Hello, hello, hello! We are back with The Week in Drag, another round-up of all things drag. Since we all definitely need Christmas spirit more than ever this year, we have some early treats from Drag Race UK queens Divina and The Vivienne, the amazing Nina West and Miss Coco Peru. We’ve also got a fresh beatdown from Willam, more wig wizardry from Jaymes Mansfield and another hilarious episode of “UNHhhh” with Trixie and Katya. We’ve got the perfect appetizer for your Turkey day feast, so let’s dig in!
It’s time to say “Hola” to a whole new group of queens as World of Wonder has announced the next international spinoff, Drag Race Spain. The series will stream exclusively on WOW Presents Plus in the US with English, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitle options. The Spanish version of the franchise beloved worldwide joins existing formats across Thailand, Chile, Canada, Holland, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, which has been renewed for a second and third season.
“It is such an honor to welcome Spain to the Drag Race family, partner with Atres, and bring the fierce fabulous glamour of Spanish queens to new audiences around the world on WOW Presents Plus,” said World of Wonder co-founders Randy Barbato and Fenton Bailey. “In these dark and challenging times, we believe people need Drag Race's joy, laughter, and heart now more than ever.”
The host, judges, cast, and premiere date of Drag Race Spain will be ru-vealed in the months to come.
Is it too early to talk about Christmas? No? Good! The queens are already getting int the spirit of the season and have already earned themselves s place on Santa’s “nice list.” Of course, at the tippy-top f that list is the warm and wonderful Nina West. The congenial queen released her tribute to John Waters with the festive tune “Cha Cha Heels” and a video celebrating Divine, Ricki Lake and Kathleen Turner.
If you’re looking for the perfect something for that stocking, why not give the gift that keeps on giving? The legendary Coco Peru is here to help you scratch those gift-giving dilemmas off your list with her gift guide. You can pick up all of her goodies at her online store.
Drag Race UK champion The Vivienne is back with another winning look. Watch as she creates a flawless Christmas look (complete with a gorgeous red lip) in this tutorial.
Drag Race UK top three queen-testant Divina De Campo has gifted us with a new EP packed with tunes to make the holidays bright. On “Red & Silver”, Divina combines traditional and dance tunes for the perfect holiday mix, including the tracks “Sleigh the House Down”, “Stuff My Stocking” and “12 Days of Dragmas.” You can stream the EP wherever you get your music.
Nina and Divina weren’t the only queens to release new music this week. Season 3/All-Stars 5 standout Alexis Mateo brings the fire with her new single “Esta Noche.”
Manila Luzon has gone from “Hot Couture” to “F**k Fashion” with her new single and video. Can I just say that she is stunning (and ageless…what’s her secret?)
The always out-there Katya brings us her interpretation of a Ukrainian Eurovision hit with “Ding Dong!”, off of her new Vampire Fitness EP. Katya tells Entertainment Tonight that the song (featuring a guest appearance from her BFF, Trixie Mattel) is “a bar-mitzvah barn-burner dance track in the form of a love letter to Ukrainian artist Svetlana Loboda and makeup guru Val Garland.” It’s pure Katya, and it’s pure magic.
The AV Club challenges Katya to pick the best #1 singles. Along the way, she discusses working out with J-Lo, songs that remind her of being at a bad wedding and what one song makes her say “enough” She also dishes on her new EP.
On the latest “UNHhhh”, Trixie and Katya talk about moving. Remember when you moved in college days, when you recruited your friends and paid them with pizza and beer? These two do, and they also talk about the many places they’ve called home over the years and offer a fan some advice on a long-distance move.
Willam is back with another she-larious episode of “Beatdown.” This time around, she takes on an icky video offering some ladies’ hygiene tips and a positively cringeworthy bridal flash mob dance. She also showcases the insanely talented
Maybelline is here to help you create stunning makeup looks without draining your budget. Their new web series “Save that Money Honey” features tips from some of your favorite makeup mavens who show you how to create legendary looks with products you can pick up at your local drugstore. First up, Trixie Mattel shows you how you can create her signature look.
