Speaker 1: 0:02

Welcome to this new episode of Before the Applause with me, your host, david Watson. In this episode, I talk to Harvey Bowen, or maybe better known to some as the fiercely fashioned and perfectly painted rising drag superstar, nia Thorne. We explore their journey from a supportive childhood in the Midlands to becoming a prominent figure in the drag scene, albeit at an astonishing speed and still just 23 years old. Harvey discusses their early acceptance of identity, the importance of family support and the challenges of navigating university during the pandemic, but which ultimately led them into a creative field that's changed their life forever.

Speaker 1: 0:42

We talk about the death-defying first drag performance, the growth of experience in the drag community and the significance of creating art in a challenging environment. We talk about the importance of rediscovering passion and creativity in art, pushing through when times get tough and the significance of self-awareness and mental health. Harvey highlights the importance of community and artistic opportunities, whilst also expressing aspirations for the future, focusing on personal growth and the desire to be a household name. Above all, naya's story is a reminder that art isn't just about the sparkle on stage. It's about using creativity to spark your truth, to lift spirits and to bring light to even the darkest of times. Grab a cup of something nice and join us as we discover more. Before the applause Harvey Bowen, welcome to the show. Who, who?

Speaker 2: 1:37

I just can't remember the last time I got called Harvey. I feel like my mum's talking to me.

Speaker 1: 1:42

You're not in trouble at all. Aka, the extraordinary Naya thorn drag superstar. Thank you so much for doing this. I know that you're in demand, girl, you're everywhere, but I appreciate you taking the time out to talk to me.

Speaker 2: 1:56

No, I'm happy to be happy happy for the invite, happy, happy for the attention. It's nice to know somebody wants to talk to me well, of course, you're a fellow west midlander.

Speaker 1: 2:07

That's why I love you by way of liverpool.

Speaker 2: 2:11

Honorary born in the midlands.

Speaker 1: 2:13

Honorary scouser right I'm a woolly still I think I still don't pull it off but I've had the pleasure of working with you. I met you when I worked with Magnus Hastings to put together the exhibition Queen, which was extraordinary, and we'll talk about that. But I'm a huge fan and I'm not inviting everybody onto this. I'm not asking every drag queen that I know right. But one of the reasons why I have invited you and you said yes, which I'm very grateful, is that you are the full package and I know we shouldn't be talking about age all the time, but I wondered if you could tell the audience how old you are.

Speaker 2: 2:49

Yeah, I've just turned 23. 23 in February just gone. Happy belated birthday. I'm getting to twink death now, girl, it's happening. It's happening. The lines are coming in the forehead. Oh God, you're 23.

Speaker 1: 3:07

An age should never restrict us or be a tag on someone, but I want people to understand what you've achieved, which is extraordinary. So anyone that hasn't seen this lovely human being either in person or online your makeup is insane, your fashion is, and it's good in person as well.

Speaker 2: 3:25

They don't know if I use Tune.

Speaker 1: 3:27

Is insane Like some of these other girls.

Speaker 2: 3:29

Some of these other girls have a FaceApp subscription.

Speaker 1: 3:31

Oh God, you're going to get yourself into trouble on this and your fashion is couture for days and your performance is death defying. Some of the stuff I've seen you do is insane, and you know, I'm from a dance background and I wouldn't even try some of that stuff. I don't think I should be trying no, you're back.

Speaker 2: 3:56

You're back, tells you not to do that. 23 and I've got the news of a 50 year old.

Speaker 1: 4:00

I'm going well but it is a pretty extraordinary thing you've done and this is going to be a great conversation to figure out your journey from the very beginning to where you are now, so I'm really looking forward to this. I know lots of people are going to be uh, listening, so let's kick it off and I want to go backwards. I wondered what you were like. As I say a child. You are still a bambino, but little harvey what were you like?

Speaker 2: 4:25

it's just. I feel like it's this rapport question. Just say to your younger self.

Speaker 1: 4:30

What do you say to younger self? What were you like when you're a bit younger?

Speaker 2: 4:34

oh god, I was a faggot, can I say. You can say whatever you want to say. I was a big faggot. I've never really been like conserved or anything I was. I was lucky enough to grow up with I a family that was very accepting and nurturing of whatever I was going to turn out to be. My mum says she conceived me. She could feel the. She could feel the heels in this room. I came out with a puff of glitter, like we all knew from the beginning. I remember actually the time. I think I remember my first gay experience was watching x-facts are and, like I think my mum, I came out with a puff of glitter, like we all knew from the beginning. I remember actually the time. I think I remember my first gay experience was watching X Factor and I think my mum clocked on and the first time I ever messaged my mum she was like mum, I think I'm gay. I think I was watching Hollyoaks and I think I sent her a text and I remember she texted me back and she was like I don't know, I was quite lucky, like even though I went to like a very small in the middle of nowhere school, uh, where there could have been a lot of possibility of maybe me getting outcasted or bullied.

Speaker 2: 5:39

Like baby I knew who to be friends with, like you, but befriend the girls so the boys don't fuck with you. I knew I was cocked on so I was lucky enough to be that. I was always the drama kid. I was always outspoken, I used to debate and things. I loved it. I don't know where it all went downhill, to be fair, because the future was looking so bright. I had all the potential to be everything. I to be everything. I started cross-dressing so fuck knows what happened. But yeah, like charges were good and doing that in the middle of Dudley as well. Like I was the only homosexual in the village well, the only one that was out.

Speaker 2: 6:11

Because going back there now like some of the people are popping up on the private grinders and I'm like, okay, I had my suspicions.

Speaker 1: 6:18

But I know and can you remember what your dream was. Maybe, when you were younger, did you dream of being a performer. Was that a natural thing or is it something that evolved over time?

Speaker 2: 6:29

I always knew I was going to be a star in some capacity. I didn't know how it was going to happen, but like I never had like my. I remember my mom, when I was using my gcses, was like you need an idea of what you want to do in life and I was like I don't know. Like my original gcse options I wanted to do were drama, music, not even drama, because my school didn't even have a drama lesson, drama thing, like anything drama related. I had to like, do myself, like for school productions, like we couldn't afford those, like drama groups, like probably why I didn't go to Lippard, to be fair, because I was like mid-late I can't do no offense to the Lippard girls, but you were quite pretentious, um, but I never had any of that, but like I were. I think I always knew because I was always like main character in the productions and I think it was just because I was the only boy that wanted to do it. So it was like kind of given, but like I always wanted like the loudest voice and stuff which sounds like. I think it's just because I knew and I remember the first time I knew I've only ever been to one concert in my life and it was choice of on I was 16. I've never been to another one since because the only memory I have of that entire show is feeling so envious of the fact that I wasn't on stage. I was like this doesn't make any sense to me. That's amazing. So I think I knew, I knew.

