Marmalade joined the cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 6 as part of a drag legacy. This Welsh wonder is the drag daughter of Canada vs. The World Season 1 finalist Victoria Scone and the drag granddaughter of UK vs The World Season 2 Tia Kofi! Marmalade also succeeded this season in being part of the first three queen Lip Sync for the Win in Drag Race herstory! After making it to the Top Four, Marmalade sat down to chat with me about her Drag Race UK experience, several of her fellow finalists, and what she learned the most about herself during the competition.
Michael Cook: Condragulations on being a finalist on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 6! What was the entire experience like?
Marmalade: The whole thing has just been so fulfilling. You put so much work into being a drag artist and being an entertainer or artists in general. Drag Race evaluates so many of those skills so to get through all of those trials and tribulations and to get to the end. It is very affirming of what you hope to be true when you walk through the door; it is very fulfilling.
MC: What would you have done with the $25,000 had you snagged the crown?
Marmalade: I think I would’ve started by replacing Actavia’s entire wig wardrobe (laughs). Once I spent that, I think the rest would’ve go back into my drag. Hopefully, I would’ve treated myself a little bit, but now I am realizing that Marmalade is not a job, she is a lifestyle; it’s all I am. Anything that I could out back into elevating and realizing this, that is what I would do.
MC: What do you think your rose and thorn are of your Drag Race UK journey?
Marmalade: I would say one of my first high moments was the critique for the design challenge. It really affirmed my skills and what I did. It is crazy to me to have those people say that to me, I rewatch that clip all the time. I think also the Rusical; I proved that I had skills that not everyone expected.
It sounds so cringe to say, but my lowest moment is Actavia going home. As much as I rag on her, that was my best friend, I love her so much. It is hard when you see someone put everything into something that they are so passionate about to see them sort of have to leave, especially after such an incredible performance, that was difficult.
MC: What is one you learned from your fellow finalists Kyran Thrax & Rileasa Slaves?
Marmalade: I feel like Kyran and I are very similar, I think we are confident and sure of ourselves. I will keepthat to myself, but seeing someone who is not afraid to stand on what they know about themselves, I find it inspiring. By the end of the series, I knew I did an amazing job, I was not going to play it down. I deserved to talk bout it. It is a really important quality that not a lot of people have. I think it is partly what makes her so bloody special.
Rileasa just has an energy that she emits that I wish I could bottle, melt & pour into some Vaseline and put it on! I’ve never seen someone on stage with such power! During the roast, it was not going the best that it could go, but I was looking at a confident person that was owning whatever situation they were in. I wasnt to be Rileasa when I grow up!
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