Interview: RPDR Alumni — Aquaria, Kim Chi and Plastique Tiara Talk Drag + The Upcoming SG Show

YAS QUEENS! The hardworking girls of drag and RuPaul’s Drag Race fame are headed back to Singapore on 27 February with an all-new production of their wildly successful Werq The World Tour, and we can’t wait.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq The World Tour 2020 [R18]
27 February 2020, Thursday, 8pm at The Star Theatre
Tickets available here.

Expect to get your wig snatched at the upcoming eleganza extravaganza that will not only present an already star-studded line-up of sick’ning queens which includes season 8 runner-up Kim Chi, as well as season 10 winner Aquaria, and season 11’s Plastique Tiara — who will also be making their Singapore debut.

Before they are scheduled to sissy that walk here, we caught up with Aquaria, Kim Chi and Plastique Tiara to talk about their drag personas, what makes them unique, and what we can expect from the Singapore leg of the tour.

[From Left to Right] Plastique Tiara, Aquaria and Kim Chi.  (Photo credit: Voss Events)
How did you come up with your drag name?

Aquaria: “I’m an Aquarius, and I’d say that I definitely embody a lot of the characteristics that people associate with that sign. I don’t follow astrology at all but people do say that most of the things I do seem to come off as Aquarius-like behaviour.”

Kim Chi: “Kimchi is a national dish of Korea so I wanted a name that represented my culture but sounded feminine at the same time! Kim Chi just seemed like the ideal fit.”

Plastique Tiara: “I got my drag name from My Little Pony, off this beautiful pony named Diamond Tiara. However, since Diamond has already been done so many times I chose Plastique because I like the innuendo and the ring that Plastique Tiara has even more. Plus, not many drag queens have the name Plastique, and it helps in becoming the real-life Barbie that I’ve always wanted to be as a child.”

Can you describe your drag persona and the defining factors that make her unique?

Aquaria: “For me, Aquaria was built on being half showgirl and half fashion diva which is best described by her ‘NYC nightlife It-girl’ title. I think it’s more the lack of things which I don’t limit myself to that gives me my je ne sais quoi and unpredictable nature. Drag doesn’t work as well for me if I let life and titles limit my imagination.”

Kim Chi: “She’s cute, sassy, shady, kind and bold.”

Plastique Tiara: “She is everything I wished I had growing up. I grew up very unconfident and lonely so I made my drag persona this flawless, unstoppable, confident anime character that could do anything effortlessly while still looking her best.”

Does your drag persona have a personality trait that you wish you personally had?

Aquaria: “We definitely share a lot of characteristics but Aquaria certainly heightens a lot of things for me, specifically my confidence and my free-spirit. Aquaria is a lot more daring when it comes to speaking her mind. When I say things out of drag, I think people definitely have a greater chance of misunderstanding me or take what I say to be super serious.”

Kim Chi: “I feel like I’m the same person in or out of drag. The only difference is a smidge of makeup and a wig.”

Plastique Tiara: “My drag persona used to be way more confident than my actual persona. However, throughout this crazy process, I’ve learned to accept my flaws which have made me more confident than I’ve ever been.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10 Winner, Aquaria.  (Photo credit: Voss Events)

Aquaria, you won the snatch game while impersonating Melania Trump. What do you think makes the perfect snatch?

“I mean, especially at the time we filmed Drag Race, I knew that choosing a character that RuPaul could really both laugh with and at would help me to at least stay afloat. It’s hard to keep your cool when you can’t see anyone, and you’re like at the front of the panel like I was.

I think that succeeding in Snatch Game is just as much about listening as it is to respond. I didn’t think any of my written answers were anything too special but it was the way I was able to connect with the other contestants in banter and messing with Ru every once in a while that really helped me to secure my high placement for that challenge.”

Kim Chi, it seems as if you never repeat your drag makeup looks. So, we have to ask, how do you maintain this level of artistry?

“When you easily get bored with doing the same thing, you find ways to constantly keep yourself amused!”

Plastique, you wore a lavish áo dài in the grand finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11. Did that feel like a national costume moment similar to those on Miss Universe?

“Absolutely. I’ve always wanted to represent my culture on American TV. Asian culture, especially Vietnamese culture is already quite underrepresented in the media, let alone queer Vietnamese culture. No one had ever worn a áo dài on the RPDR stage before so I wanted to be the first to represent my beautiful homeland who had shaped me into the person that I am today.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 Runner-Up, Kim Chi.  (Photo credit: Voss Events)

Here’s a fun question for you three — if your life was a song title, what would it be?

Aquaria:Fashion Pack by Amander Lear comes to mind… it definitely describes the way I view my nightlife family in New York and internationally.”

Kim Chi:All By Myself by Celine Dion.”

Plastique Tiara:Irresistible, now available on iTunes.”

Was there a season from RuPaul’s Drag Race that you wished you could have competed on?

Aquaria: “I feel like most things in life happen for a good reason so I wouldn’t want to be on any other season besides 10! However, I would have loved to be on a super demanding and creative season like season 3, which had all the insane design challenges because I love a good challenge.”

Kim Chi: “I had a pretty good run on my season which was full of people that I now call my best friends, so no. I loved being on season 8.”

Plastique Tiara: “I would have loved to compete on season 8. That’s because the season had Kim Chi and Naomi Smalls which are two of my drag inspirations and best friends.”

Aquaria, your IG posts are filled with high fashion looks. What is your favourite piece that you own?

“I think my favourite pieces are the ones that hold a story or special place in my heart versus just looking gorgeous.

From my Drag Race archive, I think my most valued piece would be my black mermaid tail that really helped to secure one of my bigger wins of the season. Outside of Drag Race, my accessories from my first attendance at the Met Gala are extremely special to me as is a mysterious Gaultier suit jacket that I acquired quite a few years ago which has an extremely long story but definitely holds tons of secrets and ridiculous memories.”

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 Contestant, Plastique Tiara.  (Photo credit: Voss Events)

Kim Chi, are any of your drag outfits inspired by your Korean culture?

“Most of them in fact! One of my missions was to introduce the hanbok silhouette to western culture. The Western culture is all about the fit and showing off the body but I think that there’s a beauty in innocence and creating alternate silhouettes.”

Plastique, is there anything you wish the Asian community knew more about with regards to queer Asian representation or the drag scene?

“Growing up in Vietnam for 11 years, I was always afraid about revealing how I felt on the inside because I was afraid of disappointing my family and bringing shame upon them. As a result of that, I had no one to talk to and had to suppress my feelings. I longed to be that light for my community, which I never had when I was growing up. As a queer Asian immigrant, I was able to thrive as a drag superstar so anything is possible.”

Lastly, what can we expect from Werq the World 2020 in Singapore?

Aquaria: “I am SOOOO excited to be finally making my debut performance in Singapore! The show last year looked so incredible but this time around, we are pushing every element of drag to its limits and we’re reaching new heights. My number is heavily based on dance, beauty, and athletics. For the most part, the upcoming show is nearly everything you could ever wish for in a large-scale drag production.”

Plastique Tiara: “You can expect the best version of my drag to be displayed.”

Kim Chi: “We’ve been to Singapore twice already and this time, it’s gonna be even bigger, flashier and bolder! Get your tickets now or forever wish you had.”

 


RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq The World Tour 2020 [R18]
27 February 2020, Thursday, 8pm at The Star Theatre
Tickets available here.