Aquaria Talks New Projects, Snatching the Crown and the NYC Queen Who Has His Season 11 Vote
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With a crowded werqroom of 14 extremely talented competitors, Season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race was always set to be the fiercest competition yet. New York City alone was represented by five queens this year, but only one of them had what it took to snag the crown, and her name was Aquaria.
Aquaria rose to the top of the pack, never lip syncing once, and was crowned “America’s Next Drag Superstar” during last week’s jaw-dropping finale.
Hornet caught up with Aquaria to talk about his big win and what it means to him, his foray into becoming a multimedia queen and which New York City queen he thinks would be a worthy competitor for a future Drag Race season.
HORNET: Aquaria, from the moment you walked into the Drag Race werqroom to the moment you walked off-stage with the Season 10 crown, what does the whole experience mean to you?
AQUARIA: It looks like the most beautiful display of 14 queens who have put in the most work that they have ever had to put in during their entire careers. For me personally it has been so validating of who I am as an entertainer and as an artist, and who I’ve been trying to convince everyone that I am as an entertainer and artist. It is the ultimate stamp of approval and the absolute proudest moment of my career so far.
What has your drag mother, Season 4 winner Sharon Needles, had to say about your big win?
Honestly I’ve been so busy from last night until today that I haven’t had a chance to talk to her. My real mother is thrilled, though! [Laughs] Sharon was holding out all season to give her official endorsement to me, but she did last week when we were both on the Werq the World Tour in Finland, and she could not be more proud.
You’re slowly morphing into a true multimedia queen. You’re working on a book now, and your new single “Burn Rubber” dropped today.
Yes, “Burn Rubber” dropped today, and we are working on the book right now. I have always wanted to do everything and anything that I can. Sometimes drag is a vehicle for people to explore their gender or to explore other things in life. For me, drag is a way for me to do every fucking job in the world, but in a dress and a wig. That definitely excites me.
You came into the competition and turned out some of the fiercest looks, outshining some pretty experienced queens. Was it surreal to see yourself surpass your competitors?
Oh, for sure. I know I am a great lip syncer and a great entertainer, and I can turn the party just as well as the other girls. The fact that I never lip synced and was not familiar with the stage as far as Drag Race goes did not necessarily intimidate me as much as I looked at it as a new challenge. My mindset was to go in hoping to win and come out hopefully winning.
You work with all of the New York City girls, but there are still some fierce entertainers who haven’t yet hit the Drag Race werqroom. Who do you think would be a fierce competitor on a future season?
I am a huge fan of Ruby Fox. She’s one of the coolest dancers, performers and entertainers around. She always gives you something new and is always just wowing you with the way her body moves and how she emotes and performs. I would really love to see her on the show. I don’t know how the challenges and show aspects would work for her, but as an entertainer she would be the bees fucking knees.
Aquaria, What about the entire experience of Drag Race makes you the most proud?
Winning! Kidding! [Laughs] What makes me the most proud is being included at all. It has been such a beautiful experience for me and such an important season to be on. I think it is a milestone for us to have made it this far. The quality of work that the girls have put out all season and the level of drag, discussion and entertainment that have been created from this show this season — that’s what’s the most exciting to me.
