big names, artists that certainly opened doors for new ones and so on.”

Finally, when asked to describe these queens in one word, she chooses ‘unique’. “The future is already here! We’re already living it, and the industry needs to adjust to it; be more representative, more inclusive. I have a lot of faith that this will become real, drags in mainstream music, on the radio, on open TV, series, films, everywhere.”

Tags brazil, drag, Drag queen

glam squad

Eclectic styles in the drag world

Post author By Tasha Hardwicke-Hunter
Post date 20 May 2021

Drag style, a cultural vision of kings and queens out there, consists of without a doubt some of the most eclectic fashions aorund, not at least due to the desire to push gender boundaries and in protest of prejudice. Highlighting fluffy hair sprayed wigs, flamboyant make-up, and relatively avant-garde get ups as the default drag image at its pinnacle. All of which still ring true, but thanks to the innovative progressive of style make-up has become more precise and part of artistry, whilst these types of fashion have really begun to inspire and influence society in a powerful way of its own. With a growing number of artists committing to individualism, we see new styles emerging everywhere.

GiGi’s celebration of drag culture in the modern era showcases Kings, Queens, and Drag enthusiasts around the globe who talk to us about their eclectic fashion, and how it inspires their confidence.

THE LOOK: “Alien figure”

Recently, the invention of unique personas has become ever more daring, and drag enthusiasts are working to creatively manipulate the physiognomy of humans to dramatic effect.

Think Juno Birch, the Manchester based ‘stunning alien queen’, who spoke to Vogue for their Extreme Beauty Routine segment on Youtube, to demonstrate the methods behind her artistry. Using bright colours to mimic the exotic and unusual tone of our perceptions of aliens is something that’s becoming increasingly popular on the scene. It dubs pastel skin tones, sparkling contour and heavy highlights as the foundation of drag alien artistry. By covering the original skin tone, queens are able recreate the foreign being. She says, “I use stunning lavender tones to conceal all of the human. Then I contour with stronger purples to make the cheekbones even bigger”.

Then there’s Alaska Thunderfuck, the ‘well-travelled, campy extra-terrestrial, and winner of the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, who tells Vogue Paris about the origin of her character. Many queens are focusing on creating extravagant backstories for their personas in order to fully commit to their style. She says, “I have an endless well of creativity to draw from. I style my drag character as an alien from the planet Glamtron who has crashed landed onto Earth”. What we have now is the ability to question the human form through creative methods of self-expression. Demonstrating technical expertise works as a bonus, whilst Queens work to construct their own identity without the restriction of gender boundaries.

Pushing boundaries is Varjak Seoj, the drag alien, or “Bestia nocturna”, who loves to deconstruct the appearance of a human face with makeup. He says, “I aim to look as non-human as possible which makes total sense of my characters fantasies. It makes me feel invincible with the looks I create, and I think geometry is something is very important in terms of creating shapes.” 

For Varjak Seoj, an obsessor of geometric MUA make-up, contortion drag has been much of a fascination for him. Manipulating the human structure has become one of his best talents. He’s found that highlighting bone structures with bold colours, and adding glow with make-up allows him to perfect alien drag. “I’ve always been obsessed with including geometric styles in my looks,’ He says. I love the elegance and the precision of the makeup. I’m inspired by so many drag artists out there, like Juno Birch, and the professional artist the Arseniek”. 

Queens find inspiration for their alien drag style from futuristic television or films they idolised in childhood. “Inspiration for me was everywhere when I was child. I grew up watching Star Trek and loved the space travel. With the over-the-top aesthetics and stuff, cartoons like Ben 10 were like totally goals for me!” He laughs.

Looking for inspiration? Check out Juno Birch’s extreme alien beauty routine for Vogue here. 

THE LOOK: “Butch bloke” 

With experimental drag on the rise, drag kings enjoy playing characters with a bit of unpredictability. Eclectic styles carry an edge, and when it comes to women who perform masculinity, creating an alternative male persona can take a lot of work.  

