Why Instagram Drag Races are Great.

Let me start off by saying that, as a drag artist who decided that 2020 was the year to venture out of the bedroom and into full public view, things haven’t gone particularly according to plan this year.

I spent the months leading up to the national UK lockdown making arrangements for show spots, competitions, whatever opportunities came by. For now obvious reasons, none of this came to pass because practically the entire entertainment industry was now making the same move but in the opposite direction. Platforms like Zoom, Twitch, Facebook/Instagram live and the like were suddenly the place to be and be seen and I was not ready for it... or so I thought.

Amidst the panic to stockpile toilet paper and hunting down the last wild can of tinned beans in the supermarkets, I realised that the prospect of having nothing to do for the foreseeable future was the opportunity of a lifetime. I’d always been terrible at documenting work but I promised myself that I would dust off my neglected social media accounts and set about building up a portfolio and get examples of what I was capable of out into the world.

The first few posts were not great. I had no idea about lighting, editing and even my drag was fairly ropey. A decade of Drag Race has been a monumental driving factor in bringing queer art into mainstream culture but its success in doing so it has raised expectations from a drag performer to an impeccable standard. How does one hope to live up to those expectations without specialist equipment at a time when going out to buy foundation is, in itself, problematic?

It turns out that a black sheet, Adobe’s various free photo apps and the cheapest ring light the internet can provide is a surprisingly good start. Knowing how to sew helps too, but if you’ve watched any Drag Race you’ll know that’s a given.

With this new arsenal, scrolling through my feed looking for inspiration, I made the discovery that would jump-start my real foray into digital drag. Welcome to the world of the Instagram Drag Race...

Simply put, an Instagram Drag Race works like it’s namesake from the television. Each week, there is a different challenge, you get critiques based on your submission, most have the bottom two battle it out in a lip-sync, then the loser “goes home". Rinse and repeat until you get a winner. Anyone can start one up so there is a lot to choose from, varying wildly in genre, style, quality, longevity and level of commitment. Some are a complete nightmare, while others are surprisingly fun to take part in.

One of the best things about the Instagram Drag Race is the chance to connect with other creatives. It is a chance to learn from one another and develop ideas and techniques. I have learned a considerable amount about my craft and I have been challenged to push the boundaries of both my comfort zone and my skill set as a drag artist. Opening a creative dialogue with other artists has allowed me to embrace my own worth and push through my own qualms about being accepted by others.

This Grand High Witch look epitomises the work I’ve put in over lockdown. The custom prosthetic work took me two weeks to sculpt to design and sculpt. The dress is also a custom piece to compliment the concept. It is largely influenced by the prosthetic work in the 1990’s film whilst still remaining quintessentially Demdike. Working on this piece was a gateway through which I could reconnect with childhood memories of both the film and the book and ties in to my cultural heritage of the Pendle Witches (my drag name even derives from two of the coven’s leading members).

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!