Sasha Velour on her new book and why she ‘always looks away’ when her So Emotional lip sync plays

Sasha Velour is perhaps one of Drag Race’s most important winners. From the moment she literally screamed her way onto our screens, we knew she was a gal with something to say.

The self-proclaimed ‘thinking queen’ has since used her winners’ platform to not only showcase her fabulously unconventional drag, but also to share the story of queer history with the world – both of which permeate throughout her new book, The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag.

The characteristically colourful self-illustrated publication “documents the history of drag, but woven together with my personal experiences of drag,” Sasha told Attitude.

The season 9 winner also explained why she’ll never get sick of seeing her iconic ‘So Emotional’ lip sync, and who she thinks the biggest bitch in the world of drag is (as well as the nicest queen).

Who are your top three most listened to musical artists?

Dame Shirley Bassey – I’m an old queen at heart. Chic is constantly playing in my house. And Kate Bush. Truly innovative musical genius. So brilliant. No one like her.

Why did you choose the name Velour?

I love velvet; it’s the fabric of royalty. Velour is the stretchy cheap alternative. It captures all that drag is – and I love the sound of it.

Are you tired of talking about your famous ‘So Emotional’ lip sync?

I always look away when it plays. I get so embarrassed. I’m proud of it though – I’m never going to be sick of it and I know it helped cement my legacy in a sea of so many drag artists. I’m only grateful for that performance and that moment. As long as they keep cheering, I’ll keep pulling roses out of every crevice.

What’s a fact about you that nobody really knows?

I’m actually quite outdoorsy. My brand is about never going outside in the sunlight, cultivating a vampiric allure, but I actually love gardening, hiking, going on walks with my dogs. I’m actually quite a good gardener.

What three items would you take to a deserted island?

Coloured pencils and a notebook. That is my saviour on all forms of travel. And I couldn’t survive without music, so some way to play music.

What’s something you don’t leave the house without?

Emergency deodorant. I’m a prepared queen.

What do you like the most about the UK?

I think that people in the UK are very open to experimental drag and artistry. And I find the UK to be quite diverse. I feel most comfortable with lots of class and racial diversity – I think that’s one of the strengths of the country.

Who is your favourite UK drag performer?

I love the artistic queens like Cheddar Gorgeous and Charity Kase. There’s some great drag kings – Adam All and Prinx Chiyo – in London. I love the drag artists from history in the UK. I write a lot about Danny La Rue in my new book. He truly broke down barriers. And Lily Savage, of course.

Who’s the nicest person in the world of drag?

Sasha Colby is not only probably the most talented drag artist in the world but also the most genuinely nice person I’ve come across. She’ll adopt everyone into her family after about 10 minutes of a heart-to-heart.

And who’s the biggest bitch?

I can’t choose. Too many choices. I love my sister Trinity the Tuck and I’m inspired by the way she can be a bitch but still people love her. In fact, they want her to be a bitch. And I think we all need a little dose of that in our drag.

What’s your idea of a perfect day?

I feel happiest when I have a show to look forward to and when I know I’m going to meet up with other drag artists and then stay up late into the night eating food, gossiping, having some drinks and some smokes. That is paradise to me. Talking about politics and how we’re going to stand up for the community, drunkenly at night, and then sticking to our plans the next morning.

What’s your go-to swear word?

I always have loved f**k; I think it’s so good. But the other f-word, me and my friends love saying faggot as well, with nothing but love – it’s a compliment to our community. It means, you have taken a step into extreme homosexuality – and that’s what we’re looking for.

What’s your biggest vice?

Catastrophic thinking. I easily go to a place of worry and I can spiral, and that, I think, holds me back sometimes from trying things I’m dreaming of and trying to rid myself of those indulgent negativities.

What emojis represent you the best?

I love the red-lip kiss. I feel like sending that with any message just says, ‘A drag queen wrote this.’ And, of course, the pink heart with yellow sparkles, which I feel is what I would look like as an emoji.