Exaggerated male features includes the enhancement of facial structures with copious amounts of contour, and investing in macho clothing and accessories to achieve the look, but always with an edge. The shift in what audiences perceive drag kings to be has transformed as of late. The greatest change, however, is access to better materials for shaping male attributes as cultures are becoming more aware of the necessity to cater for drag kings. Creating the look of the ‘butch bloke’ is becoming an easier feat as websites like Queerks and Amazon and Aliexpress, offering more male orientated products. We’re talking unisex vests, wigs, beards, and even adjustable harnesses for lovers of goth. Newcastle based Rex Uranus, ‘the toones funniest King’ says, “hands down my chest plate is my best investment. It saves on taping, skin irritation and makeup whilst it also helps to create the full butch male illusion I’ve always wanted. That and contour, I have since developed a signature look for Rex and his contour.”  

Drag Kings credit their appearance as powerful expressions of their true personality. Shawty West, the Columbus drag king and content creator, looks to Usher, Miguel and social media for inspiration, whilst he credits his outfits for his increase in confidence. “I could not live without my glasses, any Juvia’s Place palette, and my beard. I gives me the swag that I love about my character,’ He says. ‘It’s fun and it fills me with confidence”.  

Bjorn the Viking, the ‘UK based humble modern man’, credits his tattoos as the best indicators of his persona. “I can instantly tell an audience what kind of character I’ve created,’ He says. ‘For me tattoos are just as important as the clothes my persona chooses to wear, they work with all my looks as I love to flick between hyper masculine to quite feminine styles as well as throwing in twists of different decades.”

THE LOOK: “Clubkid & bold androgyny” 

Clubkid finds its roots in the new romantic era of the 1980s, and recently, drag style has come to borrow elements of its colourful nature. Leigh Bowery, the Australian performance artist, is a prime example of a fashion pioneer in the context of Clubkid style. His outlandish costumes combined clashes of colour and unusual patterns to create his with wildly controversial outfits. Andy Howitt tells The Guardian “His looks were strikingly original. There was the polka dot suit worn with polka dot face. Coloured drips would cover his bald head”.  

Today, Clubkid can be expressed in other ways that are less radical, with inspiration borrowed from other cultures, such as east Asian pop culture. As it happens, 21-year-old, drag enthusiast Megan Iris, Visual Artist and student at UAL Wimbledon College Of Art relies on her knowledge of Asian styles to demonstrate her love of bright colours. With bright colours being a key element of Clubkid style, we can see what’s influence her take on bold fashions. Iris talks to GiGi about her favourite brands that she looks to, to expand her wardrobe. She says, “I love Japanese street styles such as sweet Lolita Fashion which includes puffy dresses, cute patterns and blouses. Decora Kei fashion, the prominent Japanese fashion style, is also full of bright colours and lots of plastic accessories and Fairy Kei which is full of pastels”.

Similarly, to Seoj, Adel Corner, Drag queer artist from Guanajuato, Mexico, also credits the geometric look as a catalyst for his mood elevation But this time for the Clubkid look “I love using striking colour palettes, everything visually should be an explosion of colour,’ He says ‘My drag has distinctive makeup and I adore the little shiny details. From stones and geometric figures, to flowers I love using unconventional materials”. 

Drag artists are taking ideas from 80s disco divas and rockers who experimented with androgyny despite their heterosexuality, which has proved to have had a positive effect on modern drag culture all round. Corner refers to this as he explains that he likes to be conceptual. “I like to choose a theme and to exaggerate it. I take references from the old school Clubkid and combine current circumstances.

Find some fabulous clothes!

Having trouble finding custom made or drag specific styles? GiGi appreciates it’s not always easy to find the exact style you’re looking for, Corner credits local designers like Aviesc, KweenFierce, and Benito Santos of Mexico. Whereas Iris points to Elizabeth Whibley, Laura Shannon and Tara Khozad for colourful pieces. We also wouldn’t rule out visiting a dressmaker to get something exclusive! Try out the Dress Doctor here.

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Pad Like A Pro

Post author By Chantelle Lewis
Post date 19 May 2021

That perfect-persona body can often use a little help, and that’s where proportionising comes in. The subtle … or not so subtle art of padding is usually made from foam, latex, and everything but the kitchen sink. When funds are low and the body needs to be snatched, anything will do.

The choices for todays’ drag community are finally stepping into the 21^st century and getting better by the stiletto. At RuPauls’ 2019 Drag Con, the A.V. club talked to some of the industry’s leading padding companies about the importance of achieving the illusion of a perfect body with various female and male body enhancements.

