Over the last ten episodes, the ladies of RuPaul’s drag race made us laugh, made us cry, made us know fierce. And while they learned from Ru, they taught us about teamwork, self-respect, and how to make your country outfit really transition with a rip-away skirt. On Monday, a new drag superstar was born. Tyra Sanchez was the controversial choice for queen of the queens, and below, she lets us know she’s here. Work.
Your hair looks GREAT. Where do you get your look?
My inspirations for my looks really come from TV, movies, magazines, wherever I see something and I’m inspired by it. I take it, I add drag to it, and I make it into my own.
In the first episode of this season, RuPaul presented a Scarlett O’Hara challenge, because Scarlett O’Hara was a fierce bitch. What fierce bitches have inspired you?
I got started doing drag of course because of Beyoncé, wanted to be like her, imitate her, swing my hair, shake my ass. She’s really what made me wanna do drag.
Tell me more about how you got your start in drag.
A couple friends of mine were already doing it and they showed me the ropes. Then I learned it, and then I went beyond them, and learned more. And now I’m really big.
And now you’re in the final three of RuPaul’s drag race [at time of interview… now she’s the winner!] Was it a positive experience overall, doing this competition?
I think it was, because it taught me things about myself that I didn’t know, like I didn’t know that I was a bitch, I didn’t know I was mean or whatever else they said about me…[but at the same time] it did teach me to open up to people more, no one was there to be your enemy. So just open up to people, allow them to come in, be friends with them.
At the end of the day it seemed like the Queens all learned a lot from each other, even though you were competing with one another…
Yeah we did. We all learned a lot from each other. We learned everything from make-up tips and how to present yourself, to how to be personable to people. I learned a lot [from the other contestants].
So why did you want to do the show in the first place?
I watched the first season, and I wanted to do the show because I felt that I could be a good contestant on the show, I felt that I knew enough about drag, but on the show I could really blossom in it.
And why do you want to be the next drag superstar?
I want to be the next drag superstar because I truly want to fill RuPaul’s shoes, to live in her shoes, and maybe go beyond what she did. RuPaul sets the goal. I don’t want to take her place! I just want to work with her, learn from her, and grow.
I think it’s a perfect time to be a drag queen. [This show] has opened so many doors for us. More TV shows, hopefully movies, music—although I can’t sing so I don’t want to do anything with music—and fashion. Everyone loves my fashion, everyone always says why don’t you do a fashion line? So I’m working hard to start a fashion line. It’s going to be called William Xavier, which is my middle name and my son’s middle name mixed together. I’m going to make fashion for women who want to go out to the clubs.
Has your son seen the show?
My son doesn’t know anything about the show. He’s only four. But you can tell that he’s starting to get curious and eventually it’s going to come out and I’m going to have to tell him. But not now.
How are you going to teach him about it?
Now I don’t want to teach him about it, I’ll tell him about it. I don’t want to raise him… if he grows up to be gay I want it to be him. I don’t want anyone to say well he’s gay because his Dad made him that way. It’s going to be his own decision I don’t want to influence him. I’m going to teach him the way that I was brought up. Whatever you like is what you like.
That’s a good message though. Are there any other messages you want to get out there?
The only message I can think of right now is I’m here. So watch out.
Over the course of the show, you got a lot of advice from great female entertainers, and of course from present and future drag superstar RuPaul. Do you have any advice yourself for BUST girls and other ladies?
First you have to start out with loving yourself, and don’t be afraid to try new things. As long as you remain true to you.
You can catch episodes from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season Two, on logoTV.com. And check back on this blog for more from the Race’s queens, because I just can’t help myself.
Photo Credit: RuPaul’s Drag Race and Logo TV