Speaker 2: 7:39

I remember when I remember when I felt pressured to like have to know what I was going to do, because I think I I was like one of the only people that went to do four A-levels and like like got my GCSEs and stuff, because I did put like the effort into it. There was a lot of pressure like you have to go to uni, you've got to like you're gonna like do this. So I felt like I had to. So I just remember being like, right, I'll just become a teacher. Because it was just like the easiest thing to do. So I went to uni, obviously got me to Liverpool where I went to Hope, because it was the only drama and theatre thing I could think of. And my obviously Covid hit just after I turned 18. So I didn't get to go to any open days, but I'd already been to Liverpool for my 18th birthday. So I was like, right, I'll just go there because I know the city, I already know some people there.

Speaker 2: 8:25

And then I started the uni course and then two of my years were on zoom and then all of a sudden, I'm getting there to third year and I'm actually going in person. There's no like practical stuff, because it was all done on zoom. Like I had the scripts behind my publishing side of this, but they had the scripts behind my phone screen. I didn't learn a single thing. And like I remember, at the end of each year I was like right, I want to drop out. But like I was like no, I'll hold him for an extra year because I need this degree, like everyone's telling me I need it.

Speaker 2: 8:49

And then, but by that point I'd already like I started drag from the moment I got to Liverpool, like it was straight away, I saw one drag queen. I was like I can do it better. And then, because obviously, if you remember, like Liverpool was one of the first places that opened back up again, yeah, luckily so I was pretty much working drag like full-time, pretty much from the get-go anyway, on top of having a bit of student loan on top like thank you, thank you, rishi Sunak. Thank you so much drag fueled by the taxpayer, like absolutely only you're gonna pay it back, don't you?

Speaker 2: 9:20

worry about that. Oh, they think they think you catch me first. Um, can I say that, well, I'm gonna have looking kia starmer at the door soon. Yeah, so I pretty much knew straight away.

Speaker 2: 9:35

And then, like I didn't actually fully pass uni because I didn't finish my dissertation because of like some stuff I'll get into like probably later it'll probably come up later with stuff that happened with me personally in my third year and stuff, and I got like year year, like extension, and by that point I was so far into working in drag full-time I just didn't have the time. So I like did the rest of uni and just never did the dissertation. So I never got my bachelor's degree or whatever it was. I got like a diploma of higher education to be like, well, you turned up, you paid, you paid the fee and you turned up, but so, but obviously so I started in Liverpool but I was traveling to London like twice a month to do gigs there and get myself noticed there and then coming back up and then that's kind of what kickballed it, because I started in London, then I did Manchester and then I was just left right center.

Speaker 2: 10:21

Yeah, it was quite fun. It's weird to think of. It's weird to think of, it's weird to go back to, because I did most of that in like six months. It's insane how quick when I was 18, yeah, and now I'm here now and now I'm just like what the fuck am I doing?

Speaker 1: 10:38

Can you remember your first discovery of drag? Can you remember what the first thing you saw I was?

Speaker 2: 10:46

16, I think I'd already played in my mom's makeup. Anyway, I've got like pictures on my snapchat from like 14 and like the most like I remember the first picture I ever posted. Everyone thought it was my first time in drag and that's what I've been playing off as because it was like I stand by it but like nobody saw the pictures from like four years before that nobody. It was given cd sissy. It was given. It was given I had a few highlighter pens. So I was. I thought I was clubbing down.

Speaker 2: 11:13

But I remember my first time seeing drag was season it was the end of season nine of drag race because my friend eve had turned around to me and was like I think you need to start watching this. I was like, right, well, I'll give it a watch. And then I think my first view of local drag it might have been before that was house of gorgeous, like I already knew of banksy and cheddar. And I think the first drag performance I saw was on youtube of the house of gorgeous at garlands doing um summertime sadness, which is weird because at that point I obviously had no clue what Garlands was. So it's just weird. It's weird that like two years later I ended up going there like working for Garlands and whatever reminisce. I feel like it was all in the stories right, even your journey through uni.

Speaker 1: 11:59

It all was meant to be right and you have to see it that way.

Speaker 2: 12:03

You do have to see it that way things, because I've always I've always said like I regret going to uni, but I don't regret where uni brought me to. Yeah, if that makes sense. Like I couldn't have chosen another city to start in, like liverpool was just the best place to start in. I was lucky enough to like, you know, I threw myself straight into the gay scene, like working in, omg, behind the bar, um, going out pretty much every night, uh, just like to like get myself into it because there was no sense of that community. So this was like the first time I'd ever got to experience like stuff like this. So I threw myself in full force. I was like I need to be gay and.

Speaker 2: 12:38

I definitely was and yeah, it was just it was. I really went full throttle. But yeah, so I regret going to uni because, like it, just when I actually do have to start paying that back, I'm going to be like right, I didn't need it. Like I did learn a couple things in there, but like nothing, nothing that justifies like the 90,000 pound bill behind it. But and I never, I never had the uni experience, like because of covid, like I lived in dorms. I didn't really have a friendship group from uni, like all my friends were out of uni. I never.

Speaker 2: 13:11

I I'm always told that I'm I give older, I look younger, but I I give older, like I give very much older vibes and I think it's just because I I grew, I forced myself to grow up that fast, because I was surrounded like all my friends now were like 30, 30 to 40. Anyway, they were the people I instantly gravitated to. So the people that raised me, like I was right, like very proud to say I was raised by a lot of like the Liverpool trans community and obviously they come out with so many. You know, they have so many stories themselves that I listen to. I learned from, from, like the elders, I guess well, I probably shouldn't say elders, I'll get killed for saying that. But oh, the pioneers. Um, so yeah, it was. And so I never had, like I've never gone to these student nights. I sometimes I go to the club and I see these like students, like going like wild, and I'm like, wow, you, you're, you're actually 18. I never, I never like related to that or anything.

Speaker 1: 14:01

I'm like 50 year old in a young body but I think that often happens and, yeah, I remember being very young and, you know, acting in a certain way. I think it just happened and obviously life circumstances happen with that. When I was very young, my dad died when I was very, very young yeah, so it catapults you into growing up, let's say, very, very quickly.

Speaker 1: 14:25

So I wasn't really bothered either. Until I started getting into my like 25 I didn't really honestly start going out and experiencing the world, you know, and you've gone through something quite difficult trying to be a student in a pandemic. Do you regret it because you feel robbed of the experience, or is it simply you just don't feel like you got anything out of it?