For both a drag king and queen, padding is part of a long line of crucial necessities when constructing the fantasy and delivering a good performance. So how would you use padding? And where is it best to place them?

Tags drag king, Drag queen, padding

real talk

Relationship(s) with a queen

Post author By Gemma Romain
Post date 18 May 2021

“My favourite part of Jan doing drag is seeing how happy it makes him. And the least, well, cleaning the house after he’s finished.”

Dating a queen can mean and involve many things. For one, you’re investing yourself into someone extremely charismatic and different to what you may be used to from your past relationships. And especially, you are dealing with two characters – if it wasn’t hard getting to know someone before, try two at once! But imagine having two versions of someone you sincerely appreciate, and wholly distinct ones at that! Wouldn’t it be interesting to know what it’s like? What does a relationship with a queen, let alone living with one, look like?

Is it the sassy, flamboyant and unpredictable queen you are with, or is it the handsome heartfelt man you fell for at the dinner table on that lovely date? Or is it, perhaps, both?

“The main difference between living and being with someone who does drag is that the one who does is much more interesting,” says Antonio Grasso (28), from Italy. Antonio has been with Jan Sabater (27) from Spain for two and a half years, of which the past one and a half were spent living together in Munich, Germany. “Janisha Jones, Jan’s drag alter ego, also lives with us, of course,” Antonio chuckles. While Antonio works at Emporio Armani, Jan is a drag queen and a part-time waiter. However, since the pandemic, his waiting job has shifted to shifts at a Covid-19 testing laboratory instead.

Finding out someone is involved in drag can be confusing and uncomfortable, just as it can be fun and refreshing. It really depends on the person you’re dealing with. “For me, it was absolutely okay; I loved drag from the first moment,” Antonio says.

It is also quite ambitious to be the one to break the news in fear of unacceptance and judgement. “I’ve dated other guys before and gotten a rejection when the news was out in the open,” Jan says.

Antonio and Jan’s very first encounter almost gave it away. “I was working at Tezenis, a lingerie store, and Jan came in with his mother to buy some tights for Janisha. I remember, he was so ashamed, he didn’t even look into my eyes. Then, two-three months later, we wound up in the same club and ended up dancing all night,” Antonio says. “I had no idea he was a drag queen until our first date when he told me about Janisha and explained who she was. I then put the pieces together with the tights incident.”

The reaction and opinion are essential if one decides to go down a serious road with someone. You need to accept the person and love them for all they are. “As I said, people did reject me when they found out I did drag, Jan says, but through these experiences, I stopped being nervous and learned that if the guy in question isn’t accepting, then he isn’t worth it. He’s just not the one.” And luckily enough for Jan, Antonio was more than okay with it.

One’s family and friends’ reaction is also important when breaking the news as you want them to accept and love your partner the way you do. “My parents don’t have all that much to say about it, but they’re okay with it, Antonio says. Since they live in Italy, they haven’t had the opportunity to see Janisha perform yet. Still, I know that when they come to Germany, they’d love a performance.” However, with different generations, values and cultures, not everyone is so lucky and receives support.

“Drag isn’t my passion, but I love it nonetheless. It’s so much fun to attend drag shows, and I love watching Jan perform because it’s fun. And above all, he’s happy,” Antonio says. Antonio and Jan even seem to have great teamwork going on, which numerous other relationships lack. “I am actually quite involved in drag life,” Antonio says, I love to help Janisha with the dresses and do consider myself as somewhat her stylist! I always attend her shows, and I love Janisha’s friends Pasta Parisa and Dean Deville.”

Antonio even went a step further and tried going up in drag, “but only because it was lockdown and Jan was bored,” he says, “he wanted to put some makeup on me, and it was exhausting. Lashes are annoying! But it was fun, so I’d consider doing it again.”

Of course, differences in hobbies and interests can also call for trouble, especially with a practice as explicit such as drag. “Sometimes we fight because of Janisha, Antonio says, especially if there’s a mess in the apartment with piles of clothes and makeup all over the floor growing like stalagmites. Sometimes if he has a lot of work, he’s always tired, and that makes me a bit sad because we don’t spend a lot of time together.”

