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Getting To Know The Queens Of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 8 (Part Two)

With the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 just around the corner, excitement for the new season is getting more intense every day (especially after season 7 flopped so hard!).

Dragaholic was live on the red carpet in New York City for the premiere party, and we got the new contestants to spill all the tea on the new season. Get to know four more of the new queens below.

Read part one as well to get to know Dax!, Bob The Drag Queen, Naysha Lopez and Cynthia Lee Fontaine.

Related: The Six Most Highly Anticipated Queens Of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8

 

1. Thorgy Thor

rupaul's drag race season 8 new york premiere thorgy thor queen

Dragaholic: What is the inspiration for this stunning look?

Thorgy: I did not anticipate this when we got on the show: Logo & World of Wonder are wonderful, but it’s like an email every five minutes trying to control everything. I’m like, can we all just relax a little bit and have fun with drag? Cause that’s what I do.

So this look is kind of half like a “fuck you” to everyone else. I need to stay true to myself. Let’s have fun with drag! I still feel like Thorgy, but no one recognizes me. I’m having a blast and that’s really what it’s about.

What can you tell us about your Drag Race experience?

Well, it’s like a two million dollar lawsuit if I say too much. Someone asked me what it was like working with your New York City sisters, and that’s kind of what I took away from it. I did not expect Bob [the Drag Queen] and Acid [Betty] to be on the show, girls who I see all the time. We kind of took over that show, girl! Right from the beginning we walked in and were like “Whoops, New York is going to take over.” It got a little testy at times, but it was also kind of a fantasy. I love my New York sisters, but there were a lot of different personalities and it was a lot of fun to fight and to fall in love with each other.

So is there a rivalry between you and the other New York girls?

No comment! I want to sit down and tell everything that happened, but I can’t do that. So no comment, and you’ll just have to read between the lines.

You’re a classically trained musician – are we going to see any of that this season?

No — there wasn’t a challenge that said, “Oh, why don’t you conduct a 50-piece orchestra at Carnegie Hall.” I had a lot of friends ask, “Are you bringing your violin or cello with you?” Oh yeah, I’m going to bring my cello with me on RuPaul’s Drag Race. There were some musical challenges that I really had a chance to shine – and that’s all I’ll say about that.

Where’s somewhere you’d like to tour?

Talking to all the other girls from past seasons, everyone’s going to Brazil and Australia. I’d love to go to Japan! When was the last time you heard a queen say, “Oh, I got booked in Japan!” It’s all about being the first, isn’t it?

 

2. Chi Chi DeVayne

rupaul's drag race season 8 new york premiere chi chi devayne queen

Dragaholic: You’re at the beginning of this amazing journey – how does it feel?

Chi Chi: I’m feeling great – joyful, thankful, overwhelmed. It’s a life-changing experience for me.

How do you think you’re going to be characterized on Drag Race?

Hopefully I’m characterized as someone that’s talented and a good-hearted, good-spirited person. I try to be nice to everybody.

Tell us about your New York premiere look.

They said “red carpet,” and when I think of red carpet I think of Marilyn Monroe. So, I went for the traditional, classic, old Hollywood glamour with the furs and all that. I hope PETA doesn’t come after me!

What or who is the biggest influence on your drag?

Being from the South, the pageant world influences parts of the look, but I try to separate myself from that and do other things – work with paper, unconventional materials. But, for the most part, I’m a pageant girl through and through.

Where’s the best place to see a show in your hometown of Shreveport?

In Shreveport there’s only one place to see a show – Central Station! That’s our only gay bar. I work there every Saturday night.

You’re going to have a huge fan base – do you have a nickname for your fans?

I didn’t come up with anything, but why would they be called anything but Chi Chis? My little Chi Chis!

When you win, what are you going to do with the $100,000?

I’m going to travel. This is my first time in New York, I’ve never hardly been anywhere outside of Louisiana, so I’m going to take that money and see the world.

Speaking of travel, where’s somewhere you’d like to tour?

I want to go to London! I want to go to Brazil, Australia – I don’t want to stay on the North American continent!

What is next for you? Do you have any upcoming projects?

I’m a singer, and hopefully this will open the door for me to work on my music as Zavion. I really want to get a demo out. I want to be the next LGBT Chris Brown.

 

3. Laila McQueen

rupaul's drag race season 8 new york premiere laila mcqueen queen

Dragaholic: What can you tell us about your drag race experience?

Laila: It’s a lot. You can get all the advice you can, and you can think you’re prepared as you want to be, but it’s a lot of work. It’s not for the weak. It’s not for the totally mentally incapacitated either, because you will snap.

Tell us about your look.

I made this little leotard based on the movie A Clockwork Orange. I’m going for the Milk Bar look with the purple hair. I love that movie, so this is my version of it.

Who or what have been the biggest influences on your drag?

Marilyn Manson, Freddie Mercury, and Beetlejuice, for sure. That punk rock, “I don’t give a fuck” mentality – it’s always something I’ve admired and wished I could embody more, and that’s why I started doing drag.

What’s your drag makeup essential?

Beautiful, twelve-year-old skin.

Your exposure on RuPaul’s Drag Race is going to take you around the world – where would you love to tour?

Well, Bob [the Drag Queen] and I are going to the U.K. at the end of July, and that’s going to be amazing. I’ve always wanted to go there, they always seem like they have a fun time, and now I’m going!

Did you get close to any of the queens this season?

I really love Robbie [Turner] and Thorgy [Thor], Acid’s awesome – I got a long with most of them, to be honest. I think [the producers] got mad because we weren’t fighting as much.

How do you think you’ll be characterized on the show?

Well, I was nice to everyone, so I hope I’m not a bitch. I’ll take the bimbo, young girl.

 

4. Kim Chi

rupaul's drag race season 8 new york premiere kim chi queen

Dragaholic: You’re about to start this RuPaul’s Drag Race journey — how does it feel?

Kim: It feels amazing! It hasn’t quite hit me yet, but I think once I see the first episode it will really kick in.

What can you tell us about your time on RuPaul’s Drag Race?

My time on RuPaul’s Drag Race was full of food.

Naysha Lopez and you are both Chicago girls —  is there a little bit of a rivalry?

I don’t think so, because our styles of drag are completely different. Hers is very pageant-fishy, and mine is just terrible.

Speaking of style of drag, tell us about this amazing look.

The dress was made by Alexander Knox, who was on Season 13 of Project Runway. He’s a good friend of mine. The headpiece is made by Graham Tyler, who works for Ralph Lauren here in New York, and my wig was styled by Wigs & Grace out of Texas.

What is your makeup essential?

Pond’s Face Cream for moisturizing, Beauty Blender, and MAC Full Coverage Foundation.

You’re about to have an even bigger fan base – do you have a name for your fans?

I don’t really like to refer to anyone as “fans” because that creates a wall between them and me.

Where’s somewhere you’d like to tour?

I would love to go to Brazil – I hear amazing things. I’m already booked to go to the U.K. and Australia, so I’m really excited about that. Eventually, I’d like to perform in Korea.

 

Only four more queens remain, so stayed tuned. Part three is coming soon!

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