VIVACIOUS

LIKE RUPAUL BEFORE HER, VIVACIOUS COMES TO THIS SEASON’S “DRAG RACE” DIRECT FROM THE NEW YORK CITY CLUB SCENE! HERE, SHE SPEAKS WITH CONTRIBUTING WRITER MICHAEL COOK ABOUT HER CLUB KID ROOTS, HER PERFORMANCE STYLE AND HER WORDS OF ADVICE FOR THE “CHILDREN”!

You were part of the club kid scene, where costumes were a huge part of the scene. Is that where you get a large part of your fashion sense from?
Yes it was! I was highly influenced by them. It was in almost every club back then; they were the ambience-makers of the party, all these wonderful souls giving their best costumes every week.Their presence left a huge impact on me. Some would spend all week just to make the most daring looks topresent to the crowd, and when they walked in the room the a weand presence of their looks was so worth it because it left a huge impression in your mind for many years to come. I am blessed that I was able to grow up around them.

How do you think you measure up to some of the other New York City ladies from past seasons, such as Sahara Davenport and Mimi Imfurst?
I think we all each bring our different piece of the pie to the table. New York City isn’t one style or way of drag, so what we bring is a representation to the full diversity of what New York City is all about. All of our styles combined help tell the tale of what New York City is all about. NewYork City is all about GRIT, huni, get into it!

Was your “Drag Race”experience everything you could have hoped for? What were your favorite and least favorite parts of the process?
Yes, the experience was everything I had hoped for! Just the auditioning process alone has allowed me to begin to transform how I see drag and how I want todo it in a more fashion-forward way, to live up to what RuPaul has laid a template for.

How would you describe your performance style?
My performance style is“High Energy.” I like touse high-energy songs to captivate my crowd. I like songs with a lot of power behind them. After all, my name is“Vivacious,” so I must live up to the name: full of life, full of energy. People did not come to the clubs to be bored. They came to see a show, to see a queen perform and turn them out!

You’re a legend in theNew York City drag scene. What kind of wisdom would you like to impart to some of the younger children on your cast?
Aim for bigger format son where you can present your drag. Coming from New York City where we have a more open mind on
different kinds of drag, I’d say to the girls: learn to add different kinds of drag to your plate. It’ll only help you grow as a broader performer. It’snice to be nice, always be kind to those who support you for what you do. Reinvest in your art; it will give you a
longer career.