At the beginning of their relationship, Antonio says there was a lot of jealousy, “he was always flirting with other guys as Janisha. But also, as Jan. He works in a Gay bar and to get more tips, he flirts with guys. It cost me quite some time to accept and finally understand it.” While these issues can seem exclusive to drag at first, they really do manifest in all relationships. But again, a difference in hobbies or interests aren’t always so bad. “Antonio was actually a ballet dancer once, so I’ve learned a lot from him,” Jan says. “He always comes to my shows, analyses them from head to toe and tells me what I can improve and do differently.” Support and encouragement are indispensable in partnership, whether it be the smaller things or just generally. “I feel very supported by Antonio, Jan says, yes, I’ve been in longer relationships than with him, but none of them were even half as good as this one. He’s like my coach, and we learn so much from each other.”

An interesting aspect in regards to dating a king or queen is that one of treatment. There’s a widespread assumption that dating queens may be strenuous at times and that when up in drag, a whole other personality manifests itself, therefore changing the dynamic of the relationship entirely. Is that really the case? Well, Jan describes his relationship with Antonio as harmonious, “if I cook, he’ll clean the kitchen,” Jan says. “We aren’t all about romance, nor do we roast each other excessively. We take care of each other. However, when Janisha comes into being, well, a lot of roasting goes on. Janisha is a bitch.”

It must be interesting to get to know two versions of your partner; you may even have a different relationship with each.

“Janisha is arrogant and bossy while Jan is quieter and chiller,” Antonio says. “I get along with Janisha, respectively, if she’s not under stress. Nobody wants to see Janisha under stress. She can be aggressive and very sassy, and sometimes we also get into arguments because of it.” On the other side, Jan perceives Janisha’s change of attitude towards Antonio not to be too drastic but does admit that it happens occasionally. “Janisha can be a big diva at times, and I might end up treating Antonio differently, but I try not to do it,” he says.

Another concern may be the aspect of appearance change and attraction towards one’s partner. You may hear Drag Race’s Season five winner Jinkx Monsoon’s words echoing voice now, saying, “I didn’t come out of the closet to date a boy who dresses like a girl.” However, as a gay man, Antonio doesn’t find it bothersome. “I actually find Janisha quite attractive, he says, but I think it must come from the fact that I know that Jan is hiding underneath all of those makeup layers.”

Being in a relationship with a queen is one thing, living with one, a whole other. Antonio and Jan moved into a new 100-square meter flat in February this year.

They share a bedroom, a big living room and an attic with a workroom. As we know, girls mostly have a lot of clothes and cosmetics. And when in a getting-ready crisis, these may end up everywhere. A drag queen, too, has an abundance of items; no need for a reminder.

So, what does the dynamic living with one look like?

“Since Antonio and I have the same size, we share our clothes. That’s why we have one closet together, and Janisha her own,” Jan says. However, it wasn’t always like this. Back when they lived in their old flat, Jan explains that Janisha also had to share a closet with them and that that was a little bit annoying and, at times, a catastrophic mess. “We are fortunate we found this fabulous new flat, Jan says, now everyone has their space.”

But with queens being as extravagant and expressive as they are, it can’t be too easy to keep everything in order, no? “Everything that has to do with Janisha stays in her own space,” Antonio says. “Yes, the bathroom is something else; all of the makeup is in there, and trust me, there’s a lot of it. Sometimes it looks like a tornado has passed through the whole flat. And that especially if Janisha’s been drinking before,” Antonio says.

So, as we can see, a relationship really doesn’t seem to be all that more complicated with a queen than with someone else, or at least not in the way one may assume. “We understand each other,” they express. “Antonio understands what Janisha means to me and also understands the art of Drag,” Jan adds. From this view, it seems to be a very supportive, fruitful, intense and exciting dynamic with lots of adventure. “I’ve learned many things by being with Jan, but also especially from Janisha,” says Antonio. “I don’t have to care so much about what people have to say or think. I’ve learned to care more about myself, to have fun and do the things I love.” In any case, life lessons are taken from all experiences. “I’ve also learned that defending your partner in this new way is equally important. I almost got into a fight with a guy once who was not nice to Janisha and talked bullshit about her,” Antonio says.

