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When 'RuPaul's Drag Race' first aired on LogoTv in 2009, season 10 winner and breakout star, Aquaria, was still a preteen growing up in a suburb just outside Philadelphia. In as many years as it's taken the show to reach its widespread success, the performer has amassed his own impressive following online with notable style and makeup.
Emerging as a New York City club kid and becoming the fashion favorite of designers like Jeremy Scott and Nicola Formichetti, the 22-year-old crowned America's Next Drag Superstar is ushering in the Age of Aquaria with his spot in the series' hall of fame.
Joining the ranks of some past winners like comedian Bianca Del Rio, burlesque performer Violet Chachki and his very own drag mentor, Sharon Needles, Aquaria's drag persona combines elements from the mentioned queens with runway-ready looks and electric stage performance. On last night's televised finale, Aquaria secured the crown in a confetti-filled lipsync challenge that won her the title fans have been predicting long before the drag queen was old enough to compete on the show. Following in the legacy of RuPaul himself, Aquaria has been a staple of nightlife legend, Susanne Bartsch, parties for years and has performed internationally before landing on the silver screen.
While the multi-talented drag queen was a strong contender from the beginning and excelled on the competition reality show, securing the crown was no less a feat. I talked with the Season 10 winner of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' for more on where the performer got his start, the whirlwind experience of filming the show and what the future holds for America's Next Drag Superstar.
Tell me about how you got started doing drag?
I’ve always been involved with the performing arts from a young age. Whenever the opportunity came up, my grandmother would take me to the theater or the art museum to try to enrich my childhood with creativity and exploration. As I continued to grow throughout middle and high school, I began to expose myself to different areas of art like makeup, fashion, and later drag. I always had costumes laying around my house so there were plenty of opportunities for me to dress up and turn a look. I started doing a couple drag shows in the summer after my final year or high school and then as I moved to New York City for college, there were more and more opportunities for me to go out and dress up and perform.
You’re one of the youngest contestants to be on RuPaul's Drag Race and have done really well in the competition. How did you prepare for the show?
For me, some of the key points of drag are knowing who you are, how you want to go about making people happy with your art, and why you’re doing what you’re doing. Even if you have to discover the answers to these questions piece by piece for the entirety of your career, knowing that they exist is key to me. I went into the competition knowing that I know a lot about myself and drag in general but also aware that there would be many tasks that would challenge my abilities and make me question the way I go about things. For me, having a confident mindset really helped me get through the harder days. Even if I knew I was not great at a particular task, I always tried to convince myself that I could do it because if I didn’t, there was slim to no chance of me believing in myself and having the judges enjoy me.
I know Season 4 winner Sharon Needles is your drag mother. What are the most important things you’ve learned from her?
I learn a lot more from seeing than being told so the things I learn from Sharon are a bit more abstract I suppose? Whether it’s tips and tricks on traveling or how to move and perform on stage, she is definitely a very encouraging wealth of knowledge. She, like a lot of the mentors in my life, knows a little about a lot of things so every time we’re together it’s not only an enjoyable time, but an opportunity to learn something new, whatever that may be.
I learn a lot more from seeing than being told so the things I learn from Sharon are a bit more abstract I suppose? Whether it’s tips and tricks on traveling or how to move and perform on stage, she is definitely a very encouraging wealth of knowledge. She, like a lot of the mentors in my life, knows a little about a lot of things so every time we’re together it’s not only an enjoyable time, but an opportunity to learn something new, whatever that may be.
With season 10 getting the show’s highest ratings in Drag Race herstory, you’re coming onto the show at its primetime. How does it feel to see drag go mainstream?
I think it’s truly incredible. Drag queens are some of the leaders of the LGBTQIA+ community so it’s very inspiring and empowering to see drag finally begin to be taken seriously by a wider audience. Drag is all about challenging people’s perceptions of life and entertaining an audience so to have such a large audience to share our art with is really astounding. Some people mistakenly think drag is only to be performed by and enjoyed by a small group a cis gay men in a bar but the fact of the matter is that people of all walks of life have always been more than welcome to partake in the experience and I think that as drag becomes more mainstream, we will begin to see the smaller-minded views of drag feminism in exchange for a more well-rounded appreciation of the art form.
You got your start doing drag in New York City, where the best and the brightest come from. What did you learn from cutting your teeth in the big apple?
New York City is home to some of the most talented individuals anywhere and whether you are born here or a transplant, the city has always had a tendency to breed perfection. Whether it’s the tight market that forces queens to take their art to the next level to maintain work or particular and picky crowds, drag in New York City can be very intense. Also, I think as artists in New York, art and theater and culture are always slammed in our face at the turn of any avenue, so there is an infinite amount of inspiration and talent to help us grow as artists and encourage us to work harder and harder.
'RuPaul's Drag Race' is known for being unpredictable. How did you prepare for the final lip sync challenge?