Speaker 2: 14:47

maybe the experience would have been different if it was in person. Yeah, maybe it would have, but I did. I just think like by the time third year come, my mom always said to me never take a gap year between uni and college, because the moment you take a break from it you won't be able to get back into it. Like you just just get it out your system now, get it done and just live after. And I didn't really get a choice in taking a break. Yeah, like it was, that was taken from me. So like, maybe things would have been different and it would have gone a different way.

Speaker 2: 15:16

But I think if I was more invested into uni, I wouldn't have had the chance to get into drag as much. So I just I don't. I don't think I'd be in, I don't think I'd be where I am if I wasn't given that opportunity to explore it and invest so much time into it. And also, as I said, maybe the student loan paid for a lot of garments at the beginning. Everyone's like how did you look so good from the beginning? And I was like, thank the tories, like thank the tories you.

Speaker 1: 15:43

You do look insane. I wondered. So, following you playing around with drag and discovering it, what did your family and friends think when you started doing drag a bit more, where they started seeing it? What was their reaction?

Speaker 2: 15:59

like they were fine, my nan loved it. My nan had so many costumes and high heels in her wardrobe that she passed to me my mum, because my drag mostly started from go-go dancing. So I basically started as a club kid. I was doing all these like I did reminisce with Garlands, loads of events in the Baltic. I obviously started at Heaven as a club kid, started at heaven as a club kids. So my mum understood because my mum when she was my, so my mum had me at 19 but just before that she was like dancing in Ibiza and stuff, basically doing the same thing.

Speaker 2: 16:33

So I don't think it came as a shock. It definitely did create the shock. I love it. My uncle, so my two uncles like one of them used to always party at night in Giles, like that was her go-to place. My other was a bouncer in the like in her street, like at Missing and everything. My aunties were lesbians. Like none of this was a shock. I think it was more of a shock to me. Yeah, definitely more of a shock to me and why?

Speaker 1: 17:03

was that more of a shock to you? I?

Speaker 2: 17:04

think it's just because I think it obviously came so suddenly, but I think because it was like put into my head like all these expectations of like where my life should have gone, yeah, like I fully had it in my head like I'm just going to end up being a teacher, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, like, and that it was kind of a relief when I found out it didn't have to be that, because I don't think I would have enjoyed that at all like I. I knew deep down that was never going to be it. I just thought that was going to be the only route, because that's the only route I've ever seen people go down. There was no, you know, I didn't have any gay teachers, I didn't have any gay friends in school. Like I didn't know, like I didn't know about drag race or anything like nine seasons after it started and I was only told because, like my friend, my friend Eve, who was bisexual, had been watching it herself. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have known.

Speaker 2: 17:52

Um, I didn't even know any other gay people online until I was about 17. Like I was literally the only one. So I didn't. I just I don't think I would ever have imagined it to be like that. So sometimes it is a shock. But then I know like a lot of like my friends from school like follow now and I have, like my teacher friends on Facebook as well and like do you know when you used to do those class reward things like I, I don't, I got the one that was like most likely to be famous right so.

Speaker 2: 18:22

I just think I think everybody knew before me what was going to happen. I just didn't know this was going to be the way it was going to happen. I thought I was going to be the prime minister or something. I thought I was going to be lady gaga. I thought I was going to be given model.

Speaker 1: 18:32

I didn't realize cross-dressing had to be it but, and here you, and here you are right, and here you are because my goal was my mate.

Speaker 2: 18:40

I remember the earliest goal I remember was like acting, cause that was always what I wanted to go into and like, obviously, drag, to an extent, is a big depart from that. You know there is an element of acting, but you've got more of the other performance. I said I never had dance lessons, like that was all like self-taught, from watching other performances online and just like I do a performance daily in my room just out of the blue and just out of the blue. Um and later it's just trial and error of watching myself back and very self-critical. So, like a lot of what I've learned you know, I taught myself how to do makeup.

Speaker 2: 19:10

I look back at my pictures and like what don't I like about this? Right, let's change it next time. Let's watch this performance back, whatever, what? Oh, I don't like that move. Like I won't do that. Well, change it up. Oh, my hair looks fried there. Let's, let's put some conditioner through it. So a lot of just everything I've done has been self-taught. I didn't have a drag mentor or drag guide. Really I didn't need one. I love it.

Speaker 1: 19:39

I had YouTube in a dream, and that's why this is such an extraordinary conversation. You know, and people need to see you if they haven't, because they'll understand what I'm talking about yeah, I think another important part is just knowing your queer history like.

Speaker 2: 19:54

Yeah, like I'm very I know some. There's some people like look down on it, because I think some people think you know some of the cons of drag race, of like oh, it's completely changed the industry. But I'm very happy to admit like I would never have learned so much queer history on my own. Yeah, I wouldn't have known where to look. So the fact that there was that tv show that was platforming so much history and you know so many other experiences I would never have known. Like, because I, you know, I'm I am extremely lucky because I know that a lot of people don't have that experience with their family.

Speaker 2: 20:28

Like I get messages now.

Speaker 2: 20:29

I get people come up to me in gigs being like so envious of their confidence and, to be fair, like I get it more off.

Speaker 2: 20:35

When I used to do brunches for like hen parties and stuff, people coming up being like it's so nice, like it's only recently, like a lot of people with like trans kids that don't know how to like navigate it. Yeah, so I, I, I understand I've, I've been very like privileged and honored to have the background of the family, I've got learning other people's stories and seeing them kind of humbles me a bit and opens my mind to like what other, what other people are experiencing in the world, which I think has just added to like this level of it sounds like big-headed to say like I'm mature, but like if it wasn't for my mum being so not pressureful, but like very spot on and wanting the best for me because of her past and wanting like whatever. I'm very proud to say that I have a mature outlook on life. I appreciate the lessons that I've learned from the mistakes that I've made in the past. Like I'm not here to say I'm perfect, like maybe I made many mistakes.

Speaker 2: 21:32

I have like got to this point, like the past two years were like some of the darkest two years that ever. And I look back at it now and I'm like, oh, the fact I made it through all that, like, yeah, okay, I've got my like. Everyone's got their own stories and when you can open your mind to learn about other people's and kind of, I I'm 100, an empire, 100. I cannot help but put myself in someone else's shoes. Yeah, so like I I if when somebody tells me a story like I feel the pain that they're talking about, I feel every emotion that they're describing. And then, obviously, with my own, and I think just having that maturity has helped me put so much effort, my own personal effort, into like my art, as a demonstration of the confidence and maturity and position that I've got myself in now.

Speaker 1: 22:24

Absolutely, and you have put all that in to getting yourself to where you are now. What was your first performance? Like Full out, full drag. What was it? And tell?

Speaker 2: 22:36

me about it. So it's actually quite wild because a lot of people don't know this. It's on my Instagram, the video. I've never taken it down, I won't ever take it down.

