Since completely shining on Drag Race Sverige, Vanity Vain was one of the standouts of RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars, emerging as the unofficial Lip Sync Assassin of the season! Vain showcased amazing runway looks and delivered throughout the competition (including in her tongue in cheek confessionals)! I sat down to chat with Vanity Vain about her Global All Stars experience, the garment snafu the fans didn’t see, working with RuPaul, and what it feels like to be a true Global All Star!
Michael Cook: You are without a doubt, one of the biggest lip sync assassins of the premier season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars. What was your experience like all the way around?
Vanity Vain: Oh it was such a blessing. Looking back, when we shot the show that is one of the most exciting and fun things that I have ever experienced, I loved every single second on set. It was such a good production, the professionalism and it was just so cool. It’s a totally other experience to watch it back and see the show air. I love it too, but that’s totally another story! I have one story experiencing it, but it’s another one to watch it; I don’t remember it this way!
MC: Are you finding it hard to watch yourself on television as part of the Drag Race family?
VV: Oh I love it (laughs)! The thing is, I have learned so much about myself about myself, both back on my original season on Drag Race Sverige and now on Global All Stars. This is the most perfect and most accurate out of body experience that you can have. When I did Drag Race Sverige for example, I don’t think anyone has looked at themselves in the mirror when they were having a panic attack and actually experienced the face! That is one of the best things that I have ever experienced; I saw my face with anxiety and I had never experienced that before. That helped me a lot and taught me a lot about myself. I see it in a very positive way, I love every single second. In some parts of the Global All Stars season, I have not watched because I don’t want to see…maybe the roast (laughs)?
MC: When you saw your entire cast finally assembled, who did you see and think to yourself “I cannot believe that am competing against this person”?
VV: Of course, Alyssa Edwards. It wasnt a gag for me, it was like “Of course there is going to be one iconic queen from the United States”! Those are the queens that we grew up with, that’s the OG queens, every single queen from the US franchise. When I heard that there was going to be a Global season and that they would be picking queens from each franchise, I decided not to watch the other franchises so I didn’t know a lot of the other queens. If I had known them, I would have been star struck by every single one and I would have gotten in my own head and then I would be my inner saboteur (laughs)! I decided not to watch the other franchises, but I knew some of them. I didn’t know their work or how they were as people, I had seen some of them on Instagram and they are stunning! I didn’t want to get in my own head so I stepped away from watching those franchises; but now I’ll watch them!
MC: What do you think your rose and thorn are of your Global All Stars experience?
VV: My airtime, because I got the most airtime out of everyone (laughs)! My high is that I got the opportunity to show what a good performer I am, if I can say that about myself. I am very versatile when it comes to my performances and I walked into this competition and wanted to show off my pop star-ness. I wanted to come in and say “Hi, I’m the real-life Hannah Montana, watch me”-that is what I wanted to do, showcase my music and my performance abilities. To be able to do so many lip syncs, it is kind of a blessing. I don’t care that it’s in the bottom, it is a chance for me to perform. That is what I do, that is how I make my money. I loved every single second of it, and then to get two of the most iconic lip syncs of the season?-that is just great!
MC: What was it like to lip sync and truly showcase your talent in front of RuPaul? You were one of the queens who had never before performed in front of RuPaul.
VV: I loved it and RuPaul is so engaged with the performances; she sees everything! Lovely to work with her; such a warm person and cares a lot about the queens. I loved every single second of it. RuPaul is also a music junkie so when we are doing the lip syncs she wants it to be loud in the studio, she’s like “Turn up the volume”! It’s really really fun, I loved every single second of it.
MC: Going to Drag Race is challenging for anyone, but I heard that there was an issue with one of the garments once you arrived and opened your luggage…
VV: Yes, it was destroyed during the flight. It was devastating; I tried to fix it in the hotel room, but it didn’t work at all. It was the ‘Blew Me Away’ runway, my original look was made out of windmills, a full outfit of windmills. I am going to restore it though, I am going to make it again; because I do want to do it sometime. That is why I haven’t shared the drawings or the fittings, because I want to make it again!
MC: You have the entire globe at your feet right now, so what do you think you want to do next?
VV: More music, it’s coming. And touring. You will see, there is a lot going on and I am very excited!
MC: What is the best piece of advice that you have gotten from someone at some point in your career or life that carries you through?
VV: It’s so cliche, but the only obstacle you have in life is yourself.
Follow Vanity Vain on Instagram
