Drag Race winner Lemon on fulfilling her zestiny and prioritising “party girl vibes”

Following her well-deserved victory on Canada’s vs the World, Lemon speaks with GAY TIMES about her Drag Race journey (so far?), why all trolls are ’embarrassing and ugly’ and her addictive new music.

WORDS BY SAM DAMSHENAS
SPECIAL THANKS TO JO SEAR AND JASMINE ALOMA AT THE BBC

As the first-ever Pork Chop to return and snatch the Drag Race crown, Lemon has finally fulfilled her zestiny. Recap incoming: the pussy-popping rapstress memorably made her franchise debut on Canada season one, where she sashayed away in fifth place with two maxi-challenge wins, a Snatch Game impersonation for the herstory books and mega virality with her genius and timeless read of winner, best friend and ‘Come Through‘ collaborator Priyanka.

Following an unjust e-lemon-ation in the first episode of UK vs the World, Lemon made a deserved comeback this year on the Canadian equivalent and charged her way to the final. There, she defeated lip-sync powerhouses and Drag Race legends Kennedy Davenport and Alexis Mateo to become the new Queen of the Mother-Pucking World. In the words of her idol Susan Boyle, “Nothing is impossible. It can be downright difficult, but not impossible.” (That was a nice touch, wasn’t it?)

“It really is a dream come true moment. Before I had ever even thought of doing drag myself, I was a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I loved the show, watched the show. I feel like, nowadays, you can’t go into a gay bar and Drag Race isn’t a topic of conversation. It’s a huge honour and I feel like I’m gonna be able to reach new heights,” Lemon tells GAY TIMES. 

In addition to her crown and sceptre, Lemon is raising her glass to new music: the simultaneously breezy and shady bop ‘IT’S NOT THAT DEEP‘: the Marina Summers-assisted summer anthem ‘POOL PARTY‘; and her feature on Priyanka’s pulsating dance track ‘GUCCIYANKA’. Here, we chat with Lemon about all of the above, so pucker up motherfuckers.

In the words of Miss Fiercalicious, “Congrats Lemon.” How does it feel to be the Queen of the Mother-Pucking World?

Honestly, it really is a dream come true moment. Before I had ever even thought of doing drag myself, I was a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race. I loved the show, watched the show. I feel like, nowadays, you can’t go into a gay bar and Drag Race isn’t a topic of conversation. It’s a huge honour and I feel like I’m gonna be able to reach new heights. There’s some people in the world who treat the girls differently based on their track records, which is crazy boots, but now you can clock the tea, clock the track record, clock the win, clock the tiara and… you could never.

You’re the first-ever queen to be a Pork Chop and a champion. What message do you think that sends to, not only the fans who base queens’ worth on track record, but to the queens who have been eliminated early and think that’s the end of their Drag Race journey?

I think it’s easy to take a set back as the end-all, be-all, and to realise that it’s not the end of… It’s not the end of my journey and it might not be the end of her journey or their journey. It’s just an exciting concept to be reminded that it’s not over yet. If you really want something and believe in your whole soul that you can get what you want, then put the work in. I’m proof that it’s possible and that hard work will pay off. That’s the real message: don’t give up, if it’s something you want, get it.

You went from lip-syncing first on Canada season one to being eliminated first on UK vs the World and then coming in first place on Canada vs the World. Do you feel like you’ve fulfilled your zestiny?

Yes! This is my zestiny. I said on UK vs the World in my song ‘Sweet and Sour‘, “‘International All Star’ suits me better, I look good in a crown so I’m back to get her.” And guess what? I was right! It might have been the wrong season, but I was right in the grand scheme of the universe. Sometimes, we don’t know the timing.

A few times on this season you’ve said that UK vs the World wasn’t you at your “best”, but I honestly don’t understand that because your talent show performance wasn’t bottom-worthy or even safe-worthy. It was incredible?

Let me say something psychotic and narcissistic for a second. I feel like I’ve had a superstar power about me and an energy for my whole life. Because of that, people expect really great things from me. They don’t wanna settle for “good” because people can tell I can do better. So, I would like to believe that’s what RuPaul, Michelle [Visage] and those judges saw in me, ‘Yeah, it’s good, but she can do so much better.’ I agree with them. Watching back that performance, there were so many things that I do agree with. Maybe it wasn’t the worst of the episode, but I definitely feel there was maybe something in the way that I did it where they thought, ‘She could do better.’ Maybe the way they judge people is based on what they think that queen is capable of. Again, that might be the most delusional thing I’ve ever said, so who knows?