Speaker 2: 22:46

But my first performance was in heaven in london, which is huge. It was just after the lockdown had finished. So, like it was obviously the table service and everything remember that tea or coffee sitting on stage and shania payne sitting behind me. I felt a bit of pressure because obviously me and shania had kind of known each other from liverpool. So she was like okay, let's see what she's got.

Speaker 2: 23:04

Then I was staying with a queen called LaBelle from London and she said there's this competition, do it. I didn't really get a choice. I was like right, okay, like fuck it, I'll do it. And I just remember I didn't really choreograph it. I had a little mix I made. It was Britney Spears, I want to go. I had a clip of Bailey J Mills in it and I had a banana on stage and that was that. And I remember Lawrence Chaney was sitting in the VIP thing. Like I was proper, like okay, this is happening. But I didn't feel nervous, I felt excited and at this point I think so I look back at the performance. It was messy, messy boots. It was messy boots, but I stand by it like the energy was there and I just didn't know what to do in my body. I remember the first thing I did. I'd never done a split before, I'd never stretched, for some reason. Have you been to heaven?

Speaker 2: 23:59

you've got you've got like the stage, the steps and then another stage. Girl, I leaped off that top stage into a split.

Speaker 1: 24:06

I didn't know if I could do it.

Speaker 2: 24:08

No, that could have gone south. That was how I figured I found out I could do a split by just doing it off a stage. That's insane it was. It was mad I had Lawrence come out to me after. She gave me a tenner it was Scottish money so I thought it was fake. I thought I was giving like some monopoly money. I remember I remember I came back up to her after when I tapped her and she was like, are you okay? And I'm like, yeah, girl, can I actually use this in this country?

Speaker 2: 24:29

that was so funny she gave you a Scottish note and I bought a Mackey's afterwards it was great that's an amazing memory to encapsulate your first performance, and yeah, I reminisce on that time a lot because I had such I talk about maturity now but like I definitely had elements of immaturity then when I was like figuring myself out, you know, discovering myself as a queer person for the first time around some people that had known, you know, been able to discover that their whole life, especially like a lot of older people that had already, you know, have had all these experiences. And I look back now because it was such like a, there was like an element of innocence. It was just like bright eyed, like bright futured and um, we'll probably get into this a bit more later because it's a quite a big, big topic with it but like, not long after that, I fell into like the party scene and club scene a bit too hard and I thought like I'd completely like fucked up, like there was no going back. It was like I was 19 with like a heavy addiction do you know what I mean? Like I the shame I felt with that.

Speaker 2: 25:36

But like I look back now and I think about it and I'm like, oh girl, I did all that in a kettle. So I did all that in a kettle, so you can't stop me now, right, you, right, you know it's been a long journey, trying to like dig myself out of that hole, not even just to like dig myself out of that hole, but you know coming, it's been a long journey, trying to get myself out of that position but also giving myself the grace to be like you made those mistakes, but you know you still pushed your way through it to get what you wanted. It was just a setback and it's just part of your story absolutely, and you and you should give yourself a break, because I can't, I can't look at that.

Speaker 2: 26:17

You know. Look back at that point in my life and I wasn't leaving my room, you know, staring at four walls, unless it was for work, and just like festering, like wasting my youth, I guess, is how I started the time. There's no point me like sitting in shame now, like that happened, and it's just something that you know pushes me in life and makes my story my own and adds to my own and just, you know, informs my art why some people might relate to me. Um, and it's all just stuff to put in my book. When it comes out I'll have like a great four chapters already wrote out.

Speaker 1: 26:52

I knew you were going to say that, because that's the kind of business person you are.

Speaker 2: 26:57

Maybe the book will be coming out, the documentary after, and so that challenging time for you.

Speaker 1: 27:04

What would you say to somebody that is trying to do their art, trying to do their thing in the creative industry, but really struggling, and maybe in the same situation? But what would you say to them to help them?

Speaker 2: 27:15

I think it would be naive to say that we don't live in a time where it doesn't seem near impossible, but it's a struggle to not not only just create art, but do it without fear. You know, we've only just got, not even got past, but the time, you know, look at that period where drag queens were being called pedophiles um, you know, the focus has gone on to demonize and trans women, though, which you know we all knew was going to happen, like it was only a matter of time, and then it will go back to a time like we were in the 80s, where, like, the whole of the community is demonized. So I think, you know you may be scared to create art, but the thing that's going to get us out of this dark place in, you know, prove resilience and, you know, spread queer joy and make people feel, you know, okay to come out and not scared to be the one testing themselves, is to create art. So, you know, be queer without fear. When me and melina led that protest against hate crimes, we, by the way, queer without fear, we created. I've seen a lot of people use it. I just want to. I just want to say, me and melina, me and melina mihan. We, we queer, and fear is, ah, we created that. We. We marched for the, for the gay rights, let's not forget. I want to. I want to start too. I think as well, like don't understand why you're creating art.

Speaker 2: 28:37

You know, I've come to realize, moving to like manchester and stuff, it's very hard to make a decent living that's livable off and you know, not just to pay your rent but you know, to enjoy your life, be social. It's very hard to do that with a very specifically for drag, I guess, with a very oversaturated drag scene. Everyone's doing it. So I said I've been talking about this with a lot of people recently. People just need to start doing drag for fun again. People need to take the serious out of it. People need to start being silly. They need to be creative, like put more thought into it.

Speaker 2: 29:12

I know I personally am taking a step back from make it, doing it as full time, because you know, the reason I moved home last time was because I was so worn out and I was starting to hate drag. Like I was ready to hang the shoes up last year, I was ready to quit and sell everything and just like I've had my four years. I've done it now because it became a chore and your passion should never become a chore and if it ever feels like that, take a break from it and understand why you love it and you want to go back to it. And I know for me personally, I've decided to make the step of, you know, getting other jobs to make my money so I can, you know, start looking forward to doing drag again.

Speaker 2: 29:52

I can, like, start enjoy the creative process of like, okay, what, what hair is going to go with this look? What, what shapes are we going to use today? What colors are we going to use? Like, what's the narrative that I want to portray with this? Like, what numbers do I want to do? How am I going to match the look to the number I want to choreograph on? And I just want to start doing it as a hobby and if I get a little cheeky feet on top of it, like, I'll take the cheeky feet as well. Um, so I think, just to simplify that to that question of, like, what would you say to other artists? Just remember why you started and remember that you're making art and displaying it is is so powerful and even if you don't know it yourself. There is going to be someone inspired by that. Absolutely, girl. I feel like I'm at miss continental right, you just, you just warm up.

