Exclusive Interview - Ariana Cherry
Ariana Cherry… welcome back to Spill the Tea darling! We first spoke to you when we sat down with the cast of Luna Lestrange’s Drag Macabre, but we have followed and loved everything you have done since so had to ask you back! Let’s start with how did you discover drag?
I first discovered drag through drag race - as a lot of people probably. I started out as a fan and started following the queens on Instagram. As I watched the show I wanted to look and feel as fierce as the queens on the show!
“My drag is cute and dreamy but still fierce! It gives princess bubblegum vibes but it can also turn quite creepy around Halloween.”
Being an AFAB Queen is sometimes frowned upon by some…you know what, I’m not even going to say ‘fans’ as all drag is valid, but some ‘followers’ of drag we will call them. Did you ever feel this negativity towards you?
I never really got much backlash from those “followers”, maybe some random people on the internet but they don’t really bother me. What’s much worse is that sometimes I don’t feel taken seriously by other drag queens in the scene. There have been times where I got ignored or cast out and that’s frustrating.
I thought to myself: someday I’m gonna make it big and then they’ll suddenly be nice to me and the tables will have turned haha. But also, I reminded myself that there are people who support and admire my drag. And finally - drag just makes me happy and is my biggest passion.
Do you think being a AFAB Queen has made it harder for you to be successful in the drag industry?
Definitely. A lot of people I encounter don’t even know that you can do drag when you’re not a cis man and then I stand there explaining that I once thought the same thing. Also find a drag show with an afab queen? You won’t find any.
How did you choose your drag name?
I’m really bad with names and a lot of the time I struggle to remember long and complicated ones so I chose something simple and easy. Back then, I was listening a lot to Ariana Grande and I’m not a super stan but I like her music! Also I like the aesthetic of cherries and they’re my favourite fruit, they just taste so good! So I combined the two lol.
How would you describe your drag?
My drag is cute and dreamy but still fierce! It gives princess bubblegum vibes but it can also turn quite creepy around Halloween. Ariana is like an extension of myself, I’m not putting on a character, I’m just more confident and in a super cute outfit.We LOVE your style. This is one of the reasons we asked you back!
Where do you find your inspiration?
I find a lot by going though make up looks or art on Instagram. Also music plays a big role for my drag, it just gets me in the drag mood and I want to capture the way it makes me feel and turn that into a look. My drag mum’s style inspires me a lot as well. I stole some of her makeup features and if I could, I would steal her whole drag closet.
Describe your drag in 3 emojis.
💖🍒🧚♀️
Out of drag you identify as nonbinary; what age did you realise you were?
At the same time when I realised that I’m not straight, it was right before my 20th birthday. However, I wasn’t completely sure if I’m nonbinary and I needed to get comfortable with not being straight first before I could focus on that. It stuck with me though and when I had some more space to think I figured out that it does apply to me.
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What’s the best thing about being nonbinary?
The best thing is that there is no binary! I found out that sometimes I am more masc and sometimes I am more femme but that doesn’t define my gender or the way I feel about myself. The fact that it has no binaries gives you endless possibilities and freedom to be and express yourself!
What would be your advice to someone struggling with coming to terms with being nonbinary or someone maybe unsure if they are?
I would take my time and think about it, try out different things and see what it feels like, there’s no rush and no right or wrong, just do you and you’ll figure it out eventually. If I can do it, so can you!
Shout out time! What one other Queen, King or queer performer deserves a shout out from you and why?
My drag mum Mocha!! She is super talented, hard working and she’s gonna make it far, I just know it! She’s the best drag mum I could wish for and ever since I became her daughter my drag improved so much. She’s also an amazing friend who’s always there for me and I love her with my whole heart.
Finally – what do you hope the future holds for you?
I want to get more gigs, ongoing gigs and be paid properly for my drag. Also, now that Victoria has been on drag race, there’s a chance for people like me to get on there as well. I definitely would want to go on but I know I’m not good enough yet and I’d rather be over prepared than underprepared. However, you might see me on the show someday!