‘Sweet and Sour’ alone should’ve guaranteed you a top position.

Well, it has over a million streams on Spotify, so it’s a high placement in some universe!

I need the extended version soon because 1:48 is not long enough for me…

No tea, but out of all the songs I’ve released, I think that’s my least favourite. I only say that because it was made for the challenge, know what I mean? The rest of the music I make is not made for performing drag. I make music that’s just for vibing. I have a song coming out and the vision is when you’re at a pool party and everyone’s in their skimpy little bathing suits, this is what you’ll want to listen to. It’s called ‘POOL PARTY’ and it features Marina Summers, so get ready for it! I know it’s the fall, but isn’t it always summer?

In this finale, you slaughtered the lip-syncs against Kennedy and Alexis. You ‘567 Ate‘ that. What was it like for you to share the stage with those two legends?

It’s really crazy to think that I have beaten Kennedy and Alexis in a lip-sync. There’s definitely some people on the internet who don’t agree, but I think what’s so good about this season is that everyone who made it to the top four is a lip-sync legend. Cheryl Hole is the dancing diva of Essex, Kennedy the dancing diva of Texas and Alexis Mateo has never really lost a lip-sync. Even me, I have some iconic lip-sync moments too. So for me, to make it there with them, I felt like this was gonna be a moment for the ages. What really got me there is that I studied those songs perfectly. There was not one beat of that song I didn’t know was coming. I was right on the music, I knew every accent, I knew when the singer took a breath. Overall, the whole season, it just came down to that I was so prepared and ready. I really put the work in to be on my shit.

I wasn’t even a fan of ‘Hideaway’ before this episode, but you and Kennedy had me going, “Ooh! Ahh!”

“Ahh!” Yeah. I worked with Kennedy before, we’ve been on tour together. I have more respect for Kennedy than I have for everyone in the world. She is the coolest, most down-to-earth person. She takes care of everyone around her and cooks for anyone she’s close to. She is a light on this earth, a legendary performer, person, pageant girl. She’s dominated in so many separate scenes and I always find that so impressive. It’s not like she’s just good at one thing. Having Kennedy there was crucial, that’s why I saved her the episode before. I couldn’t have gone to that finale without Kennedy, I saw her as my toughest competition. To have to lip-sync against her first I was like, ‘….okay!’ Thankfully, it was the song I knew the best!

As is the case with every season of Drag Race, there have been some nice fans and there have been some disgruntled trolls who like to make their opinions known on social media when they should be streaming ‘IT’S NOT THAT DEEP‘ instead. How has the reaction been for you?

Every season we’re seeing this same trend, but I do feel like the internet has gotten to this really toxic place where every single comment section is just filled with unwarranted advice and mean comments and “jokes” that are really mean. I’m obsessed with… I have a little doxin so I watch little videos of doxins on Instagram all day and they’re just cute little puppies. You open the comment section and everything is like, ‘HE IS GONNA DIE IF YOU DO THIS’. I’m like, ‘My god? It’s a video of him cuddling in his bed?’ The point of the matter is, I just feel like a lot of people are sad and embarrassing and have nothing better to do than leave a bunch of comments and pray they get 100 likes that will give them the validation they so desperately seek. I don’t personally know anyone that I consider cool or popular or funny or attractive whose MO is going to the internet to leave hate comments.

This is my fear. Imagine being involved with someone and then a few months down the line you find out they’re a troll who leaves nasty comments? What do you do? How do you even navigate that? I’d be like, ‘Get the fuck out.’

I just think it’s crazy. I totally think there is a way you can discuss your favourites and, frankly, seeing love for Kennedy and Alexis and Fierce and Kahena and Cheryl, that’s never gonna bother me. I love them so much too. I wish everyone won, of course. I’m happy that it was me, but at the same time I would’ve been so happy to see Kennedy or Alexis or Cheryl or Fierce with a crown. There’s a way to say those things without getting on anyone else. There’s a way to say, ‘I love Kennedy and I hope one day she gets her crown and she was amazing this season’ because that’s a true statement. She is amazing, and she would be an incredible addition to the Hall of Fame. We’ve seen lots of girls come back for a fourth time, I hope Kennedy is one of them.

Are you gonna be one of them for a winners’ season? Is that something you’ve thought about?

