The new British drag docu-series ‘Drag Queens of London’ features some of London’s most well-known drag queens. In part five of our exclusive interview series with the queens of the show, we sat down with Bourgeoisie in a one-on-one interview to get to know her better.
Also be sure to check out our previous interviews with Meth, Rosie Beaver, Miss Cairo and Vanity von Glow.
Meet Bourgeoisie – ‘Drag Queens of London’
About ‘Bourgeoisie’:
Drag name: Bourgeoisie
Hometown: Washington, DC
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Current Location: West London
Birthday: 13 March
Zodiac Sign: Pisces
Interview:
Dragaholic: Why did you decide to use the name “Bourgeoisie”?
Bourgeoisie: My friend Ba’Naka and I were sitting in Town one night and after bantering about for a bit we decided that Bourgeoisie would be the perfect name for me: unexpected, a bit too much, and largely over the top.
D: How many years have you been doing drag?
B: Just over three years.
D: Who inspired you to do drag?
B: THE ATTENTION!!! I was getting a bit bored with going out as a boy and noticed how everyone completely bowed down to the queens in the club I was going to at the time. I figured it couldn’t be that difficult, so I bought a pair of heels and a bit of makeup and went at it.
D: How competitive are you?
B: Before entering into Trannyshack Academy, I would’ve said not at all, but now I know that’s not the case. I would say that if I can find any fucks to give, I’m amazingly competitive.
D: What are you strongest at in drag: makeup, hair, costume, performance or all of the above?
B: I didn’t say that I was going to slay the other girls with my look for no reason. The strongest area of my drag is definitely my costuming and overall styling. My training in university was in costume design and visual art, which are both skills that come in handy as a queen.
D: What is your personality like out of drag?
B: My personality outside of drag isn’t too terribly different. I’m perhaps a bit meeker and a bit more considered when I’m Joey as opposed to Bougie. Bougie is always up for going another event, whereas Joey is more of a homebody, happier to be at home with my husband and dog.
D: How long does it take you to get in drag… from start to finish?
B: If I’m not rushed or running late to something, my makeup normally takes around 2.5-3 hours. If showering and styling are included, it probably takes me around 3.5-4 hours to make the full transformation.
D: Which celebrity/entertainer inspires you?
B: Daphne Guinness. Isabella Blow. Effie Trinket.
D: Who is your favorite queen from RuPaul’s Drag Race?
B: I absolutely cannot narrow it down, so my top three favorite queens on the show are Raja, Nina Flowers and Milk. I love the odd, the quirky and the genderfuckers. I’m super excited to be performing with Milk and Tammie Brown in June at the Meth Lab!
D: If you had to choose three adjectives to describe your drag persona, what would they be?
B: Bizarre. Avant Garde. Arty.
D: Do you design and produce your own outfits and costumes?
B: Absofuckinglutely! Bougie is never caught in anything from the high street, so I do create almost everything that I wear. I’m a firm believer of drag queens needing to turn up the volume of their styling to 12 and it’s near impossible to find that in a shop. Luckily, I have the skills to be able to make that happen.
D: What can people expect to see from you on the ‘Drag Queens of London’?
B: People can expect a bit of truth telling, a bit of feisty competition, and perhaps a few tender moments. The documentary follows me through Trannyshack Academy, which was an emotional rollercoaster, so that will definitely will be something dynamic to watch.
D: Which queen did you enjoy working with the most on the ‘Drag Queens of London’?
B: I, of course, enjoyed working with my queer art collective, the Familyyy Fierce the most. The collective is made up of Meth, Lady Tena, Rubyyy Jones, Miss Cairo, Lolo Brow, Ruby Wednesday and Lilly Snatchdragon. They are the most open, supportive and wonderfully bizarre people I know.
D: Thank you so much for your time today. Is there anything you’d like to add before we go?
B: Anyone who wants more from me can follow me across social media, my twitter and Instagram are @onlybourgeoisie and my Facebook fan page is Facebook.com/onlybourgeoisie. I also have a shiny new website! onlybourgeoisie.co.uk.
The first episode of ‘Drag Queens of London’ debuted on Tuesday, April 22 on London Live! (Freeview 8, Sky 117, Virgin 159 and YouView 8).
Meet All of the ‘Drag Queens of London’
Meet ‘Drag Queens of London’ Star Meth >
Meet ‘Drag Queens of London’ Star Rosie Beaver >
Meet ‘Drag Queens of London Star’ Miss Cairo >
Meet ‘Drag Queens of London’ Star Vanity von Glow >
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