With looks that were truly revolutionary Arrietty brought a fresh and visionary perspective to the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 runway. After a sub-par showing during the Villains Roast (and an unfortunate fall-out with Jewels Sparkles), Arrietty departed the competition last week. While they may no longer be showcased on the Drag Race Season 17 runway, Arrietty is showcasing her looks online in stunning sartorial weekly content on her Instagram. Arrietty and I sat down to chat about her Drag Race run, the inspiration behind her looks, and her thoughts on friendship during competition.
Michael Cook: Some performers are not built for comedy and in fairness to you, you said when the challenge last week on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 was revealed to be the Villains Roast that comedy and joke writing was not exactly your strong suit.
Arrietty: I know who I am, I am not delulu (laughs)!
MC: You brought a breath of fresh air and spectacular talent into RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17. What was your experience like all the way around?
A: I had such an amazing time. It was definitely a learning experience….I had so much fun though, it was a blast and a half. Honestly, I wouldn’t trade it. I now know what I need to work on.
MC: What do you think your rose and thorn were of your Drag Race experience?
A: Of course my best was my aesthetic because that is what I pride myself on and that is what I am as a drag artist. I am an artist, I am not a clown (laughs)! I knew what my strengths and weaknesses were going into the competition. I knew that I was going to eat them up when it came to looks. Everything else…..I just wish that I could showcase more of what I do on the regular. Besides that one crazy lip sync that was horrendous and maybe the last one…
MC: Speaking of, your lip sync against Jewels Sparkles was intense and emotional for a variety of reasons…
A: Mama…that day was so stressful. I just thought I would enjoy my time and have fun..and let loose! I probably needed to do that for the comedy roast (laughs)!
MC: Your drag is extremely cerebral and thought provoking and you consistently stand by your own drag perspective and aesthetic, including when Michelle Visage challenged you to switch up your makeup. You took the critique in stride, because that is what you were there for.
A: Yeah! I’m a makeup artist, I know how to change it up.
MC: What is the inception of some of your looks? Some of them are truly revolutionary and unlike a lot of what we’ve seen on the Drag Race runway before.
A: Thank you so much! When it comes to makeup, I love drawing, I love painting, so a lot of my looks are on the spot or I draw them out beforehand. The looks, same concept. I do have a really good friend here named Sreya and we love to bounce back and forth ideas. I love collaborating with other artists, it opens doors that you wouldn’t normally open. It’s so fresh and it just makes me so happy working with talented people.
MC: Your Villians Roast was definitely not a highlight of your Drag Race experience. For starters, you were definitely heated about your placement in the actual challenge from Jewels to begin with.
A: Hell yeah I was heated! I was heated as hell, I felt like I was backstabbed by a friend. I didn’t expect that outcome. I went to her and said that I felt horrible, even before we started working on the roast. I told her that this is not what I do, I confided in her. Later on, for her to throw me under the motherfucking train….she put me behind the funniest girl there! And to she put herself after me just so she could look better, it just made me so angry.
MC: So from your perspective, Jewels took what you said in confidence and weaponized it…
A: Yes. She took that and ran with it. At that point, she didn’t care, she just cared about her place in the competition, which I understand. Strategically, kudos to you bitch, you did it.
MC: To that point, some of the other girls did say “It’s a competition” including yourself. How do you feel when you feel about that perspective?
A: It is all is fair. But when it comes to my relationship with my friends, I just wouldn’t do that to a friend. I get it, we met each other not that long ago, but she was the one that was the closest to in the competition.
MC: You and Lucky Starzzz seemed to be getting close prior to their elimination. Was that when you started getting close to Jewels?
A: The same episode that Lucky was there, I painted next to Jewels and we were getting close. The whole time that I was there, I was next to Jewels and we were painting. We were getting to know each other, finding all of these interests that we connected with in our Latina heritage, everything; it just felt so comforting.
MC: Finding people like that during the Drag Race experience and in your life in general is crucial. With that in mind, your drag mother from Drag Race Season 15 Irene DuBois, is most likely, also someone you lean on. What do you think you have learned from Irene as a performer?
A: She is a creative outlet. She is a great queen and she knows what she is putting out and I appreciate that.
MC: What is next for you post RuPaul’s Drag Race?
A: I have plans to ride the wave of the crazy rollercoaster that Season 17 of Drag Race has offered, of course! There will be YouTube and other content, studio tours, fun stuff, and soon enough there will be a collection. So it’ll be fun.
MC: Crystal Envy is doing a YouTube series painting faces titled “Painted By Crystal”, maybe a collaboration with your Season 17 sister is in the cards?
A: I think I would look gorg (laughs)!
MC: What is the best piece of advice that you have ever received?
A: From RuPaul-Don’t fuck it up!
MC: And like you said, ride the wave right?
A: Here’s to riding the fucking wave!
Follow Arrietty on Instagram
