Envy Peru has grabbed the crown on the inaugural season of Drag Race Holland, but for this Peruvian stunner, winning this title has a purpose. Peruvian representation is crucial to her, as is showing all the little boys just like her that they can do anything that they want. Gaining inspiration to start drag from Drag Race alumni herself, Envy Peru followed up her win by sitting down for an extended chat with me. From her favorite Drag Race sisters to her post-pandemic worldwide plans, Envy Peru is ready to take her place in Drag Race her-story!
Michael Cook: You have snagged the crown on Drag Race Holland; congratulations! How does it feel to be the inaugural winner of the newest International version of RuPaul’s Drag Race?
Envy Peru: Yes, I snatched the crown (laughs). I feel very happy to be the first Drag Race Holland Superstar. I also feel very happy to represent my South American community.
MC: Your season had some of the most diverse and queens and truly represented broad range of performers. How does it feel to be part of a cast that had so much representation for varied performers, from different countries to non-binary, to bearded.
EP: I feel very proud, because that is exactly what the Dutch scene is over here. I am very proud that my sisters and I got to show the world how beautiful our community here is. I am very proud to have this platform.
MC: You are the first Peruvian queen to be on the Drag Race franchise. How do you think that has not happened yet?
EP: You know, I really don’t know; there should be more representation of that community. have been to Peru and the girls there are amazing. If one day you saw a Drag Race Peru you would be really in for a show, those girls know how to turn the party.
MC: What was your entire experience on Drag Race Holland like now that it is over?
EP: I see this experience as growth. Growth for me as a person, me as an artist. As a person, I have witnessed different styles of drag and feel very inspired by all of those styles. We learned a lot from each other and we grew very close to each other. I made sisters for a lifetime.
MC: Your cast was unique in the fact that even though you had the typical fun shade and a little drama, the sisterhood was strong and the respect you all had for each other was evident.
EP: Yes, we really know each other, we have all worked together. Holland is so small, it is probably as big as New York and it’s a very small country. All of us really knew each other and worked with each other, but to bond on a personal level and work together on the show, it is totally something else. That is why we are so supportive of each other, we need to be as a community.
MC: Miss Fame is seen as one of your biggest inspirations. What do you think it is about Miss Fame that really draws you in and makes you find such inspiration from her?
EP: When I first saw Miss Fame, that is the first time I said to myself “okay, I want to be a drag queen.”. With Drag Race Season 2 Raven, got me into makeup, practicing makeup, and perfecting my makeup. During Season 7, I could relate to Miss Fame not just being a makeup artist, but being a fashion queen and a beauty queen. She was the first Ru-girl that also started following me when I was a baby queen, so she was always be very special to me. And now, I am part of the family myself!
MC: As one of the contestants who has rose to the top of the Drag Race competition. What do you think you want to do next?
EP: Well as soon as Miss Rona goes into retirement, I want to tour. I want to see the world and make beautiful memories with my sisters across the franchise. I want to tour the globe and show our art, that is one of my dreams as soon as everything opens. I want to wear the crown with pride and dignity and represent for all of those little Latino boys who though their dreams don’t matter and that they cannot achieve them. I want to show them that you can achieve your dreams.
MC: Have you heard from some of the Drag Race sisters from the other franchises?
EP: Yes, I have met a lot of them actually. In Holland, one of the girls I consider a friend is Valentina. We are both Latin and we speak a lot with each other. Jimbo from Drag Race Canada I love her as well, and I knew Scarlet Bobo from when she was living in Amsterdam. American queens come for their tours to Holland and I would show them around to the cafes and be part of hanging out with them after their shows. Every year the sisterhood gets bigger!
MC: This year has been challenging for so many of us. How have you managed to stay creative and focused on your goals when it was hard for many of us to find inspiration?
EP: I am very happy that Drag Race Holland came into my life because were were in the middle of the pandemic when I got the call that I was cast. All of my bookings were already cancelled and I did not feel inspired. Because of the show, I felt that I had purpose for the coming months to prepare and be inspired. We filmed in the middle of the pandemic in August; I was happy to have Drag Race Holland to get me to be creative. You have a lot of time during the pandemic to find creativity. Normally we go from booking to booking, but now we can sit down and think what you really want to do.
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