For me, I wanted to make my performance memorable and constantly entertaining. Whether that was poking fun at the concept of over-doing a lipsync in terms of reveals and whatnot to impressing Ru with some fierce moves he wouldn’t expect from a young queen, I knew that I had to not only grab the judges and producers attention but also captivate the audience and camera operators with my choices. I’ve come to learn that more often than not, people succeed in reality TV when they have more screen time so for entertainment and continuity’s sake, I wanted to try to secure as much screen time as possible. That being said, anything can happen in a sudden death lipsync and to not expect the unpredictable would be a big mistake. Regardless of the circumstances though, drag is all about having a good time and entertaining an audience so it is key to always remember that.
What are some of your most cherished memories from the filming process of Rupaul’s Drag Race?
Honestly, any of the fun times off and on camera with Monét X Change and Asia O’Hara were some of my favorite. Monét can be a total goof ball and Asia would always be there goofing right behind so I was always super appreciative of the fun energy they brought to set and how calm and happy they would make me feel even when we may have been super stressed out.
Honestly, any of the fun times off and on camera with Monét X Change and Asia O’Hara were some of my favorite. Monét can be a total goof ball and Asia would always be there goofing right behind so I was always super appreciative of the fun energy they brought to set and how calm and happy they would make me feel even when we may have been super stressed out.
RuPaul talks at length about what it takes to become America’s Next Drag Superstar- namely charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent. What does it mean to you?
For me, the meaning of the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar changes daily. Going into the competition, I had a more narrow view of what it meant. It started out meaning opportunity for me. I saw this as a platform to catapult my career so I’d be able to travel my drag and reach farther ends of the globe. I was working unbelievably hard in New York City at the time so it was originally a validation that my hard work was paying off and a stamp of approval from the queen of queens. Now, I feel as if the title changes meanings for me all the time. Being the next drag Superstar is almost like being the president in that you have to wear many different hats, or should I say wigs. Sometimes you have to be the superstar performer and push yourself to your limits as an entertainer. Other times you have to be the role model for your fans to look up to and a person to bring a community together. Being America’s Next Drag Superstar means challenging what is expected of a drag queen and exceeding those expectations in every possible situation.
What was it like working alongside RuPaul on the show? As the trailblazer, he shares a great deal of insight and teaches some amazing principles using drag as a metaphor. What's the biggest lesson you learned from Mama Ru?
Working with RuPaul is obviously such a gift because he really has been through it all or knows people who have and has the right answer to every question even if it doesn’t seem right for you at the time. There were many instances where Ru would already know what was going on in my head, particularly during werkroom walkthroughs, and he would do his best to get me in the right headspace for the day. One of the more obvious yet vitally important things he taught me was to approach any new or unfamiliar task the way *Aquaria* would approach the task. Many times as drag queens when faced with a situation, we problem solve it using our out-of-drag brains and then apply it to our drag personas. For me, I have found through Ru’s suggestions that sometimes thinking as Aquaria will help me master any task to the fullest of my abilities because of the unique angle she takes on executing assignments.
Some notable Ru girls have gone on to be involved in some amazing projects in the worlds of fashion, entertainment, and music. What do you hope to make of your crown and your legacy as the season 10 winner?
For me, I know that the world truly is my oyster and I should never turn down a project if I’m unsure about its outcome. I’m so young and have so much ahead of me and I plan to explore any and every appropriate opportunity that is presented to me. I am very detail oriented when it comes down to the elements of my looks or performances or content, so I want to further develop my control of these areas. Whether that is creating my own original music or styling and designing looks with other professionals, I want to have developed more control over all aspects of my drag. I have always had a passion for fashion and modeling so I plan to continue working with designers to bring their garments to life and give them more character than originally intended. I’ve also always been inspired by touring pop stars so actively working in a similar setting would be an ideal dream for me.
For me, I know that the world truly is my oyster and I should never turn down a project if I’m unsure about its outcome. I’m so young and have so much ahead of me and I plan to explore any and every appropriate opportunity that is presented to me. I am very detail oriented when it comes down to the elements of my looks or performances or content, so I want to further develop my control of these areas. Whether that is creating my own original music or styling and designing looks with other professionals, I want to have developed more control over all aspects of my drag. I have always had a passion for fashion and modeling so I plan to continue working with designers to bring their garments to life and give them more character than originally intended. I’ve also always been inspired by touring pop stars so actively working in a similar setting would be an ideal dream for me.
I’ve been seeing you for years going out in New York and have always been blown away by your drag, how does it feel to have the support of New York behind you?
I couldn’t be more grateful. New York is truly the best city in the world for me and to know that so many people have my back and are there to rally for me is truly touching. Growing up I did not have a lot of friends or many people who believed in me, so finding my tribe in the city and developing a supportive group of friends, fans, and otherwise makes me feel so validated that I am choosing the right path for myself and also one that other people can enjoy and benefit from as well. It pleases me to impress just one person so I couldn’t be more grateful to constantly be meeting so many interesting and important people that enjoy my drag.
I couldn’t be more grateful. New York is truly the best city in the world for me and to know that so many people have my back and are there to rally for me is truly touching. Growing up I did not have a lot of friends or many people who believed in me, so finding my tribe in the city and developing a supportive group of friends, fans, and otherwise makes me feel so validated that I am choosing the right path for myself and also one that other people can enjoy and benefit from as well. It pleases me to impress just one person so I couldn’t be more grateful to constantly be meeting so many interesting and important people that enjoy my drag.
