As you may or may not have noticed, Drag has exploded into the mainstream in recent years. It’s not a new art form by any means, but thanks to shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race and several others, it’s finally getting the audience it deserves worldwide. As I started drag, I looked up to some of my drag heroes, hoping to learn as much as I can and wanting to be just like them (to an extent) which was great until I found my own identity and became comfortable with what I do. Today, I’m going to Introduce you to six of my Drag heroes (not in any particular order) who I’m a huge fan of, who have inspired me and who I admire. Many are from Drag Race, as that’s one of the things that helped teach me about drag as there is literally no drag scene where I live. Well, there is now… Me!
1: Latrice Royale
The self proclaimed “Large and in charge, chunky yet funky” queen is an absolute icon – I cannot stress this enough! She drips with glamour, elegance and talent but also has one of the biggest hearts of any of the queens we’ve ever seen on the show, making her a firm fan favourite.
She’s the one who taught me through her drag that you wear the outfit, it doesn’t wear you. As a larger queen, she proved that when you walk with confidence, you can wear anything no matter what your body type. Hold your head high and “make ‘em eat it, honey!”
2: Willam
No, that’s not a typo. Willam (like William, but without the second i) will cut you if you get her name wrong! She’s a hilarious insult comic and singer (specialising in some amazing parody songs) and has been part of not one but two drag supergroups!
She has a long running web series called Beatdown where she watches videos and mercilleslays into them. She’s also got amazing tastes in hair, makeup, clothes and accessories and (until season twelve) was the only queen to be disqualified from Drag Race! The notoriety and public feud with RuPaul hasn’t hurt her career as she recently made the jump to the silver screen alongside Lady Gaga in A Star Is Born. She never fails to make me laugh and is totally one to watch.
3: Jackie Cox
Now, if you’ve seen season twelve of Drag Race, chances are you love Cox as much as I do! Another queen with a heart of gold and just brimming with talent and serving looks for days! I was lucky enough to share a stage with her a couple of years ago and we stayed in touch and I was absolutely overjoyed when I heard she was on Drag Race – so much so that I had a little happy cry!
Jackie is a huge Star Trek fan, in fact that’s how we met. She can often be seen sporting perfect replica costumes that look like she’s just stepped out of a television set. Her interpretation of TNG’s Deanna Troi is an absolute spectacle, as is her blue Mirror Universe outfit and her ‘I Dream Of Jeannie’ look is simply to die for! She’s an accomplished singer and actress and can often be found in full (not to mention critically acclaimed) productions in New York.
4: Detox
This gal knows how to think outside the box and put her own spin on just about any look you can throw her way! She’s polished, she’s glossy and she’s absolutely hilarious!
Once part of the drag supergroup DWV, along with Willam and Vicki Vox, she had a string of amazing songs including on of my favourites ‘Silicone’ which parodied her plastic surgery and was sung to the tune of Robyn’s ‘Dancing On My Own’.
Detox has consistently wowed with her performances on Drag Race and has an incredible energy. She also takes absolutely zero prisoners and can be incredibly focussed. Something I could do with a little more of!
5: Divina DeCampo
Well, here’s a British queen who’s got it all! This runner up on Drag Race UK is known for her bright red hair and seemingly endless talent is also a classically trained singer!
She’s a feisty northern lass who’s been around the Manchester scene for years and is one of the best in the business. You might have seen her as part of the panel on BBC’s ‘All Together Now’ as well and she’s also scored high in the charts with the single ‘Break Up (Bye Bye)’ as part of the drag supergroup The Frock Destroyers with Baga Chipz and Blu Hydrangea of Drag Race UK.
6: Baga Chipz
Which brings us to Baga, queen of the battered sausage! She’ll have your sides splitting with her amazing and effortless humour. She’s also really hitting it big on TV! As on of the top three of Drag Race UK’s first season, she was already no stranger to the screen, as she’d risen to fame on Drag Queens of London and this week is set to appear on Celebrity Masterchef and has also appeared on Pointless and many other shows since Drag Race!
Having met her, I have to say, she’s actually a really sweet and very genuine human. What you see is what you get. Absolute star in every sense of the word! Just being in her presence was uplifting and a night I’ll never forget!
So, this is just some of my drag heroes! There are so many! Stay tuned and I might share some more with you, but you should definitely check these queens out and see why I love them so much!
Until next time, stay safe, stay sane and stay…. Vidalicious!