Speaker 1: 30:41

I'm about to win my pageant it is a really, really tough industry and you've been through a lot and I just wondered today, how do you feel about this character that you've created? Are you enjoying drag now more that you've made that mental decision to kind of go well, get back to why I did it I'm gonna have a life.

Speaker 2: 31:03

I think I go through like phases. I you know, like I'd be I'd be a fool to say that like it's not being, it's not being. It's not still difficult to like, try and navigate that process of like. Is this still what I want to do? It's never going to leave. I'm never going to quit. Like it's never going to leave me, like it'll always come back. I could take a break and I'll end up going back to it at some point, but I definitely I think I think I'd lose a piece of myself if I stopped and I just I don't think I could.

Speaker 2: 31:36

Like earlier, when you called me Harvey, I've been called Naya for four years now. Like she is, she is just as much a part of me. She. You know there was a time when I I first started, when I was trying to figure out why I felt more confident and found a bit more happiness when I was in drag and like. I think a lot I know from I know from a lot of conversations, a lot of people have had that experience where it's like made them question their own identity with their gender and like I definitely did as well, and if it wasn't for that and have you know, having Naya to question that I wouldn't have, you know, recognized some of maybe, my issues with body dysmorphia that, like I thought I left behind as a kid because it was I realized. You know, upon reflecting on Naya, and you know, taking my journey with her, that you know the reason I did feel more confident because I had the element of control. With corsets, pads, boobs, I could control how my face looked and I was like, if it wasn't for that process I took with her, I wouldn't have been able to recognize some of the issues that Harvey still had.

Speaker 2: 32:39

Yeah, because I'm very, I'm very much, and it's toxic, some way of close your mouth and get on with it like issues are issues, keep them quiet and ignore them, and that's not healthy at all. It's. I am my own therapist. I don't talk to many people about what's going on, but I'll talk about it in my head. Yeah, I have, I'm very self-aware and so like, very observant of what's going on with my life and you know it's important to obviously get that out because as much as you think you're talking it through in your head, you won't, you won't understand that feeling of relief until you've actually said it out loud and somebody hears you, but I'm just grateful that naya has exposed some things that I still need to work on to better myself.

Speaker 2: 33:21

I think that's another thing, like if I was going to give more advice to drag artists specifically don't lose yourself in the character that you're creating, because you've still got whoever you are underneath and they deserve just as much attention and as much love as the person that you're putting on the outside, which is definitely something I've had to like I still battle with, and you know something I still stressed myself like remember, harvey exists underneath, so it's really nice being able to do stuff like this, um, and like just enjoying being me for a bit Right and just absolutely loving the time being like a fancy woman, but also enjoying the, also enjoying the man behind the wigs because, because harvey has enabled naya, and that extraordinary doesn't come from nowhere, it comes from harvey and all the things that you've done, right as much as as much as me and naya are symbiotic.

Speaker 2: 34:25

You know, we are the same person. I draw elements of naya in myself and vice versa. They're symbiotic, they're the same person. They are also separate people as well, which sounds really weird to describe, but that is that element. That is that element of separation and also unity. Um and when you're, you know, I spent most of my time as Naya. That's only how I made friendships, that's how people know me and sometimes I know I, whether it's whether I acknowledge it or not, I feel a bit lost myself and it's like oh, are people here for the Naya experience or do they want the person underneath as well?

Speaker 1: 35:05

The challenge of that is that you, you most people do connect with you performing and they don't get to meet harvey because they're an audience, they pay to see you or they're engaging. But I think the more that you do things like this, the more people follow you, particularly on social. You know, and that's one of the extraordinary things which I think, that you, you are creating this character and existing these two people, when social media is the thing that is running the world, that must be really, that must be really difficult, like, and the way you know the aesthetic thing, yeah, no, the aesthetic is insane and stands out. How do you, how do you work with that? Because there must be? Do you feel the pressure of looking sick all the time and coming up with things that are unique?

Speaker 2: 35:50

Each drag scene in the country, city-wise, has their own, has their own culture. Yeah, I was lucky enough to, you know, be in the Birmingham scene for a bit, the Liverpool scene and obviously London, and they were like my core three that nurtured me. You know, liverpool scene might be a bit hokey pokey sometimes. You know there isn't. You know the girls I'm not saying they look terrible.

Speaker 1: 36:15

Some people do no, no, no, they're going to come for you after the Hicks.

Speaker 2: 36:20

When I went to London there was so much emphasis on being clean, pristine, holding yourself to a standard, not being messy, and it was a complete opposite. And then I went to Birmingham and all hats are off, like wigs are on the floor, crocs are on. So I'm I'm very fortunate that I got to experience so many different cultures of drag that you know have. I do put a lot of importance into how I hold myself, how I'm presented, because, at the end of the day, a brand's a brand. Like I'm running a business, I can't be messy. It's going to reflect.

Speaker 2: 36:54

But I I'm also lucky enough to have the culture of Liverpool and Birmingham, where drag inherently, even though it's your business, is meant to be fun. You're meant to be having a good time. You're there to make people have a good time. That's your job. So, as much as you know, it's about balancing those two. So I I think my selling point, and what makes me unique from a lot of other people, is that balance between the two styles of, you know, commercial, sellable drug, but also enjoyable drug, absolutely.

Speaker 1: 37:28

Absolutely, and it's definitely enjoyable. What does drag give to you personally? What does it?

Speaker 2: 37:37

allow in unlocking yourself as Harvey A roof over my head, I've definitely found more confidence in myself.

Speaker 2: 37:47

I always thought I was quite confident but you know, inherently I'm always an anxious person to an extent.

Speaker 2: 37:50

I think I remember, you know, one of the first things a lot of people said, say to me and it used to really get to me is that I thought you were like gonna be a really nasty person or like you're.

Speaker 2: 37:59

You're like a really you. You don't seem like a nice person when you walk about because I put so much you know, 100% energy when I'm on stage, when I come off some type like, my anxiety comes out a bit and I'm like and like, I think, a lot of people at face value for what I present on social media or how I come across in person. Obviously, having everything, like you know, I go through in my own personal life I'm trying to like hide as well that may leak out. A lot of people don't realize until they actually speak to me that I'm not what they thought at first, which is definitely like made me put more conscious effort into being the person I want to be perceived as, outside of drag and making the effort so people feel welcome in my presence. Rather than feeling scared, sometimes they need to feel scared.

Speaker 1: 38:49

When you're controlling the room. I tell you.

Speaker 2: 38:52

Sometimes a bit of fear is good, but I don't want to be known as the villain.

Speaker 1: 38:58

You're not, absolutely not, and if people take the time to actually get to know you, absolutely, they'll know that. But I suppose it is because of this they see one side of you, I think.

