While their third run on RuPaul’s Drag Race is airing right now with All Stars 6, Eureka is continuing their own journey as a recording artist with the release of their emotional and stunning new video ‘Come Together’. Directed by Brad Hammer, Eureka is ethereal as they deliver a message of unity (with a little help from a stunning headpiece courtesy of the visionary Aurora Sexton). As Eureka films the second season of the critically acclaimed HBO show We’re Here, we sat down to talk about their brand new video, making the song a part of their All Stars journey, and the diversity of the projects that they are thrilled to be a part of.
Michael Cook: You have brand new music, and your performance of ‘Come Together’ on the premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6 was a true emotional showstopper. Tell me about the new single…
Eureka: It felt gorgeous to do it. I worked on it for a long time and it has taken time for me to be comfortable singing. On Season 10 we had Cher: The Rusical and I was just so nervous. I remember when I was younger I did a singing competition with my mom and got into a talent portion. My dad wanted me to sing for a bunch of his friends, and I was too nervous. My dad used to drink and he got really crazy and it kind of freaked me out. It kind of gave me trauma where I was afraid to sing for a long time after that. We grow up, and since Season 10, Drag Race gave me wings to fly! I found some strength in it and I found that I love to sing also, not just the fun drag stuff. I love to sing and I I had forgotten how much I like to sing for real…
MC: What was the process like to create the video for ‘Come Together’?
E: This one was definitely time consuming because we had to get the angles right for the projection and the beauty elements. My friend Aurora Sexton made that beautiful floral headpiece and my makeup artist from We’re Here Jeremy Austin aka 6, did my makeup & we collaborated on how that could be a statement piece. Rey Ortiz who made the dress also did some of the graphic design for the performance on All Stars 6. It was a bunch of people who loved me coming together making it. My twin sister was there, and she was sitting on the sidelines crying and sobbing seeing photos and videos of our home that I had in originally, that I had taken out; we wanted to keep it simple, beautiful and elegant. It was a moment for us to connect also. It was personal, but it was releasing in a way. I had not performed it except on All Stars, and even though there were fifteen or twenty people at the video shoot, it was like getting to perform it again in front of people over and over again.
MC: Returning for All Stars can be a lot of pressure, but adding in a very personal talent like you did, did the pressure almost ever feel too much?
E: Yeah, it was definitely terrifying at first, but the person that helped me the most was A’Keria (Davenport) weirdly. I remember her grabbing me and asking me how I was doing because I was really stressing. I was originally going to sing it live actually. When they were letting me rehearse, I kept getting emotional when I would perform it. I came back from rehearsal and I explained to her what was happening and she said “how do you feel about just lip syncing it? The message is what is the most important”. That is when I just really clicked. My sister reminded me, it wasn’t about winning the talent show, it was about what it was representing, and it was for my Mom. It took the pressure off of me immediately weirdly enough. At that moment, winning wasn’t the be all, end all it was about showing up and doing our art to say what we need to say. It was a beautiful and lucky moment; it was an honor.
MC: Season 2 of We’re Here is coming, and the fans could not be more thrilled. Bob The Drag Queen, Shangela, and yourself have created something very special.
E: We’re working on it now and I am actually in a small town now working on one of the episodes. I just did a documentary day with one of my new drag children. Season 2 is coming hard!
MC: With We’re Here, you have elevated yourself with two girls that you were not on a Drag Race season with and come from totally different perspectives? What is it like to sit back and see what you have created and to see how impactful it is?
E: It is surreal, but today it was raining and I was under an umbrella where I was going to meet my drag daughter and the thought that came across my mind was that “wow this is my life. I get to do what I have always dreamed of doing”. Filming a show and it is about the heart of drag. Sometimes I can make drag a little too serious and people are like “Eureka you’re supposed to be funny”. The big girls are always supposed to be funny, jolly and happy, that’s not always life though. It was just one of those moments today where I was thinking “wow this is just incredible”. I was even thinking that not only that, but I am on tv right now on one of my favorite tv shows in the world, which is RuPaul’s Drag Race. It is a blessing moment; today I feel very blessed. I am getting to interview with you about a song I wrote for my mother; it is just good times for me.
MC: You have impacted people in so many ways as a performer and personality. Your season of All Stars as well as We’re Here, the casting is diverse. Do you look at your casts and realize what a landmark group you are a part of?
E: Honestly, I think that is what also inspired me doing a song like this. The diversity that I am getting to work through, that is what it means. Look at these incredible people from all different backgrounds coming together and creating art in safe space for each other and other people. it is insanely cool to be a part of this. I am especially inspired by Bob and Shangela especially because they are some hardworking gals.
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I am also inspired by this All Stars cast. We did press week and it is a passionate cast, but we are almost passionate to a fault. We do get emotional and we have our moments where we tiff or the girls get upset or in their feelings, but it is really because we just care so much about the job that we are doing and being able to continue doing the job. That is why these queens stress about people continuing to like them, they want to keep working; this is a lot of their saving graces. It is the one place in our lives where we have power or the ability to make money or just feel normal.
MC: All Stars will eventually come to a close for you, and people want to know; will there be more music?
E: I am actually playing with some music now, I am working on a project with with Katie Kadan one of my favorite contestants from The Voice of all time that I am very excited about called ‘Big Mama’, so I will be releasing that later in the year. I dont know, it is a labor of love. For me music is so emotional and I am. connected to it in such a way, especially when it is more serious and not just fun drag music, it really takes time for me. I am so connected, I just take my time. It costs a lot of money to make music videos, so you have to really want to put it out there for your fans and the world if you want to do it. I am really careful with what I release.
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I am happy with anything that I have invested in, like ‘The Big Girl’, which was a huge success. That was really important to me have a dancy-big girl anthem, and I was proud of it. This song is the next one that I really invested in. I had a song called ‘Pretty Hot And Tasty’ that I did with Jiggly (Caliente) randomly, and it didn’t blow up too much, but it was a really fun project. I can tell the things that I really put my heart and money into and this is one of them. The music is coming; I found out I could sing and it sounds good!
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Gezz, Kelly Osbourne sure got fat again!!! Two tons of fun and pudding!!!