How Spill the Tea came to be / get to meet the creator
Why hello there!
My name is Michael and I am the guy behind Spill the Tea magazine. That’s me below shooting actress Sapphire Elia for the second cover shoot of Image 34 Magazine (I still miss that Katy Perry California Girls jumper to this day). Now, I realised with new followers joining Spill the Tea daily it would be good to show who is behind it all. This article will give a little bit of info behind me and how Spill the Tea came to be…
Before Spill the Tea there was (and is) Image 34 magazine, the older sister to Spill the Tea. I started Image 34 in 2012, it seems an age ago. I was sat around my parents dining room table frustrated at my current situation wondering what to do. I had gone to Uni and started a photography degree that I wasn't enjoying or feeling challenged by in the way I wanted. I felt I wasn’t being taught how to work with creatives in the actual industry and instead was just being given assignments with very little teaching going on. On my first day of University I actually walked out saying I was going to quit, I realised it wasn’t for me, but with some persuading from the people around me at the time I stayed. I’m not sure if I would say I regret the decision as otherwise Image 34 and Spill the Tea would have never come to life. But it wasn’t the best time of my life lets just say that. I just didn't connect with my course, probably more my fault for not doing enough research before deciding to go where I did, rather than a problem with the Uni itself. Many of my peers had a great time, I just didn’t. Anyway where was I… another trait of mine, I’m easily distracted, talk quickly and have LOTS to say. I also feel when telling a story you need to tell the back story of each person involved to get the full experience. This sometimes means people can’t keep up and apologies if you can’t, but don’t panic as neither can my brain and it leaves me stopping mid conversation and asking everyone what was I saying.
So sat around my parents table I started Image 34 as a fun project, something to give me a reason to work with other creatives and be well… creative. I never dreamed Image 34 would grow the way it did. I learnt things the hard way about the industry and with each issue I pushed the boundaries of what I wanted it to become. Over the years I have worked with some fantastic and fabulous artists. From people starting out in their careers, to artists who have just won some of the biggest competitions in the world. As the magazine grew I must admit I struggled a little keeping it together. It was just me, yes I had amazing creatives working with me on shoots but then managing, emailing, organising, designing and photographing each issue was all down to me. All whilst holding down a part time job and Uni to keep me going.
I must admit photoshoots were the funniest of them all. If I agreed to pick the model / artist up from the train station to help with getting them to set, they would message saying I’m here and I would be like yep that’s me, over here in the little old banger. As you will see in the photo at the top of the article, I have a baby face. I turn 30 this year and I still get asked for I.D when buying scratch cards (which is very rarely gambling is bad). When they finally saw me waving at them, they all said I was not expecting someone your age. For me it was such a compliment, they didn’t expect this young 20 something to be behind Image 34 magazine. As Image 34 grew so did its audience, I always wanted to link in some more LGBTQ+ artists and creatives. I wouldn’t say I actively didn’t, that’s not true because I did, but I was very aware the audience for Image 34 was very ‘straight’ shall we say. I didn’t want to totally alienate them by suddenly going thanks for being with us for all these years but we are switching it up. I very vocally expressed my want to have a spin off for the LGBTQ+ content for many years but knew I had to give it my all as at the time I was producing 4 issues a year, whilst I was at Uni and working a part time job. It was nearly already too much and I couldn’t risk not giving it my full energy. Making 4 issues a year to most might not sound a lot but trust me, when you are the one producing everything its hard work. Especially when more established artists started to grace the covers and pages of the issues. Huge highlights of Image 34 magazine have been interviewing some of my idols like Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst (I still don’t know how I didn't fan boy), X-Factor winners Sam Bailey and Alexandra Burke to name just a few.
However, with each passing issue I felt that need to create this seperate LGBTQ+ content more and more. I had now finished Uni and was battling holding down a full time job and trying to create Image 34. Jumping forward to 2019, I made the big choice to do a full drag issue to test the waters. I shot big and asked a few of my favourite current local Queens to feature, these included Amanda Bang, Asia Thorne and Lana Evoli, but that wasn't all. I also managed to secure two of my current favourite RuPaul’s Drag Race Queens, with legs for days Naomi Smalls and the hilarious Miz Cracker. Miz Cracker ended up gracing the cover and I secured an exclusive photoshoot.
The issue did well, I couldn't have been happier but then I was immediately filled with sadness. I knew this would change Image 34 forever, I knew the magazine needed to change. After 7 years and 25 issues with over 280,000 organic views (at the time) I chose to stop publishing issues. It actually crushed my heart to admit that I couldn’t do it all and the future wasn't in issues but instead articles on the website. I began brainstorming what would become Spill the Tea however, I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Image 34 and decided to give the magazine a Sister.
Spill the Tea was born and I began producing LGBTQ+ content. I started by planning and asked one of my favourite local Queens Krystal Versace for an interview and our first shoot. Still to this day these are some of my favourite shots I have ever taken, I just don’t tire of them.
With a fire under my butt I was ready to start working with other Queens, photographing them too as I went. However, Covid had different ideas, I didn’t let this stop me and although I wasn’t able to go out and photograph Queens I was able to still connect with them online.
I really can’t thank everyone enough for either featuring, reading (an interview) or simply following or liking on Spill the Tea socials. As I said I still create this all by myself in the evenings and weekends, all after working a full time job. I pour so much time into it and I am just so pleased it has an audience and I am able to share all these incredible people with you. Which does raise the question how do I decide who to feature… simple. I have to like what you are doing. I made a pact with myself when starting Image 34 magazine and it goes across to Spill the Tea. I will only ever feature someone whose creativeness I truly like. I never ask someone to feature if deep down I didn't like them or didn’t believe in what they were doing. So if I have asked you to feature know I truly appreciate your art-form. I believe in you and that’s why I have asked you to interview. Know that even after that feature I don’t disappear, I will continue to support you as an artist. Watching peoples growth is one of my favourite things.
And there we have it, how Spill the Tea came to be. I’m excited to see how the magazine evolves and what the future holds for it. But know every little engagement on any level means more than you could ever imagine.