Exclusive Interview - Copper Topp
Copper Topp… welcome to Spill the Tea! To start, tell us about the new drag name?
Oi oi poppet! Thank you so much for having me. Copper Topp has been a loooong time in the making. It was actually one of four potential new drag names and being the incredibly indecisive person I am, it took me the best part of a year to make the final decision. Each name was one of many nicknames given to me by my bullies for being ginger and queer (Fanta Pants and Ginger Fag didn’t quite have the same to ring to them as Copper Topp lol).
“I like to describe my drag as a ‘Dirty Weekend’. It’s camper than a seaside pier show, and I WILL promise sex to an audience member by the end”
When did you discover you wanted to do drag?
I knew when I was a kid to be honest. Mum’s heels on, a towel on my head, and a recital of my latest living room musical hahaaaa! How they didn’t know I was gay back then is completely beyond me (well it was the 80’s so even if they did think it, they’d have denied it). Throughout my life it was always something I wanted to try but never had the guts to do. I’d watch drag shows in London with my friends and then watch Season 1 of Drag Race with my flatmate on E4 - this is going back 14 years now. I always dabbled for friends birthdays and I loved dressing up as an Ugly Sister when I did a panto season. But I finally got into it after I had to have a big operation. It was a really scary time and the operation itself was a bit touch and go. I came out of that with a new lease of life and vowed to take more risks and try the things that scared me. Drag was one of them and Copper Topp was born.
How would you describe your drag?
I like to describe my drag as a ‘Dirty Weekend’. It’s camper than a seaside pier show, and I WILL promise sex to an audience member by the end LOL! I’m a bit of a clown to be honest and I do have an eye for style. There’s nothing I love more than looking gooooood. But I am an entertainer at my core - I sing, I rap and I love comedy. LGBTQIA+ activism is also important to me, I’ll ALWAYS find space in my shows to talk about the important stuff.
You recorded a new single recently, what is the song about?
The song is called LOVE TOPPS HATE and it’s really about how drag has helped me to become the queer person I am today. I’ve had a rocky time getting to this point so it felt right for me to celebrate what I once saw as my weaknesses now being my strengths. There’s also an anti-hate message in there as hate towards the LGBTQIA+ community especially our Trans friends has increased and we need to rally together to fight it. I’m shooting a music video in December and hoping to release it all in 2022 - fresh starts and all that.
What can people expect when coming to see you live?
Live vocals dear! I love a 90’s pop song, love writing parody songs, AND I love slowing down pop songs to a piano or violin and hearing a room go super quiet for a moment. But they’ll be games galore, prizes to be won, bags of laughter and the night usually ends with the whole audience sliding into my DM’s (with my permission!) - and I have seen some things!
What’s next?
I really want to make more drag comedy! I was an Actor for many years then I moved into Writing/Directing. I’ve had the pleasure of directing for BBC Three and Channel 4 and I was recently nominated for a Sky Arts Comedy Award. I’d also love to do more TV! I was so grateful earlier this year to film the new Gala Bingo TV Commercial and had such a great time on it. It would be lovely to get back in front of the camera again.
Shout out time! What one other Queen, King queer performer deserves a shout out from you?
100% it’s my drag hubby BRENT WOULD! An absolute King! They are hugely entertaining, in fact they are the creme de la creme of drag comedy. Cracking pipes! Sexy moves! Woke AF! I’m a Brent stan til’ I die and I’ll stan haunt them when I’m a ghost too.
