Direct from Belfast, Charra Tea delivered sensational drag with a touch of Northern Irish sass on this season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. With a Nadine Coyle Snatch Game performance & dynamic runway looks each week, Charra Tea showcased the kind of drag which made her instant eye candy for the fans every week. I sat down with Charra Tea post-elimination to chat about her Drag Race UK experience, her aspirations to hit the “Strictly Come Dancing” stage, and she offered some insight into the drag stylings of Belfast.
Michael Cook: This season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has been one of the most buzzed about seasons yet. Tell me about your Drag Race UK experience…
Charra Tea: It was genuinely the best time of my life. It was so much fun, it was so difficult. I was really able to push myself and I had an absolute ball. I have been wearing my elimination outfit since that day (laughs)!
MC: The makeover challenge on Drag Race is always emotional, but the one this season seemed extra emotional. What was it like standing in the Werk Room and seeing your family enter?
CT: It was so so surreal. Obviously we had no idea who was coming, but we did hope it would be family. Hearing Ru walk my mum into the Werk Room was just insane. Preparing for the show, I always would ask her “On the off-chance that you’re asked for the makeover, would you say yes”? She would always say “Absolutely not, no way. I love you, I just couldn’t do it”. So I was shocked, but just so pleased to see her.
MC: How was her experience being part of the challenge and part of Drag Race UK as whole?
CT: She had the best time. She still talks about it and it was such an amazing bonding experience and something that we will never forget. She just had an absolute ball.
MC: The entire season has been filled with twists and turns, but Drag Race UK this season has delivered top notch talent and performers. What is it like to be part of such a critically lauded group?
CT: It just feels incredible. I was such a big fan of people like La Voix and Kyran Thrax so getting to be in the Werk Room with eleven other incredibly talented people; it just seemed so self affirming. We are all so special in our own way and it was just so much fun. It also was very difficult because everyone is so good! I think it got to the point where we did the Ru-sical and no one did really bad and they were literally just splitting hairs; and we still had a few episodes to go!
MC: What is the drag like from your area of the world?
CT: I am originally from Belfast. I made a joke on the show that there are only a handful of drag queens from Belfast, but Belfast has an amazing drag scene with so many inredible artists. Every time I go back there are ten new drag queens and they are just so fabulous! There are not too many LGBTQ venues in Belfast, but there is an amazing drag scene there and I am very proud to represent that; I just love Belfast. I live in Manchester and the scene is definitely a lot bigger and I love that just as much!
MC: What do you think your rose and thorn are of your Drag Race UK experience?
CT: My rose would either be Snatch Game or just getting to build so many connections and relationships with everyone, whether it was the queens or the crew. The connections that I have made and had the friendships that I have made and had since. My thorn would probably be getting into my head early on after the whole cabaret fiasco, but I mean I got outta my head and it served me well in the end. If I was to do it back, I would believe in myself a little bit more.
MC: What’s next for you post Drag Race UK?
CT: I just wanna keep being me, doing me. I love performing and I love performing my little silly comedy mixes. I just hope to keep doing that and hopefully a collab with Nadine Coyle someday who knows!?
MC: You already popped up on “Strictly Come Dancing”. In the great tradition of Blu Hydrangea appearing on the show already, do you think it is something that you could take part in?
CT: Absolutely. Zahirah and I were there a few weeks ago and I should have just begged there and then! I would love to do it and have some fun and I’d show some looks!
MC: What is a piece of advice that you got going into the season that you now use going forward?
There was one person behind the scenes that basically said “Don’t hold yourself back”. I remember specificaly in Snatch Game and it was near the end, I needed to do just one thing. I ran through it and it was so much fun hilarious. So whenever I have that thing in my head that says “Don’t do it” I do it; I mean what is the worst that could happen? It has definitely helped me…
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