Want a more retro look? Aquaria serves up an 80s rocker look (that she had previously created for a Digital Drag performance.) Big hair, don’t care.
If you can’t get enough of queens putting on makeup (and who can’t, really?) Trixie welcomes Willam to her channel for a combination kiki and getting ready video. These two, with makeup collections of their own, are the perfect pair to cut up and cut creases.
Remember the Glow Up model that had Trixie and Katya in stiches? Looking for a quick costume for your next holiday party? Learn how to create the iconic meme look in around ten minutes with the help of Yuhua Hamasaki.
Jaymes Mansfield has been one busy queen this week, posting a trio of videos showcasing her skills. First up, she takes the ultimate test and tackles a fan-submitted green dollar store clown wig. Watch as she transforms the uber cheap hairpiece into a Thoroughly Modern Millie-inspired ‘do.
Taking a break from working with cheap wigs, Jaymes goes expensive and works with some wigs from Aussie’s own Wigs by Vanity. She creates a huge hair fantasy crowned with a rainbow-hued, glittery topper. I love this one.
Lastly, Jaymes launches a new series where she recreates iconic looks from some of her favorite entertainers. In the first video, she serves us Nicki Minaj’s alter ego Martha from her “Moment 4 Life” video. She takes a blond bob, and with a day to create and a $7 budget, gives us some Fairy Godmartha realness.
Alyssa Edwards is living large in Texas and shows off her home, including a kitchen that has all of the ingredients for an impromptu runway performance as well as an Alyssa-centric office, on MTV’s “Cribs.”
Heidi N Closet talks about her humble hometown of Ramseur, North Carolina on this week’s “Gap Chat.” Along the way, she talks about her early experiences working at a gas station, small town life and the horror flick filmed in part in Ramseur.
Who better to review a show about England’s royal family than a couple of true queens? The Vivienne and Cheryl Hole watch and comment on the latest season of Netflix’s The Crown on “I Like to Watch.”
Coco Peru is back with another evening of conversation, song and stories with a new “Casa Coco” on Tuesday, November 24. These shows have been fabulous, with great guests, but this week, Coco has outdone herself, welcoming Lesley Ann Warren from Victor/Victoria and Clue and Veronica Cartwright from Alien and The Witches of Eastwick. Get your tickets and don’t miss this one.
On the latest “Sibling Rivalry”, if you ever wondered if Monét X Change and Bob the Drag Queen could talk about death and still make you laugh, wonder no more.
Latrice Royale and Manila Luzon have taken their podcast, “The Chop” to the big screen and are devoting this week’s episode to a cult classic. On the debut of “The Chop Movie Club” Manila and Latrice discuss 1995’s To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. This is one of my favorites and if you’re a fan, you can’t miss the queens’ take on this film (with appearances by Lady Bunny, Coco Peru and RuPaul.)
This past week was Transgender Awareness Week and, to help observe the event, Peppermint, Mila Jam and lafemmebear teamed up for a remake of the Sounds of Blackness “Optimistic.” They recorded the anthem to help unite the country and rally around black Trans lives to celebrate Transgender Awareness Week. Peppermint says, “The number of transgender people who've been murdered is higher than ever recorded. In the midst of senseless murders of black folks, in the midst of the division and the pandemic. After seeing everything that has happened in our country and our world lately and coming up on the holidays, I wanted to gather black Trans women to put out a message of solidarity and love while simultaneously shedding light on the important road ahead.”
In honor of Friday’s National Transgender Day of Remembrance, Peppermint, along with Mila Jam and Deja “The Lady Deja Davenport” Smith, released a powerful video that “addresses the reality of the present, which deals with a painful past, and looks to a more hopeful future.” I will leave you this week. Take a moment to remember the trans lives we have lost and let’s all work towards a better future. Until we meet again, stay healthy, stay safe and love each other.
