From the moment fans fell in love with her on Drag Race Down Under Season 2. Kween Kong was a fan favorite and truly, the type of queen who sets the standard for drag. As part of the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars, Kong not only delivered each and every time on the main stage, but kept it interesting for her fellow competitors in Untucked as well! I sat down for a chat with Kween Kong post Global All Stars to dish about being part of an action packed inaugural season, consistently scorching the stage during her lip syncs, and how her Drag Race Down Under Season 2 sisters continue to be her North Star.
Michael Cook: Being a top four finalist on RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars is truly the culmination of quite an amazing journey for you. How do you feel?
Kween Kong: Oh my goodness..I think am still processing the entire journey to be honest. Top Four and how incredible to finish with our incredible Global All Stars winner Alyssa Edwards taking the crown, I am so proud of her!
MC: Your season of Drag Race Down Under was extremely strong, and you were a fan favorite as well as a finalist that season. Did that have you arriving on Global All Stars with a massive amount of responsibility?
KK: For me, the way that I do my drag is that I definitely take the leadership part of my drag very seriously. I think that there are drag queens that are definitely the life of the party, some drag queens like looking gorgeous, and there are drag queens like me that stand up in the front during a protest and throw the bricks (laughs)! I definitely have felt the need to represent Drag Race Down Under because our franchise does not get as many eyes or as much love. I felt like I needed to come in and showcase what we are, which is just a big bunch of dickheads really (laughs)!
MC: Your ability to be so direct and your high degree of professionalism for both yourself and the environment definitely might have given people the impression that you were there for business more than you were for sisterhood; do you think that’s fair?
KK: Yeah I think that the thing is, we had all heard what Global All Stars was supposed to be. I walked in with my A-game going and while my entire package didn’t make it with me, I said “If Spankie Jackzon can win a crown with the most questionable package ever”…(laughs)! Actually, what she said to me was that it does not matter what’s on your body, “Just sell it”!
I have every intention of competing with the best and I think that I am a very domineering personality. The majority of the people that I represent especially from the Pacific culture, we are like this. We are unconditional love, but we are also tough love. I definitely feel like culturally there was a bit of a divide, I don’t think many of us are ready to embrace each other’s “likeness” of where we come from, if that makes sense.
MC: Not only are you arguably the most viral lip sync from your season of Drag Race Down Under (against Beverly Kills), but your lip sync against Alyssa Edwards to kick off Global All Stars was beyond spectacular. What is it about your performance style that makes you set the stage ablaze every time you step on it?
KK: Honesty, there is something that happens to you when you hear the words “Lip Sync For Your Life”. In my original season, that was me and Beverly (Kills) and that was coupled in with the fact that we had been rivals all season. I was like, you know what?-I’m just going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at you, here we go.
I think with Alyssa (Edwards), I think walking into the competition and seeing her, I mean I have been the biggest fan of Alyssa Edwards, she has been one of my biggest role models. Out of respect, who am I to bow down to her? I wanted to meet her at her level and beyond. I just wanted to showcase everything that I am, but also share that stage respectfully and give RuPaul a great show also.
MC: Do you think your original season of Drag Race Down Under truly prepared you for being top four on RuPaul’s Drag Race Global All Stars?
KK: I think for me, this road was more like a spiritual one. I think when I walked into my original season, people had anticipated that I would be a lot better than I was. The danger of being a monster on stage is that so many people assume that you are this person on stage and I think naturally and mentally, I did not have the capacity to deliver on my goods. The past couple of years after receiving the gems that I received from Ru and Michelle (Visage), especially around my mental health, I came in with a lot more confidence in my self, and I believed in myself a lot more. I knew what I could offer and I was really unapologetic about how I delivered it.
MC:The friendship and sisterhood that you, Spankie Jackzon and Hannah Conda have is truly lightning in a bottle and undeniably special…
KK: There are so many things that didn’t make the edit, and I obviously honored the girls in my ad in the branding challenge. Ru had asked me weekly “Who is this person” since I was totally different than how I was on my original season. She had asked me what was one of the things that helped me get to that space? I think it’s really important to have people in your circle that lift you, as well as hold you accountable. After our season, Hannah and Spankie became two staples in my life. Not only do they make me laugh, but they help me not take things to seriously.
I think this time is very tricky and there are a lot of horrible things to look at in this world. Having those two girls in my life has helped me not take life so seriously and to remember that drag is fun. There is no malice, nothing is intended to me hateful, offensive or mean, it’s just how the cookie crumbles. I’m not taking things seriously and I think that is something that Ru really resonated with me this time. The first time, she was like “Get a grip girl, get out of your head”!
MC: I think you are a queen that from your eyelash to your performance style to your song choices, you are a queen could be considered absolutely precise in all ways.
KK: Thank you, I appreciate that. I think that the attention to detail this time, I knew that my wardrobe would not be as incredible as some of the others, and I was fine with that. I just at least wanted to present something that was polished, that was presentable, that didn’t look busted it, it was all about the details. Because it was the details that got me the first time, and I think this time now I just need to get some more money to get a bit more wardrobe for the next time they call me (laughs)!
MC: That begs the question; the globe has now gotten to fall in love with Kween Kong, so what’s next?
KK: I think I am just processing my next steps, I have a bunch of plans. I think once the dust settles I will process what I have received and try to get back on my feet and continue to “kick it in the dick” as Spankie Jackzon says.
MC: As you said, the internet is not real. And after receiving such a large degree of attention, both negative and positive, it truly must add another layer to the experience for you.
KK: That’s the thing, I think that I am still currently going through it to be honest. I really focus on the love and on my experience with Ru and Michelle.
MC: What is a piece of advice that you received prior to Global All Stars that you kept with you throughout the season?
KK: The biggest piece of advice came from my sisters Spankie and Hannah and they just said “Have fun! Go in there and have fun. Laugh as as many times as you can and just don’t get in your head”. I am a chronic over thinker so I think walking into the space I knew that things were going to be challenging and that they would test us in every regard. I just had to try and take the ease and the fun out of everything, and I think that you see on camera that I was just very comfortable where I was at the time.
That was the biggest thing; drag is supposed to be fun. I implore the audience that is watching to remember that nothing on the show is supposed to be meant to upset or hurt anyone. There are decisions and things that there have been lessons taken from, but the majority of the time I was just having fun with the girls. That is what I am holding onto.
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