Well, okay, so here’s my real thing. I shouldn’t say this on this, because I really want this. Here’s what I think: I think we should do RuPaul’s Best Friend Race and we should bring back competing in teams so that me and Priyanka can compete against some of the legendary besties of Drag Race. Maybe it can be for charity too, who cares?

Okay, so who do we want on there? Jinkx and BenDeLa, Katya and Trixie…

We need Bob and Monét, Violet and Gottmik… There’s so many besties that RuPaul’s Best Friend Race is impending…

Maybe Pandora Boxx and Mimi Imfurst?

They got along so well…

You are the third queen now from Canada’s Drag Race season one after Priyanka and Jimbo to win a crown….

When they said season “one”, they meant w-o-n. In my opinion, season one of Canada’s Drag Race is one of the best seasons of all time. I will say, I’m of course incredibly biased because a, it’s me and, b, it’s all my friends. But, it’s such a great season and the competition was so stiff. I feel like every single performer from that season is still working at the highest level. I genuinely believe everyone from my season could win a crown eventually, they are some of the most talented, incredible performers. I remember walking into the werkroom on Canada season one and looking around like, ‘Oh fuck….’ They were so talented, gorgeous and had a special point-of-view. That, to me, is what takes you all the way. It’s not just the polish and the whatever, it’s about where you come from and what’s the M-O for your drag.

We need Scarlett Bobo, BOA, Tynomi Banks again…

We need “Kiki wanna kaikai” [Kiara] and I wanna see Juice Boxx again. Kyne is like the most followed girl on TikTok in the world… There’s so many from my season that are just incredible and if they wanted a second chance, they deserve them. The talent was unmatched.

You’ve had so many incredible moments across all three seasons – including UK vs the World, you know that I’m a Lemon on UK vs the World apologist. But, one moment that has truly lived on as one of the most viral moments ever is your read of Priyanka. Can you reminisce on that moment with me because I’m still obsessed with it?!

I think out of every challenge on Drag Race of all time, the reading challenge is the one where I’m like, ‘That’s made for me.’ I was prepared when I got there with these random ideas of how I would set up a joke. Meeting Priyanka, especially at that time, she was so chaotic and boy-obsessed and boy-crazy, and everyday on set she would talk about how badly… I can’t get into it because children might be watching, but she would say very vulgar, naughty little things that, y’know, I hope my grandmother never hears. As soon as she started talking about that I thought how funny would that set up be? If I just said, “You talk about having sex all the time, but the only thing you’re fucking… is stupid.” I think the real secret to a read is, when you’re reading a friend, they laugh and that gives permission for everyone else to laugh. The reaction that Priyanka had where she just went [shocked face], that is what makes the read extra hilarious because she felt clocked in that moment. ‘Oh, they’re really talking about me right now…’ and that’s the secret success to a good read. If there’s a little truth to it, it’s gonna hit.

As well as snatching the crown, you are celebrating the release of ‘IT’S NOT THAT DEEP’ and your Priyanka collab ‘GUCCIYANKA‘. Please tell me about more new material because on the last call you said, what is it, that a new EP or album is coming?

It’s an album, but I’m gonna call it an EP because it’s not that long. For me, I write my music based on the vibe of what I want you to feel when you’re listening to it. CITRUSSY was me proving myself, in a way, and the reality of the situation was that I was pissed because I had just been eliminated first, and I wanted to prove myself and my talent and my abilities. I went hard on that album, whereas this album is more of a party. I wrote a lot of it after coming home from filming [Canada vs the World] and I felt so great about how everything went down that I just wanted to have my friends around me everyday and the music blaring, to be by the pool lounging and having fun and smoking weed. I have collaborations with Shea Couleé and Marina Summers who are, not just two of my favourite drag queens, but also incredible musicians who have phenomenal albums out of their own on Spotify, so go stream them if you haven’t already. This album is about reclaiming fun and having a good-ass time and getting back into party girl vibes. I think Charli XCX really brought us back to party girl vibes, and she was right.

Okay, well you need to continue Brat Summer by having Lemon featuring Susan Boyle because that would end the music industry.

I mean, [Susan Boyle accent] areet luv that would be luvley isn’t et?

Lemon’s new single ‘POOL PARTY’, featuring Marina Summers, is out now. 

You can watch our full interview with the Canada’s Drag Race vs the World season 2 champion here or below. 

The post Drag Race winner Lemon on fulfilling her zestiny and prioritising “party girl vibes” appeared first on GAY TIMES.