So really, is a relationship with a queen as different as one imagines it to be? “Our relationship is fun, crazy, strong and intense,” Antonio says. “Yes, it’s exhausting, but it never gets boring. I have Jan and Janisha, and I know I’m going to stay here for a long time.”

Tags dating, Drag queen, relationships

real talk

Ivy Lickens: “Gender stereotypes are just that, stereotypes. They don’t encompass everyone.”

Post author By Gemma Romain
Post date 16 May 2021

The story of a bio-queen who reveals the influence that both drag and her persona Ivy Lickens have had on her life and development. Who knew embracing your femininity could be so empowering? Meet law student Scarlett Blue (21), from Serbia.

“All my life, I was a very insecure kid. Growing up, I felt uncomfortable about my male-like behaviour and wondered if I was just an odd kinda girl. I did have that emo-alternative style, but all the others girls around me wore dresses and braided their hair. I was the weird girl, and it weighed on me. That is, up until I discovered drag in 2016.

By pure accident, actually. I was scrolling on Tumblr and saw a GIF of Khloe Kardashian as a judge on the show RuPauls’ drag race and was really amused. Me being my inquisitive self, of course, needed to see what the show was about. It just seemed so funny. And then I found it, and guess what? No one saw me for days. I inhaled the show like it was air. I became absolutely hooked. “What an amazing world of fantasy, of being yourself, but the fantasy version of yourself!” I kept thinking. At the end of that marathon, I felt renewed and like I had a new outlook on life. And I actually did. From then on, I embraced my individuality more than before and tried to care less about what others thought.

It also pushed me to try new things, such as exploring different sides of myself. I started wearing whatever hairstyle I wanted, colouring my hair in electric blue, going crazy with makeup, meeting new people and exploring new horizons. Each and every one of these things brought me something. And even if it did take a second, it also did my dear drag alter ego, Ivy Lickens. Ivy is a woman in an identity crisis. She is strong, but she is weak; she is a badass and a softie, a lustful succubus and a hopeless romantic. She is everything a woman is and everything a woman is not. She’s an uncensored print of who I am, what I’m feeling and what I want to express. Her entire appearance reflects those things each time I perform, and I love that. I’m free to experiment with different looks every time.

My first appearance as Ivy Lickens was probably in 2018 in Serbia. My fabulous drag mother, the illustrious Dajana Ho, asked me if I wanted to participate in a show about baby drag queens. Dajana Ho is one of the first queens I ever saw perform and the man behind the character Drazen, who grew to be a close friend of mine. Through our conversations about social issues, he decided women should also have a platform to perform drag. This is what gave me the courage to jumpstart Ivy Lickens. Dajana is a complicated woman, full of demons and theatricality showcased by her many talents on and off stage. A true voice of the people and an artist to the fullest extent.

The main difference between a drag queen and a bio queen is gender. If we just go with the flow, let’s say that drag queens are males, men dressed up in drag, and bio queens, are biological women who take on a persona of drag. Ultimately, they are the same: you have exaggerated makeup and have the performance aspect. As a lover of makeup and drag aside, I jumped at the opportunity to participate because I actually find it crucial to hear female voices in a world where you’re impersonating them. For some people, that’s a subject that’s highly up for debate. Still, I think everybody should be allowed to do drag, that is especially trans people. They have been very discriminated in that world.

I have also encountered some resistance as a bio-queen. People tell me that I’m not a real queen and should leave performances to gay men expressing themselves. I found this ironic since, in their view, it’s an art form impersonating women that should exclude a bisexual woman expressing her view of femininity in a world where that question is contested daily. Yet, this didn’t stop me from performing, and I luckily had a fantastic drag family that never excluded me. I, too, think of it as an art form: it’s not who you are; it’s what you do. And therefore, nobody should be discriminated against in the world of drag.

But anyways, Ivy Lickens, whose name actually came from a complete joke. As a kid, I always wanted to have the nickname Ivy because of the plant poison ivy. Of course, it never stuck as everyone refused to call me that. I was also inspired by Ivy Winters, a queen on RuPauls’ show whose character and entire aesthetic I was very fond of. She’s really more of an honest and developed version of me. Well, an exaggerated one, which I achieve aesthetically by taking the makeup I do daily and pushing it to the extreme with more prominent brows, lips, eyeliner, and eyeshadow. Ivys’ style is not set in stone, and that’s what I love about her. She’s unpredictable and incessantly fabulous. I also wanted to play on Winters and lickens, because lesbians lick.

