During the weekend, you may have seen a statuesque avant-garde model walking around the convention center, garnering the gasps of many attendees. Of course, I’m referring to the French beauty La Grande Dame, who competed on Drag Race France season 1. In addition to being stunning, La Grande Dame is first and foremost a musician. During our chat, her dedication and passion for music were evident and described the songwriting process as direct from the heart. Her new single, Accord, was released during the weekend and proves that her lyrics are full of emotion.
Shortly after her appearance on the pink catwalk, it was revealed that she was returning to the race with the new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Versus the World. During the exclusive announcement, fellow competitors representing their home countries arrived onstage: Spain (Arantxa Castilla-La Mancha), Holland (Keta Minj), the Philippines (Marina Summers), Australia (Hannah Conda), and the USA (Mayhem Miller, Scarlet Envy), will battle it out against the four returning UK queens (Choriza May, Gothy KenDoll, Jonbers Blonde, and Tia Kofi).
While placing runner-up on Drag Race France, her run was a success, just missing out on the crown. Without a doubt, the fans will be excited to see her back on the TV screens. This time she aims to showcase her kind and gentle soul, something I would attest to being 100% correct, as I had a short and sweet talk with her during the hustle and bustle that is RuPaul’s Drag Con.
So starting with our main question of the weekend, what did you want to be when you were younger? And what do you think, younger, you would think of what you do today?
Le Grande Dame: That’s such a sweet question because I always wanted to be an artist, and I’ve always been an artist. I’ve always been painting and sculpting, and it felt a little crazy to think that this could be something I would do for a living. As an art form as well, drag introduced me through its indulgence into this artistic world that I love, and I’ve allowed myself to put a little spice into it and explore more. Also, I have an album coming up. I’ve been a musician before being a drag queen. But nobody knows that.
Oh, that’s so cool!
Le Grande Dame: So I have a full album that I composed, and ready for release.
When is it coming out?
Le Grande Dame: The album will be out by the end of the spring, but the first single is coming out tonight at midnight.
Oh my god, and what is the new single called?
Le Grande Dame: It’s called Accords
Accor.
Le Grande Dame: (laughs) Let’s say it in French together, A-C-C-O-R-D-S. (laughs)
(laughing) And what kind of genre is it?
Le Grande Dame: I’d say it’s a ballad. It’s in French, but there will be an English version available too. It’s a love song that I wrote to the guy who I fell for. I fell madly in love with him.
So it’s written passionately from the heart.
Le Grande Dame: Oh, for sure, and the lyrics are kind of graphic in that way. So, it’s very personal; it comes from the heart, and I’m excited to get to share that with the world.
Do you write all your songs, and do you find it easy because it’s quite a complex subject?
Le Grande Dame: I do. I do. I’ve always been writing down my thoughts and feelings. Drag gave me the confidence to show it off and talk to people.
It’s interesting you say that, as you hear that a lot, and I really love that about drag. As for anyone who finds drag or drag race, they then become more confident and find the confidence to pursue the things they’ve always wanted to do.
Le Grande Dame: Oh, Absolutely. I have a platform, and I have people listening to it, you know. They’re going to listen to that and then really pull from that as well. Plus, they get to know me on Drag Race France, so it’s become a very personal interaction that I get to have with the fans.
Talking of Drag Race, how has it been since you’ve been on the show?
Le Grande Dame: Oh my goodness, it has been amazing.
Has it been overwhelming?
Le Grande Dame: It’s been absolutely eclectic, fulfilling, and securing. So, no, I can’t complain and I’m so excited about watching the seasons.
My next question was gonna be, what story do you always want to tell but never get the chance to?
Le Grande Dame: But I have seen you on a really impactful day. Yet in my series on Drag Race France, I was known as the one who was a little cold. My beauty fears people and makes them freak out, as I may come across as intimidating perhaps. But I’m a very kind and gentle soul.
Well, I agree with the last part, you come across as very welcoming and not intimidating at all.
Le Grande Dame: Thank you. You know I write down stuff from the heart, and that’s what you’re going to see in the music. But I’m doing some vicious shit. We have some techno going on—some electives, deep electives. But the texts are always going to come from the heart, a very vulnerable space.
I love it when artists release passionate music. It’s more enjoyable to listen to personally because it’s written by you; it’s personal and makes it more special.
Le Grande Dame: And we have done that, which is so amazing; we have a lot of drag music going on in this community, but this comes from my boyhood. It’s very personal; I talk about my family, my mum, and all about the guys that broke my fucking heart, and stamped on it, so I’m stamping back.
The single as mentioned is now available to stream on spotify, and if you don’t already go follow La Grande Dame on Instagram.