Whether it was her gloriously detailed runway looks or her openness with her sisters in the werkroom, Gala Varo added a huge dose of glamour and heart to RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars. After departing the competition during a lip sync like we’ve never seen before, Varo sat down with me to chat about her Global All Stars experience. We dished on everything from ensuring her Mexican culture was showcased to that memorable Snatch Game to that final lip sync and Marie Antoinette look!
Michael Cook: You had a spectacular showing on RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars; how do you feel about the experience?
Gala Varo: It’s an amazing experience to share my drag and my history with other queens around the world because you can learn about the other histories as well! Every reference is different…
MC: In the episode where you departed, you revealed that you almost departed the competition earlier by choice. What made you overcome those inner voices and continue on in the competition?
GV: I don’t know, something inside me always says “Don’t quit, you can do better” and then on the other side there is something saying “You’re not good enough”. I wasn’t doing so good on the runway and in the challenges and I was thinking that the opportunity to win something or a challenge was the girl group challenge, the talent show or maybe the acting. The next episodes though, it was more like comedy and you needed a better way to communicate; I was thinking that I wasn’t prepared enough.
At the end of the day, my lip sync is my thing so maybe I can go to the finals just lip syncing (laughs)! That was one of the things that I tried to put together to just make it through.
MC: Speaking of your killer lip sync, I think it is safe to say that you are a contender of the official lip sync assassin title of Global All Stars!
GV: Thank you! It is a big responsibility…
MC: You are one of the queens that, coming from Drag Race México that has never lip synced in front of RuPaul and you are now sending new friends home during those lip syncs. That is quite a responsibility, as you said.
GV: It is a big thing! I was just trying to breathe and do my best.
MC: Your Snatch Game was definitely a risk by choosing Laura Leon and it was an interesting take on a character from your country.
GV: When I chose the character, it was really hard. I could choose an American character or an English speaking character because of the accent, because I need to work with something that I feel comfortable; so I was thinking Mexican or Latin celebrities. Maybe Sofía Vergara or Salma Hayek? In other seasons, they have tried to make Sofia Vergara and that didn’t work. I was trying to go with somebody in Mexico that can be silly and funny with a big personality. That was the main reason that I chose Laura Leon. It didn’t go so good, but with any character I’m not good at this kind of challenge. Trying to do somebody else is not my thing. I want to learn though, I want to have the ability to do something different. It’s something that I need to work on.
MC: Your lip sync against Vanity Vain was one of the wildest and most unique lip syncs in Drag Race herstory, partially due to the song but also partially because of the stunning garment you had on.
GV: You know, I had the opportunity to change but I checked with the other queens and when I looked in the mirror it was funny to watch my Marie Antoinette-weirdo and I thought it could work for me for the lip sync, that’s why I came out like that.
MC: In addition to the unofficial lip sync assassin, you are one of the thirst traps of the season so I doubt you’ll get many complaints about that outfit being worn on the main stage!
GV: (Laughs) I hope so!
MC: Salvador Dali is one of your biggest inspirations. Is Dali still such an inspiration all these years into your career?
GV: Oh for sure, not just Dali either. It’s about all these surrealistic things that are about dreaming and I think drag is about dreams coming true. Every character or every reference that you have in your head you are trying to make a dream come true or bring to them to life. Maybe a painting or maybe a pop star, you are trying to play with those dreams.
MC: Do you think that you got to bring your own distinct and authentic Mexican flavor to Global All Stars?
GV: Yes, for sure! It’s not just my flavor, but my culture and my nationality. I work with so many people in Mexico and I want to show their work.
MC: What’s next for Gala Varo?
GV: I am going on tour next year to Europe and maybe Australia and also to South America again. Now I want to also work on my YouTube about scientifics. The channel will be about talking with another scientist from the LGBTQ community about what they’re working on, maybe with trans people or people with HIV and about who is happening in our community.
MC: What has been the best piece of advice that you’ve gotten that stays with you throughout your career?
GV: This life is not so serious. You need to have fun and do whatever you want. Everybody is going to talk about you whether you do nothing or you do whatever you want, they’re going to talk. So who cares?-just enjoy your life.
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