Speaker 2: 39:10

I think a lot of people have an expectation, yeah, that you need to be the nicest person constantly, and because you are this, you know idea of perfection and unattainable, like because you're on stage and you're presenting this, you know this perfection, I guess in my case, like I feel like this is gonna be a brilliant interview.

Speaker 2: 39:34

I feel like people have that expectation that you have to be perfect when, end of the day, I'm not perfect, I have shit going on, I am tired, I need to go to bed. I, my hip, my feet hurt. I'm not always going to be the happy, happy, chappy, like let's talk to everyone, like at the end of the day. Sometimes this is my job too. It's my job to be smiling all the time. I sometimes I need an hour in myself to just getting back that like social battery absolutely, and people just people don't understand that.

Speaker 1: 40:09

But hopefully by doing these things and you talking more and being that mature activist, articulate, harvey, they will learn that. What's it like? How do you handle the reaction of audiences to naya, because I've seen how people react in whether that's a good way and I know there might be critique, but a lot of it is admiration. And what does that feel like when everyone's ripping up the room and going wild for you?

Speaker 2: 40:36

I definitely feed off audience energy, like I've noticed, like in a couple times when I've done like gigs and it may have it may have been a bit quieter I'm doing the absolute most to just try and get some sort of noise out of an audience. Like it's like that scream if you want to go faster. I've always said to it, if anybody ever introduces me, it's like keep your arms and legs in your seats at all times and scream if you want to go faster. Because it's just, it's why I perform. I live for the applause, right for the applause, right a lift for the applause. And like I, I get a sense of fulfillment, like I'm doing something. If I walk away and somebody said I've had an amazing time today. This has been, you know, this has been worth the time I've invested into you, it's like.

Speaker 2: 41:18

It's like a mutual exchange. It's a I'm not sure what the word is. Yeah, it's like a mutual exchange like you've given me. You've given me a sense of purpose, I've given you a good couple hours of enjoyment and I've I've I know this sounds weird. I feel a lot more appreciation from people from straight audiences, which sounds really weird because you'd think the queer community would be. But I feel like some, some queer audiences feel don't have that sense of appreciation, because it's like oh, this, we get this all the time, like we're always at drag shows and it's not. I think they're just a bit more normalized to it. Obviously, with drag, race and everything, it's like right, okay, yeah, whereas like when I do I did the shankley for mother's day just gone and like these people don't get to see drag all the time, you know, I mean um, and they genuinely come up at the ends and they're like I've had an absolute scream, especially Scouse women oh my god.

Speaker 2: 42:09

Scouse women coming up to us at the end. They're like Gail, who did you make up? And I'm like I don't have someone around me 24-7. But I do feel a lot more appreciated. I think I enjoy performing for straight people more, more especially confused straight men who don't know what's going on right and like I I I know there's a lot of other performers that like this as well. I get a lot of it sounds really weird, but like enjoyment from seeing straight men feel really uncomfortable to then feeling, you know, like loosening up a bit and getting into the vibe, because I I'm not. I'd say I'm a very I'm very different to what people may think the drag queen is like at first. I'm very down to earth. I'm, you know, I'm your local counsellor state kid. I'm a little bit of a lad's lad from a girl's girl, like we'll have a laugh, we'll have a banter. I'm not, I'm not someone you know. You know, I think there are some got a stage, there's a fourth wall and you're there and there's no break of that.

Speaker 2: 43:07

Like I make it my mission to break that fourth wall you're in, in among, because, at the end, at the end of the day, like I'm providing an experience, like I want you to be on the ride with me, I want you, I want us to laugh together, I want us to howl, I want us to scream, I want us to, like, enjoy the moment together, like I'm enjoying your presence as much as you're enjoying mine. I love how we were talking about the fire engines earlier. Love living in the center of town and that. That's clear. That's clear. So I'm coming, because we were talking about the government earlier right, come to tone you down waiting for the swap team.

Speaker 2: 43:40

Yeah, like my, when I'm on stage I'm I am being paid to bring you a longer journey, to give you that escape. You know there's so much shit going on in life right now. You know, not just as queer people, but the cost of living crisis. You know you open your phone, it's World War 3 isn't coming. You know we're all having economic wars with each other's country. Old people are freezing, people are starving, there's no electricity going on that's. There's meteorites coming down. The moon is going to explode.

Speaker 2: 44:13

Like there's so much going on, this, like the world's such a negative place and it's so scary to live in that it's so important that we have maybe just drag queens. You know burlesque. We have boylesque, we have drag, we have hosts, we have parties, we club, we dance, we spread joy, we welcome people to our spaces as queer people. We, you know, we invite people to enjoy that joy with us and we experience that joy back. And I think you know there's so much fighting in the world right now. Whether and we experience that joy back and I think you know there's so much fighting in the world right now, whether that's just, you know the argument of left and right. It's like what is left and right. We're all just people at the end of the day, trying to battle through the same shit. And we've all.

Speaker 2: 44:59

You know we've seen it in history where I know this sounds dark, but you know you look back to World War II, when so many people were demonized because there was economic stress, in Germany specifically, but just around the world that sometimes you feel like you need someone to blame. And we're seeing exactly the same thing now, where people need something to blame and there are political parties that are putting emphasis on immigration. You know we've got no money. We need to blame the people that are coming over to the country. Um, we, you know the children aren't safe, but the drag queens are reading to them. We've got. You know you can't afford your houses, so it's the trans people's fault. Do you know what I mean? Like we right now, we it's human to need someone to blame when something's going on. It's human. You can't really knock people for that, who we should be knocking them for it, but like it's just inherent that we will be.

Speaker 2: 45:53

We've seen in history before we'll probably see it again like it's just we're in a constant cycle of struggle, blame and coming back out and soon enough we'll have another resurgence like in the 80s where, you know, more like underground scenes will be coming up. That you know. But people thought that there was a resurgence in, like club kids and stuff when it came up. No, like we, it's been here for a long time, it was just pushed. It was pushed back because there was recession or money issues so people felt like they had to go back underground. And we'll probably go back underground now, probably Once the drag race you know, joy like not joy once the drag race popularity's gone down, when there's no brunches going on, we'll go back to our roots, creating art in small clubs, and there'll be another window of time when we'll come out and be popular again.

Speaker 2: 46:44

We'll never disappear. We never have disappeared. We've always been here, disappeared, do you know? I mean, I'm always going to be here. So it is just about. You know we are very dark times but, just circling back to the whole like point of this ramble that I was going on about, it's so important for me personally to be able to provide that hour of escapism from everything that's going on because we need it. We all need the escapism from everything that's going on Because we need it.

Speaker 1: 47:11

We all need the escapism we all need to ignore Absolutely, absolutely. And as part of that escapism, one of the things that we did together was Queen exhibition by Magnus Hastings. I wondered tell me, how was that for you?