Not the crown?

I do love a crown, but the emoji crown is a little…tacky for my taste. I love a more simple graphical rendering. They need to create a Basquiat-style crown – I’d use that a lot. I do use the rose emoji too but I always eye-roll a little at myself when I put it in messages.

Sasha Velour on her new book, The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag

I’m so proud of this book. I’ve been working on it for more than three years. It documents the history of drag, but woven together with my personal experiences of drag, because I know I’ve learned the history through dressing up in drag myself, connecting with other artists, sharing these stories. There hasn’t been an expansive history of our art form really ever, especially not one told by an artist themselves. I wanted people to have access to this history – something that went further back than the 20th century; something that went beyond English and American drag only.

It felt especially important given the backlash against drag and queer and trans people to say drag and queer and trans expression has been part of the picture of human culture from the very beginning, and the backlash is unfortunately also a tradition that we keep fighting against and finding a way to keep surviving. So there’s a message of hope, there’s a message of we are natural and what we’re doing is normal, and just the fabulous stories of history, like people who raised money through shows and revolutionised their communities, people who just did crazy, absurd stunts on stage, like Leigh Bowery, and just stories of existence and pride from throughout the history of drag – including my own, I guess!

Sasha Velour on whether drag has become too diluted

I don’t think drag could ever become diluted. There have been moments where it’s been part of mainstream culture, and I think it’s exciting that we’re in that moment now. That means that there will be people who do drag and don’t know any of the history or anything political about it at all, and that’s OK. There’ll be some of us on the fringes shouting that it is important to tie drag to queer and trans rebellion, to political engagement with our community – and we’re loud enough for the whole bunch!

And I think it’s exciting that the expansion of Drag Race has introduced us to international forms of drag. I think it’s so good to be connected across the world and be united, even if it’s a bit… imperial to expand with the same franchise all around the world. It’s done wonders for connecting us as individuals, and at the end of the day we’re just humans trying to find each other and make a difference in the world, and I think it’s helping.

Sasha Velour on her dad, Papa Velour

Truthfully, he’s always been supportive of me. When I was a little kid who wanted to wear dresses, he encouraged that and allowed that. I wasn’t allowed to have dolls, because he’s an anti-capitalist and wanted me to make things out of paper. But as an old hippy, he was really open and accepting and just wanted to just let me discover who I was, rather than shape it, and I recognise that that’s the kind of parenting I wish for all kids.

I know what a privilege it is to have that, so I love that he’s willing to be Papa Velour and be a parent figure for all those in the community who maybe don’t have that close connection. For a father to be so accepting of gender in their kids still feels unusual, and I hope that that won’t feel so unique and special someday. But for now, I’m appreciating it and trying to share it with the world. He’s wonderful.

Sasha Velour on the role of queer family

I feel like the gift of an accepting [biological] family is that those families can be blended together. I definitely have needed the queer family, because to my dad, what I’m learning about drag and queer expression is totally new. That’s not something he had to grow up with. But because he’s interested and accepting, he gets to discover that alongside me. He’ll come to Drag Race viewing parties we throw with our friends; he’ll come to the drag shows and take part in them together with my queer family, and he loves them like they’re his kids too. And that means everything. We still need that context; we need to learn where we come from when we have queer families as well, but when we have acceptance, it can all be part of one.

The podium – Sasha ranks the drag of three queens from her season

1st – Shea Couleé

Shea Couleé is maybe the number-one fashion queen in the world to me. I love her perspective and her references, and she always has the details down perfectly.

2nd – Peppermint

I think she’s the most beautiful drag queen in the world. Her face is so stunning, her performances, and she pulls it together with a wide variety of looks that always compliment her. She’s just a goddess.

3rd – Aja

My New York sister. She has such a distinct style. I know she pulls references from fashion, but she also pulls them from history, from anime, illustration, videos games, and I think she’s had a big influence on drag.

Sasha’s new book, The Big Reveal, is out now.