Move over, stale cookies — this holiday season’s hottest dish is serving equal parts glamour and goodwill, with a dash of recording studio magic. The Gingerbread Haus at Invite Only Studios is whisking together RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Yvie Oddly, NYC powerhouses Lana Ja’Rae and Essa Noche, and rising star Mara for a December 7 celebration that’s anything but cookie-cutter.
Set in the same GRAMMY-nominated space where Mary J. Blige recently sprinkled her magic, this festive gathering (tickets available here; take 10% off with code JINGLEBOOTS) features everything from queens reading your decorated cookies (hopefully not for filth) to an exclusive holiday song debut. We sat down with Yvie Oddly and Mara to discuss everything from pushing creative boundaries to building community through celebration.
Chloe Yang (CY): In your memoir, All About Yvie: Into the Oddity, you discuss balancing private and public personas. What’s the most surprising misconception people have about Yvie Oddly versus the person behind the performer?
Yvie Oddly (YO): I honestly don’t believe I leave much space for misinterpretation when it comes to most aspects of my life. The bigger disconnect I feel is that of people’s inability to empathize with my humanity in the context of my celebrity.
CY: Your performances often challenge conventional beauty standards in drag. Can you talk about a specific moment when you realized your “oddity” was actually your superpower?
YO: Literally when I was born. I always viewed my “quirks” like cute party tricks, so my journey has been more defined by the challenge of embracing their permanence even when the party is over … when I’m just a freak in the streets.
CY: As both a rapper and visual artist, how do these different creative outlets inform each other in your work?
YO: Rapping, drag, painting, whatever: it all kind of draws from the same creative pool. I was taught that artists are observers first and engineers second, so all these different forms of expression are just observations from different perspectives. They’re all looking at the same subjects but asking different questions, using different tools to explore their endless possibilities.
CY: You’ve spoken about pushing boundaries in drag performance art. What boundaries do you still want to break, and what inspires you to keep evolving?
YO: Honestly I’m trying to push past a boundary that feels really trite in the grand scheme of things: For the people who know me I want my name to become synonymous with my art, instead of the platform that introduced us. I think I’ve always been motivated by the belief that I’m capable of doing and being more than my circumstances would lead you to believe, like a diamond in the rough. So mining through that “rough” is what inspires and informs my evolution most.
CY: What sparked your decision to transition from hosting parties to performing drag, and what surprised you most about that leap?
Mara (M): Seeing so many artists who are able to blur the lines between different types of art, roles, and jobs across the community has been a huge inspiration. Some of my favorite queens in New York like JanelleNo.5 and Essa Noche (one of our fellow performers for the Gingerbread Haus on 12/7!) are able to blend performing, producing, hosting, and other jobs, and do it flawlessly, so I thought why not me? I didn’t have a good reason not to try drag, especially as someone who was always finding a way to perform since I was young. Essa is actually the one who first gave me an opportunity to perform, and her encouragement as a queen I respect so much helped give me the nudge I needed.
CY: Can you tell us about a performance that didn’t go as planned but taught you something valuable about your art?
M: This is definitely embarrassing to talk about, but I think it’s probably a rite of passage for any queen. Let’s just say it was one of my first ever performances, and the ponytail was not secured. The show must go on, so I did spend half the number attempting to make it look natural that I was holding onto the pony for dear life (it was still attached enough she wasn’t going to come completely off). After the number, I realized half of the audience didn’t even notice, so it definitely taught me to get out of my own head when something doesn’t go right, as well as to invest in some spiral bobby pins. Haven’t lost a ponytail since!
CY: As a relative newcomer who’s already making waves, what advice would you give to someone just starting to explore drag as an art form?
M: Be scared, but just the right amount! As seen above, you will mess up, not every look and performance is going to be great, but you can’t let that stop you from trying. There are so many different expressions of drag, and I think it is so important to remember why you wanted to step on a stage and what that represents. There is definitely power in performance, and I know for me being a cis woman doing drag has inspired others and helps everyone redefine their conception of what a queen is, and that is incredible to me. In just one year I found myself placing in my first pageant, on the stage at Bushwig, and now producing my own event. There WILL be things that will get in your way, just don’t be one of them!