Speaker 2: 47:25

It was a gag. Like I knew about Magnus Huygens pretty much from the moment I started drag. I know a lot of the girls that did it had no fucking clue who he was and saw a little photo shoot opportunity. But I know there were a couple of us that we were like right now this is like a big opportunity, this is huge, and I understood that straight away. The little paycheck on the side that was cute as well. But like I would have done that, we have to pay artists.

Speaker 2: 47:54

We've got to pay artists right, I would have done that anyway and I was like no, this is a huge opportunity. And around this point was the time I knew I was leaving Liverpool as well and the shoot happened just at the end. So for me it felt like a big like this is. This is huge. Do you know what I mean? Like I'm in an exhibition at the end of my time in a city that nurtured me. You know, Harvey before Liverpool and Harvey after were two very different people. Like Harvey after Liverpool is a fully realized queer person that has found themselves from the lost person that got there and so being able to be in that was amazing. You know, I never really thought I'd be. You know, in an alley behind Navy bar being photographed by Magnus Hastings. Do you know what I mean?

Speaker 1: 48:44

Well, many a queen have been behind that alleyway doing.

Speaker 2: 48:47

Many a queen of many a queen have been done that navy bar baby I I knew when we were taking those photos that wasn't some of their first way.

Speaker 1: 48:54

I know I was like gosh, why has he chosen this? But you looked extraordinary and it's I want to go back to this, bearing in mind we've had this conversation that you didn't do official, you know, formal dance training. You didn't really do formal makeup training, your outfits and costumes. How do you create this aesthetic that it keeps on getting better and I don't know how, because it's already absolutely brilliant. Do you work?

Speaker 2: 49:21

with different people where do you get your inspiration from? Specifically for that shoot, I knew I wanted to work with a designer because as much as you know let's, let's put as much skills representation into this as I can. You know, I'm not scouts myself, but I am honorary, but like if let's highlight one artist but also get another artist involved. Yeah, so I worked with Drew Kent. This was a piece that he'd already created. Instantly, the moment I got the shoot thing, I messaged Drew and I was like girl, let me see what you've got, because I'm wearing something and we're going to do this together and as much as I'm going to be shown, you're going to be shown in this as well. So that piece was a Drew Kent piece and I knew from the start like my goal was going to be I need to get, because I've always wanted to work with a designer for a shoot anyway. I've never got to do it before. And then that was like my first proper photo shoot as well.

Speaker 1: 50:20

No Like yeah.

Speaker 2: 50:22

No, uh-huh, are you lying? No, I don't think I've done another photo like a proper like photo shoot with a photographer before that.

Speaker 1: 50:31

So I, I'm learning. This is new to me. Those people that are listening. If you can't see my face, like my jaw's on the floor, yeah.

Speaker 2: 50:39

So, like I knew, I knew I wanted it to be a moment because I knew the gravity of like who was taking it, where it was going to be and where it was going to go as well. I was like this needs to be staple night. This needs to scream me and I want to feel proud the entire time. I want to feel proud as I'm taking it. I want to go see the picture and feel proud and I want to know it's going, you know, being shown in galleries across the world and my pride's encapsulated.

Speaker 1: 51:09

I can't believe you'd never done a shoot. I learned that right this second because your your takes were clean. He gave you the least direction you walked.

Speaker 2: 51:19

You were not I knew what I was going into. Like everyone else is there, I was like I want to stand there, I want to be sitting down. Just take the photo by me.

Speaker 1: 51:30

You don't direct to a photographer. But Nair was straight in there I was like, but the pictures are insane, but I'm glad you enjoyed that I was.

Speaker 2: 51:39

I was honoured as well to be able to obviously perform at the opening. Yeah, cause I did. I was perform at the opening. Yeah, because I did. I was did a little number, didn't you? Yeah, I'd moved home at that point so I was like I don't know if I'm going to be able to get to this and obviously I think I emailed you or yeah, I think it was you I'd emailed like about hey, girl, I need to be at this. Yeah, I'll perform here, like get, get me there.

Speaker 2: 52:00

And being able to work with danny and being able to work with Danny and being able to perform for, you know, my community and stuff and give back to that to show you know, being able to, that was a very big moment for me. A lot of people haven't seen, a lot of my friends haven't seen me perform before unless we've worked together. So that was a lot of people's first time seeing it. And you know, I had my Heaven family in the room. I had my tonight jason family in the room. I had, like, my victoria street family in the room. There were people from, you know, eat me, like. All these people that, like, have allowed me to have the opportunities that I've had and have nurtured me and helped me grow were all there in the well. Most of them were there in the room. A lot of them were still upstairs a lot of them were still upstairs have you performed yet?

Speaker 2: 52:44

And I was like, yeah, go over and finish it. An hour ago I've been undone, the paycheck's done.

Speaker 1: 52:53

That opening party. I've done a lot of things in my time and produced a lot of shows, but that party was insane. It was amazing and I'm so glad you agreed to be part of it and I'm so glad you got so much out of it. However, I'm still very, very gobsmacked that you've never done a photo issue until. But clearly you need to do more clearly. I need to do more like I did.

Speaker 2: 53:15

It was. It was an amazing experience and to have girl. The people on the streets were gone. There were so many crossdressers in the daytime nobody. I had this one girl come past and I heard her say to her mom because I was just filming a little video of like me walking down the street and I, this like young girl must have only been five, six, walking with her mom I thought this mom was going to shield her or something I just had. I just had it in my mind. I was like, oh god, we're giving day walker the the some, some of some of these cross dresses shouldn't be seen in the day. Like I can look good in any light, but even some light in shouldn't be well. But this child walked past this young girl and she went oh my God, Mom, is that a Disney princess? Oh, I was feeling my oats. I was like absolutely.

Speaker 1: 54:03

That is why you were working the alleyway, yeah girl, she didn't clock the man behind the dress.

Speaker 2: 54:08

She was like absolutely, that is why you were working the alleyway. Yeah, girl, she didn't clock the man behind the dress. She was like princess and I went yeah, girl, princess.

Speaker 1: 54:12

It was an extraordinary day 36 drag queens and kings. It was 40. Was it 40? We did more than that afterward. Yeah, yeah. That morning it was 10 am in town. It was gorgeous and the reaction was amazing and we created something extraordinary. So thank you again for being part of that. You have done quite a lot, but you've got a lot left to do. I just wondered what do you want to do next? What's next in the chapter?

Speaker 2: 54:45

I've been asking this myself. I was like, what else have I like got left to do? She just needs to write a memoir. Girl. I've been international, I've performed in Scotland, I've been around the block like I've got my residencies. I think just keep developing what I'm doing and keep.