What I like to do with my drag, which I regrettably don’t do as often anymore due to time constraints with law school, and the elephant in the room of a global pandemic, is I embody different characters. I like to play with the different facets of femininity. For example, my first track performance focused on that boss bitch vibe. I had just gotten broken up with, so, coming out of a four year-long relationship, I was determined to make myself feel like I was on top of my game. I lip-synched to a variety of artists in that performance. I incorporated the theme song of the show Lucifer as an introduction, included Fergalicious by Fergie because, of course, I had to, and ended with reference to the elimination of BenDeLaCreme, which was a self-elimination. Instead of eliminating a bottom queen as the winner, BenDeLa used white-out to eliminate herself, as she could no longer take the pressure of the competition and eliminating her fellow friends. Following that, I thought it would be a fun way to finish my almost 10-minute-long set instead of just walking off at the end of the song.

I remember feeling invigorated after my premiere as if I’d been reborn. There was a new part of me that I had to explore. So, it only made sense that I chose these breakup-revenge songs where the woman was stronger coming out of the relationship. The more I got into the drag performance scene, the more I delved into my creative side. There was a phase during which I was keen on taking after Disney characters. I remember doing a nostalgia show where I brought back the Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Hannah Montana, and That’s So Raven. I also did one where I took the Divas of the 80s, the powerful women with a hint of masculinity in them with their leather jackets. One of my favourite performances was when I integrated female vulnerability. I progressively took my makeup and lashes off throughout the show. I wanted to offer insight into what’s underneath and how a woman can be broken down. I remember that silence, and those eyes, while I wiped myself of all the makeup. And the cheers when I collapsed and the song finished. Although I got an extensive amount of compliments afterwards, I think only a few people understood that the performance was meant to show vulnerability and the relationship mask falling off. I believe many mistook it instead as sheer insanity linked to heartbreak.

I really do try to embody different aspects of females and femininity in every single one of my performances. That is because in real life, even though I have a lot of makeup on, or “my mug is beat”, as we like to say in the community, I am a very male energy-oriented person. I do behave myself in a stereotypically male way. So, I enjoy embracing that little femininity that I don’t get to otherwise. Hindsight, drag has taught me that every single morning, whether you’re an actual drag queen or not, you are putting on a drag persona. Not everyone in your life gets to see how you are at home. Take makeup, for example. I began to see makeup as a means of creative expression, where through the colours or style I choose, I’d communicate how and what I’m feeling that day. When I got comfortable doing that and people around me grew accustomed to the striking, colourful makeup, that’s when I really started seeing how I asserted myself. I grew into a version of myself that didn’t fear the repercussions of what people said about me because I realised it just didn’t matter at the end of the day. I even have a tattoo on my thigh that says, “We’re all born naked and the rest is drag,” a quote from RuPaul which I love to look at because it reminds me that it’s not only on stage that we play a character and a persona. We all do it subconsciously daily. I think that if we all just dropped the mask and were to be whoever we are, even under the guise of three tons of makeup, chains or heels, we still are an aspect of ourselves. One that we are maybe too scared to show off because we fear judgement.

RuPauls’ Season Six winner Bianca Del Rio always says, “Not today Satan.” Every time I encounter a difficult situation, I say it aloud. With the exception, of course, when I’m in class. Imagine screaming that out while talking about criminal law surrounded by other law students. Anywhere outside of that scenario, you’ll find me chanting that tagline which comes from the feeling of “this person is testing me, this person wants to see me in a mug shot; this is not going to happen, you’re not going to influence my vibe. Not today, Satan, be gone.” It does sound really dumb when you’re having a casual conversation with somebody, and then out of nowhere, you look at them and say something like “I’m a fucking Libra, Hiii”, BUT it does make people laugh. I enjoy making people smile or happier, even if it is out of sheer confusion.

Regardless of whether you are part of the community itself, just a spectator, or simply find it interesting or fascinating, there’s one message that every human can take from this. And that is, as RuPaul said, “If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?” And I’ve got all of the Kings and Queens to thank for that.”

Tags Drag queen