CY: Where do you see your artistry evolving in the next few years?
M: This event is so exciting to me in so many ways, especially because it is marking a lot of firsts; my first production, Invite Only Studio’s first time opening their space in this way, etc. One of the most important things for me about the event is the opportunity to tie in so many different aspects of the community, especially raising money for the Ali Forney Center. I have been a long time supporter of AFC, and to have 10% of our sales benefiting those who need it most in our community is so special. I want to always be able to tie in a bigger meaning or cause in what I am doing, and I think this is a great step in doing that. You’ll also definitely be able to see me continue to refine my vision in my performances; participating in my first pageant this year was a great experience in really making sure my ideas are well thought out from A to Z and that I can connect with the audience in some way during every performance.
CY: Between the gingerbread cookie decorating contest, the seat-and-greet, and the performances, this isn’t your typical holiday show. What elements of this unique format are you most excited to play with?
YO: I am definitely excited about people seeing the space at Invite Only Studios, and to be able to see me and the other lineup of queens in a different setting. I was able to come to the studios a few months ago and loved the space, so I know how unique it is and am excited to share that with everyone. I am also looking forward to the seat-and-greet; a lot of meet-and-greets are so quick and you don’t get to really connect on a personal level, so this was intentionally made so that it is a more formal environment to actually feel like you get to hang out. Adding in some holiday fun felt natural, so I think this is going to check so many fun boxes of things people want to do during the holidays.
CY: With such a stellar lineup of performers, how do you see your individual aesthetics complementing each other in this holiday setting?
M: I am definitely biased on this one because I did selfishly curate some of my favorite queens for this line-up. I cannot say enough about these queens and how much they have been an inspiration to me and my drag, so to be able to share the stage with them is so exciting. I can promise you to expect the unexpected with all of them! I love that it’s a holiday show because that means something different to everyone, so I think you’ll clearly see all of our artistry take out different meanings for what that means to us; holidays can be fun, sexy, stressful, meaningful, nostalgic and so many other things, so as a performer there is so much to play with, and I know we will all have our own interpretations.
CY: Events like this often allow performers to break away from their usual numbers. Are you planning any special holiday-themed surprises that might show a different side of your artistry?
M: Definitely. I don’t want to give too much away, but, I did recently invest in a sewing machine (I haven’t sewn since high school prior to now), so I am really excited to wear my first ever custom designed look by me and for me! You’ll definitely see the love for the holidays coming out. My love language is gifts after all, so you know I’m a holiday girl!
CY: The intimate studio setting offers a different kind of audience interaction than a traditional venue. How does that change your approach to connecting with the crowd?
M: I think it gives the opportunity for it to not just be a show, but to really connect as people with the audience. Some shows can feel almost scripted and as if everyone is going through the motions, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I love being able to bring the person to person element into this and play and learn from and with the crowd!
CY: With the event benefiting The Ali Forney Center, how do you think spaces like this — combining celebration with purpose — help strengthen the community?
M: I think this is the key element to why this event is so important. It is no secret that we are living in unpredictable times, especially as an LGBTQIA+ person, and my heart especially breaks for our queer youth. I know I didn’t come out until later in life because I was scared how that would be received, so I think now more than ever is the most imperative time to remember we are stronger as a community, and to especially show our queer youth that. We are all loved and important, and the beauty and uniqueness we bring into this world should always be celebrated and platformed.
Chloe Yang (she/they) has bylines in BroadwayWorld, 360° of Opera, and more. A fangirl at heart, she’s had the privilege of interviewing luminaries such as Angel Blue, Hui He, Kim David Smith and Tracy K. Smith, yet finds the greatest fulfillment in lending her voice to regional theaters and artists from historically underrepresented groups. When she’s not busy exploring NYC restaurants and museums all dolled up, Chloe can be found conspiring to lure more youths to the Metropolitan Opera. Follow her journey and say hi!