Speaker 2: 55:01

You know, the only person I'm in competition with is in myself. I don't look at anybody else as a threat to my position. I'm very confident in my ability and that I'm in competition with is in myself. I don't look at anybody else as a threat to my position. I'm very confident in my ability and that I'm in my own lane. Nobody's competition to me. The only person I'm in competition with is to myself, and the only person that I need to better and be better than is who I was yesterday. So it's just going to be about, you know, find my next goals of finding, putting more emphasis into finding more work-life balance. You know my next goals. You know I've done a lot with Naya. I'm very content to keep her as she's going now.

Speaker 2: 55:36

My next goals specifically are for Harvey finding a bit more peace as me, finding, you know, more enjoyment out of being out of drag. Well, I guess, specifically with drag and work. Baby, I want to be across the world. I want to be across the world. I want to be getting sent free shit from makeup companies because I don't want to spend that money anymore. Like I, yeah.

Speaker 2: 56:02

I think a lot of people say to me like, would you ever do drag race? And like sometimes I feel a bit like, oh, I can't be that girl that says like, yeah, I'd love to do it. Bitch. If RuPaul was on the phone and said to me do you want to be on telly? Yeah, because I just think there's something really alluring about the fact that an opportunity like that would show many more facets of me. I think a lot of people have a preconceived notion of the type of drag I do, the type of person I am and what I can do as a whole. And you know, doing interviews like this shows another part. If you come and see my shows, you know it's not. If I have three numbers in the night, there'll be three different ones, there'll be comedy, there'll be everything. I think my next goal is whether it's drag, I don't need that to get to where I want to be. What, if, what if I wouldn't fucking help RuPaul?

Speaker 1: 56:46

if you're there.

Speaker 2: 56:48

I ain't saying no, I ain't saying I won't do it, but I think my next goals, for Jags specifically, is to show more facets of what I can do and just take over the world. I want to be a household name.

Speaker 1: 57:00

You are going to do it. I want to be a household name.

Speaker 2: 57:09

And for Harvey, what's the focus right now? Quitting vaping, putting the vape down, putting the vape down, eating healthier. Finding a fact no, not finding a fella. Well, no, I don't say no, I'm single guys, I'm single let's say it's a dated show, but it's quite possible.

Speaker 2: 57:22

Listen, girls, you never. You said what do you want to plug in a relationship girl? Um, verse as well. Verse I'm open to anything. This is open to anything if you've got I'm. I'm specifically looking for people with money, their shit together and maybe a car, or maybe a car, maybe a car car would be.

Speaker 1: 57:45

Most people don't have their shit together. It's bullshit.

Speaker 2: 57:47

I know, I know, maybe I just need to lower my standards. Somebody said this to me the other day. They were like you're never going to find anyone. I was like why? And they were like because you want Hercules, you want the full, why not aim for the stars? I remember somebody said recently I can't remember where I saw it aim for the stars and the worst that will happen is you end up on the moon.

Speaker 1: 58:08

Oh, that's quite nice, you know.

Speaker 2: 58:09

Yeah, and that's going to stick with me. I think that's the best sight thing I've heard in a while. So my goal now aim for the stars, possibly end up on the moon yeah, a goal. I want Hercules. I want a good paycheck. I don't want to work anymore. I'm beyond that. I'm beyond that. I need a rich husband. Do you know what? I'm very happy to be a wag. I'm very happy to be a wag Already. Yeah, like I deserve. It's in my fantasy. I just feel like it's written out in the stars that I should be supported financially by somebody that you know does have their shit together. You know, what's the point in other people putting the effort in to be financially better off if I have to do it as well? Like no, those people have already done it and you know, some people should just have empathy and some quakerism and some philanthropy so I can dream, I can manifest, manifest and works, manifest and works you do realize no one's got their shit together.

Speaker 1: 59:19

Right, manifest, right. We are nearly at the end of the interview, so I've got two last things to ask. You give me myths. Is there any myths or pet peeves that you've got that you want to get off your chest? Pet peeves?

Speaker 2: 59:34

oh, I'm trying to think about. I've been really nice this whole time and I really don't want the villain era to pop out I could imagine what you would say I?

Speaker 2: 59:43

I'm trying to avoid that. I'm trying to be known as the nice girl. You know, glue down your lace front, stick on a lash, cover your five o'clock shadow and stop. You know, stop claiming you're the dancing diva when you can't move. You know, some of these girls, they want to turn around. You know, drag's for everyone, 100%. Put on a wig. See, I thought you were going to say something different. Listen, listen. Not everybody should be getting paid for what they do. Leave, listen, there's not a lot of gigs going around and some of you shouldn't have them. Wow, Wow.

Speaker 1: 1:00:26

I love it Right last the last thing every guest I asked them to make a cultural confession. Um, so it's not about getting yourself into trouble guilty pleasure, something that's unexpected, something that people doesn't don't know about you.

Speaker 2: 1:00:40

So, harvey or naya, either one or both oh, I take very happily five or six hours to get ready. I this sounds horrible. People think I'm weird. I, before I get ready, I shower, I do my skincare, I put on my perfume, I put on my tights and pads and I tuck. Before I start getting ready, I'll put on my bra, I will put a little house coat on and like a little like head getting ready turban. I will light my candles, I'll start the music, I'll set everything up and I'll enjoy the process.

Speaker 2: 1:01:18

Now, if I've only got four, I've been there. I've woke up a bit late, you know, maybe I was in the g-bar till seven o'clock and the gigs at ten. Maybe I've just come back for the after. So, like, if I need to take 40 minutes, I will, but I have been known to take many an hour and you know, if the gigs at 10, maybe I've started get ready at two. Maybe I've not got to the gig till 11 and I'm still not ready, but I just know that I have enjoyed that process thoroughly. Yeah, so most of the time I've been in drag flight. Maybe I'm at the gig for like an hour but I've been in drag flight seven. But I, I enjoy, I enjoy that process. That's.

Speaker 2: 1:01:58

That's fun to me, that's fun wow, amazing yeah, it's, it takes a village it takes well, there you go.

Speaker 1: 1:02:08

That's why naya looks so banging. It takes that long harvey naya, or naya as I say with my brummie accent. Thank you so much for doing this. You've been extraordinary, you are extraordinary. Thank you for sharing more about you, and I can't wait to see what you do next thank you so much for having me and thank you for the little kiki.

Speaker 2: 1:02:27

If anybody's made it this far, please don't cancel me.

Speaker 1: 1:02:35

Thanks for listening to this episode of Before the Applause. Please do tell everyone about this podcast and stay connected with us across all the usual social media platforms by searching at Before Applause. If you've got any burning questions, want to share your own insights, want to recommend a guest or be one yourself, then we'd.