Interview - Kardi Acarrest
Kardi Acarrest, welcome my love and condragulations you our youngest Queen for this issue, which leads us to our first question please tell our readers how old you are and when you first discovered Drag was for you.
Hello readers, I am the ripe young age of 17 making me one of the youngest working queens in Manchester!
As long I can remember I have known about drag, weather that was from watching lily savage hosting blankety blank to pantomime dames at the local theatre, drag has always been around me. However, I never really had an interest in learning and properly delving into drag until I stumbled upon a little TV show called ‘Rupauls drag race’. Once watching and seeing a little behind the scenes about how drag queens achieve their glamour’s looks but also the struggle of being a drag queen, it made me just want to learn more and more!
How did you come up with your Drag name?
My drag name is an obvious pun on the life threatning condition of cardiac arrest. I decided to choose that name, not because of the rapper Cardi b, but because when in drag I lower my voice! I have never met another queen who does this but I do it to let men, who may have had one too many pints, know that I’m not what they are looking for. Also it gives that shock value when someone does speak to me as most people either think ‘wow I didn’t know Megan fox was in town ‘or ‘this is going to be some prissy little twink ‘ but when this deep manly voice comes out of such a petite person it takes people aback and my friends have joked that one day I will give a man a cardiac arrest!
How would describe our Drag aesthetic?
I would say my drag aesthetic is functional glamour! I like my looks to be fashionable but also able to perform and move in them as I might look gorgeous sat down or stood still in a look but if I can’t even walk in it, what’s even the point of wearing it!
Describe your Drag personality in one emoji.
I would say my drag personality in an emoji is the clapping hands emoji as I like to support and applaud other drag artists when success comes there way or even if they just need a little chat about something I’m always there to listen !
What influences your Drag style?
My drag style is heavily influenced by what is in the sale section of prettylittlethings! But I am very heavily drawn to the looks worn by girls who are deemed to be ‘extra, or ‘over the top’ as I applaud there confidence to wear such a glamorous outfit when just running to the shops also just the confidence these women exude is so astounding !
What is your favourite thing about being a Drag Queen?
My favourite thing about being a drag queen is the attention! It sounds really narcissistic but just being able to have people applaud you for doing what you love is something very validating for a lot of people who have felt isolated or that they were different for majority of their lives. This attention gives people a platform to reach out to others who are going through a tough time or just to people who maybe want a bit of glamour in their lives and show them the confidence within, that they aren’t just a person but a DIVA!
“ When you come and see me at show you can expect a bloody good time! I will be flinging my limbs around pretending to be Darcy Bussel off strictly, hair flips, kicks but most importantly audience interaction “
What do you find is the hardest thing about being a Drag Queen?
I find explaining what I do the hardest thing about doing drag, many people have differing opinions about drag queen. Some people find it weird and an abomination however some people live for it! You never know how someone will react to finding out you do drag until they find out you do it and by that point it’s too late. I am very lucky to say I have never had a negative encounter when telling people I do drag and either am met with a shower of love and compliments or being told the person accepts it and drag doesn’t change their view of me. However, there is a possibility I may receive negativity from someone after they find out I do drag and that fear will always stick with me when explaining to people that I do drag.
Do you feel being a young Queen people sometimes don’t take you seriously?
With being so young many people underestimate my skills, obviously I still have so much to learn and a lot more to experience, but I still do know a thing or two about drag and performance. I can style hair, sew basic outfits, do makeup and create mixes for performance so I’m not completely useless however people still do and will continue to underestimate my skills due to being so young. No queen should be discriminated against due to their age or treated any differently from any other queen.
What is your go to lip sync song and why?
My go to lip sync is dangerous woman by Ariana Grande, I chose this song because I can be very sensual and flirty then just thrust myself upon an unsuspecting member of the audience during the instrumental and make them feel something they have most likely never felt before, a 6’3 man in a wig wiggling across their lap.
What can fans expect when coming to see you in a show?
When you come and see me at show you can expect a bloody good time! I will be flinging my limbs around pretending to be Darcy Bussel off strictly, hair flips, kicks but most importantly audience interaction. I like to say my performances are like going to a show at sea world, bring some goggles because there’s going to be splash zone! I’ll be flinging myself off the stage like a bogey off a toddlers finger and land on some unsuspecting poor woman who will have to put up with me twerking in her face for the next minute !
RuPauls Drag Race has pushed drag into the mainstream however, there is more to drag. Why is supporting local drag important?
Supporting local drag is so important! If you say you are a fan of drag get yourself out to the local shows, interact with your local queens and show them some love! What you see on TV is happening live down the street from you so throw your best frock on and GO SUPPORT LOCAL DRAG!
What one Queen would you like to give a shout out to?
I’d like to give a shout out to a fellow northern las coco D’mol! She is FAB! Go check her out on Instagram I’m sure she’s most likely styling another wig on her story or showing another ‘Chanel the parrot ‘ meme
What does the future hold for you?
In the future I hope I can travel with drag, I want to be able to travel the country performing for people and showing them a camp time!
Any last shout outs?
I want to give a few final shout outs to my photographer and editor Jordan Blakeley (fast_rasher) for always snapping me in the best light, Dale Robbins at Cirque Du So Gay for giving me my first job in drag and believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself, my amazing partner Nathan for holding my wigs when I had one too many lager shandies and most importantly my mum for carrying me around for 9 months and giving me such good cheek bones!