WERRRK.com has proudly partnered up with the Austin International Drag Festival this year and we have been given the privilege of announcing this year’s headliners first! We are so excited about being a part of this amazing event this year and we cannot wait to bring you all the fabulous drag artists that are going to be headlining this year!
We are very excited to announce that Coco Jem Holiday will be headlining the Austin International Drag Festival this year! (Get your tickets here and join us in Austin this fall!)
Congratulations Coco on being named a headliner! How did you get involved with the Austin International Drag Festival and what does this opportunity mean to you?
I’ve been performing at the Austin International Drag Festival every year I could, which is now EVERY YEARS since its inception. This opportunity is unlike any other drag festival on the planet. It’s friendlier and a chance for you to eat breakfast or catch a drink with some of your favorite entertainers. It can even be a time to watch someone you may have always admired. Being a headliner means I get the opportunity to share my art with a room full of colleagues while also learning, socializing, and networking which may then lead to bookings or the opportunity for me to book someone in my city. I come back every year to talk with talent (new and old) because it’s the best opportunity to learn
For those people living under a rock, can you tell us a little bit about Coco Jem Holiday and your drag?
So if you haven’t heard, I made it pretty damn far on Camp Wannakiki Season 2. I almost won that crown. Some of you may not know this but I auditioned for Camp Wannakiki at the Austin International Drag Festival. I did it on a whim and told myself I would regret it if I DIDN’T at least try. I’ve been performing for six long body destroying years and I wouldn’t take a back a single moment. I’m known as the business fish (outdated term) in drag. I think of drag like a business first, my artistry second and my activism third. Drag is a VERY expensive hobby and to do it well means spending my time figuring out how I can get a return on my investment. Recently, I took to my social media to share story on business, romantic relationships and self-love.
We can’t wait to see what you’re planning on bringing to the stage in Austin! Can you give the WERRRK .com universe a little tease of what’s to come this fall in Texas?
This is one of the few years I’ll be flying to Texas since I just moved to Portland, OR. I have some new costumes that I’m crafting but of course I’m going to be bringing some of my favorite looks from Camp Wannakiki. Giving a little love to the FANS, HUNTY! I also have some sick new mixes that I’ve crafted that will bring all the black excellence to the stage in a politically charged message to those who need (or don’t need) to hear it. My drag is a consistent rallying cry for equality. If you don’t leave the stage feeling empowered or loved, I’m not doing my job well.
