Katya

Boston gal Katya is a trained gymnast with a razor-sharp wit and is more than ready to literally leap over the competition to grab the crown. 

You are one of the most exotic ladies ever to be on “Drag Race”! What’s your full name? Thank you so much! As a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Caucasian woman, that’s not something I hear every day. You must be Et hiopian. Salaam! My full name is Yekaterina Petrovna Zamolodchikova, but you can call me Katya.

For those that don’t know Katya, how would you describe your look and performance style?
My look is pretty eclectic. I like a mixture of glamour and camp – ”clamp,” if you prefer. I also get a lot of inspiration from the people I see out and about. I spend most of my free time in hospital waiting rooms, so that informs a lot of my drag. Loud prints really excite me too.

You’re one of the most unique queens this season in several ways. What do you feel sets you apart from the other ladies?
I’m an excellent speller. I’ve won a bunch of regional and national spelling bees, but I don’t like to brag about it. That’s what really sets me apart–my humility. I’m also relentlessly self-deprecating to the point where people legitimately question my mental health. I’m also pretty and funny, and I have a lot of mobility in my hips and lumbar spine.

What did you find to be your favorite and not-so-favorite parts of the “Drag Race” experience?
I don’t kiss and tell! You will just have to tune in to find out.

RuPaul is a “den mother” of sorts to all of you girls. What was a fantastic piece of advice she gave you?
It was a little obtuse, but I think I get it now. She said, “And remember ladies, your elbow is close, but you can’t bite it.”

What’s next for Katya after “Drag Race”?
I’m hoping to finally work up enough confidence to quit the motorcycle gang I’ve been volunteering for, and to finish the one-woman show I’ve been working on called “Love Stories From My Vagina.”

In closing, give me one word that describes your life right at this moment.
Leptokurtic!

Katya
Boston, Mass.
Twitter: @welovekatya
Instagram: @welovekatya