Featured Queen: Miss Taint
Miss Taint is a 21 year-old queen from San Antonio Texas, who you may have seen here before. She recently featured in Siren LaCoast's song and music video "Freaks" which premiered exclusively on Rest Is Drag back in February. (Watch here)
Read our Q&A interview with Miss Taint below.
When did you start doing drag?
I started doing drag in June of 2009... Or was it 2019? Idk.
What inspired you to start doing drag?
The diversity of queens I saw on RuPaul's Drag Race season 6. They all had something so unique about them, and I knew I was capable of creating something unique as well, an aesthetic that came from my interests, inspirations, and things I found funny and scary.
Also from making people laugh and shocking them. Ive always loved to scare my mom when I was younger and I grew up wanting to do that to others. 👻
How does drag make you feel?
Drag makes me feel like I'm doing something right. I did the college thing, I tried it. And eventually I do plan on going back but I'm going to be honest it's not for everyone. Drag allows me to express myself in the fullest and I can actually make a career off it if I worked really fucking hard. When I perform, it feels like I'm in my own world and my emotions are what makes or break the crowd- whether I connect to the song or not. I feel by doing that, I allow myself to connect to a part of me that I don't do on the daily when I'm out of drag. I tend to ignore my feelings, but they all shine through when I perform and I get a better understanding of myself. Weird huh?
Who are your inspirations for your drag persona?
My inspirations for drag definitely come from a trashy party girl aesthetic. Queens like Courtney Love, Anna Nicole Smith, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Britney Spears (circa 2007) , Alice Glass from Crystal Castles....very "fuck your rules" as I'd like to say. I like 90s grunge/club kid, 80s Rock and pop, and idolize celebrity meltdowns.
Everyone wants to be the pretty girl but no one wants to be the drunk girl... and that's where Taint comes in.
As far as clothing inspiration goes, I really love thrift vintage clothing. Anything from the 60s and up. Every time I perform I like to create the perfect look for what I'm trying to portray in the performance.
I love to model outfits from a local clothing store named "montage" . it's a cutesy vintage store in San Antonio , you should check it out ;)
Who are your top three all time favourite queens?
My all 3 all time favorite queens are:
Cucci Binaca from Seattle, she's so fucking raw and has no chill. I love it so much. I really want to check out her cake batter show , I heard it's a big shit fest 👹
Trixie Mattel (RuPaul's Drag Race: Season 7) -she was the first queen to make me feel comfortable to have the makeup style I have. I've never seen such an extreme style of makeup, and the fact that she has an aesthetic to back it up makes it gagworthy.
And finally the one and only Peaches (fuck the pain away, Operate). - she is such an lgbt icon, and I absolutely adore how expressive she is in her performances and costumes. When I started finding myself more in drag, I decided to perform a peaches song and rocked the fuck out of it. I won performing a mix of some of her songs in a San Antonio talent night. I had the privilege of meeting her last week in ATX for SXSW and it was really a dream come true.
Do you have a specific look you like to go for, or does your style vastly vary?
I have a distinguished Taint face everyone knows in my hometown. Very dramatic features but I feel my fish oats no other way. I have different outfits and characters but the taint face is def clockable. 👹
What would be your ultimate ambition you would like to achieve through drag?
My ultimate goal in drag is to change people's perspective on what night life art can be. It's not all about looking like a pretty girl and dancing to some top 40 song. It's about being an entertainer and showing yourself through your art, making an impact on someone's night. I like to be the one that they remember the next morning and say "damn that bitch was cray".
Also, I'd want to work further in HIV care and counseling through my drag. I feel it would be really awesome to use your art as a platform for real life problems and not just drama backstage.
Where do you perform?
I've been performing at the Strip in San Antonio for about 2 years now. I'm currently hosting my own Freakshow at the Heat Nightclub in SA, and also perform at Stonewall in San Marcos and different clubs in Austin, Texas.
What are some of your favourite songs to perform?
I love performing club songs I can incorporate a really fun concept to of something I like a lot. My favorite ones to do are usually my own mixes. I have a Dead Silence Rob Zombie mix and Fake plastic Love by Pearl as a botched bitch. I also like performing to unconventional songs that would look funny with the faces I make.
If you could only use three makeup products to complete your drag look, what would you use?
Easy, I would choose Red lipstick, liquid liner, and bleach for my highlight.
What is your favourite piece of fashion or accessory from your wardrobe?
Hard, I think right now my favorite outfit from my closet is this floral vintage dress I got about 2 weeks ago. She's gooooooregeous , I love the neck collar . Also this body harness I made of rose petals and Googly eyes!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
In 5 years I see myself with a stable day job and a successful night job (drag). I would like to be in a cycle of traveling to different states and countries and seeing the different queens that are out there.
What is your opinion on the recent popularity of drag, largely due to RuPaul's Drag Race?
I think it's great what Drag Race has done for drag. Lots of people have such a mixed stance on it, but if it opened the eyes to people discovering what drag is and accepting it, then I don't see the problem. Drag is becoming an art form you can actually make a career off of if you work your ass off. Just like any other artist.
Is there anything else you'd like us to know about Miss Taint?
Just a little word of advice, It's okay to be different . Not everyone will accept you, but just be yourself and the rest will fall into place. To all the new queens.. If you want to go out and perform but are scared of what people will think, live your own life and do it! Drag is fun!
xxx, Taint.
Thank you to Miss Taint for this interview.
Follow Miss Taint on Social Media: Instagram: @Miss_Taint
Twitter: @Miss_Taint
Facebook: /omgItsTaint
Booking Info: bookyourtaint@gmail.com
Follow Rest Is Drag on Social Media:
Instagram: @Rest_Is_Drag
Twitter: @Rest_Is_Drag
Facebook: /RestIsDragBlog
