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‘Koalas, Kylie & The Political Art of Drag: Roxxxy Andrews & Sasha Velour on the Werq the World Tour’ is the feature story from the March print edition of 17c起草社区. To read the March issue, you can pick up up a copy on the street now, or read it digitally on our Latest Issues page.听

Australia is set to be dazzled this April as the highly anticipated Werq The World Tour lands down under, bringing with it a lineup of some of the most iconic drag performers from RuPaul鈥檚 Drag Race.

Leading the charge are two legends of the franchise鈥�Sasha Velour, the visionary winner of Season 9, and Roxxxy Andrews, the pageant queen turned fan-favourite who has left an indelible mark on three separate Drag Race seasons.

Sasha Velour and the ultra-glam Roxxxy Andrews chatted to 17c起草社区 ahead of the unforgettable Aussie tour.

Sasha Velour: ‘Our gay bar drag traditions are sacred’

It鈥檚 been nearly eight years since Sasha Velour claimed the Season 9 crown in a shower of rose petals, which remains one of the most iconic moments in the show鈥檚 history.听

Since then, she has used her platform to push the boundaries of drag, championing political activism and 17c起草社区IA+ rights while continuing to innovate as a performer.听

鈥淚 feel like 滨鈥檝别 changed so much in that amount of time,鈥� Sasha reflects. 鈥淥n Drag Race, I had a vision of what I wanted to be, and I shared that with the world.

“I feel like 滨鈥檝别 had so many opportunities to make that become my truth and my reality in the eight years since. I鈥檓 so proud of the journey 滨鈥檝别 had.鈥�听

Sasha reveals that she has 鈥渘ever been asked to return鈥� 鈥� but she鈥檚 open to it. 鈥淚 say yes to everything,鈥� she teases. 鈥淏ut they better hurry up! I鈥檓 booked.鈥澨�听

Known for blending drag with performance art and high-concept storytelling, Sasha鈥檚 approach has always been deeply intellectual.

鈥淚 wanted to keep doing what I had been doing in my Brooklyn dive bar, but share it with the entire world. A vision of drag as an art and as a very political, community-minded one that gives back and supports other people. And so, if that caught on, I feel very happy.鈥�听

As drag and transgender rights come under attack globally, Sasha sees drag as an act of resistance: 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檓 called upon to defend drag as queer and trans people get so much political backlash.”

“Drag itself has been criminalised, then liberated, and then criminalised again. Our gay bar drag traditions are sacred鈥攚e have to laugh, but we also have to fight.鈥�听

Despite increasing political hostility toward queer and trans rights, Sasha remains hopeful. 鈥淚 feel like there’s more people who know about queer identities, who know about drag, who have trans people in their lives. People are coming out and being who they are and I feel like we can’t turn that back,鈥� she says.

鈥淥ne way or another, we’re going to keep surviving. We’ve always survived.鈥澨�听

As part of the Werq The World tour, each of the queens will be paying tribute to different queer musical icons and pop legends. Sasha is the host, but she鈥檒l also be portraying Madonna and our very own Kylie Minogue. 鈥淪he’s a goddess! I mean, I really couldn’t allow the show to not have Kylie,鈥� she says.听听

Roxxxy Andrews: ‘My personality hasn鈥檛 changed, but my perspective has’

Three-time Drag Race-r Roxxxy Andrews has cemented her place as one of the show’s most enduring stars. Now, her long-awaited Australian debut with Werq The World is a milestone she鈥檚 been eager to reach for years.听

鈥湵踱�檝别 wanted to go for the longest time, but it is extremely far away,鈥� she laughs. 鈥淪ome of my biggest fans are from Australia, and I鈥檓 just excited that I get to make it happen.鈥澨�

Reflecting on her Drag Race journey, Roxxxy acknowledges how much she has evolved.

鈥淥h my God, my life. I’m so thankful for Drag Race for putting me on the map internationally,鈥� she says.

鈥淎 lot of people ask me, 鈥榃ould you ever go back on another season?鈥� and I say no. I went back for All Stars 9 because it was for charity, and 迟丑别谤别鈥檚 nothing I love more than giving back. But I feel like 滨鈥檝别 done everything I can on Drag Race.鈥�听

鈥淎 lot of people messaged me鈥� saying, 鈥業 wasn鈥檛 a big fan after Season 5, but you won me over in All-Stars, and now I really love you.鈥櫶�

鈥淚 always have the same answer: 滨鈥檝别 always been the same person, but growth happens. My personality hasn鈥檛 changed, but my perspective has.鈥澨�

While Roxxxy鈥檚 journey hasn鈥檛 been without challenges, she鈥檚 learned to focus on the love and support from her fans. 鈥淭he mean ones, I don鈥檛 pay attention to. I do this for the people who enjoy Drag Race and enjoy me for who I am. I pay no attention to the bad stuff.鈥澨�

While Roxxxy has faced criticism and online jokes about the infamous 鈥渂us stop鈥� moment from Season 5, she has learned to rise above it. 鈥淚f your personality is at a place where you need to take someone鈥檚 low moment to make fun of them鈥攖here are so many other things to make fun of me for! It just shows the character of the people who want to keep talking about that.鈥�听

On tour, Roxxxy is preparing to personify one of the biggest divas on the planet: Mariah Carey.听听

鈥淭here’s so many songs of hers that made me fall in love with her鈥� she will always be my diva. To be able to tour the world, doing her music and impersonating her is going to be amazing.鈥澨�

As for what she鈥檚 most excited for down under: it鈥檚 our more cuddly creatures. 鈥淲hen I was in kindergarten, I had a koala bear backpack and all the accessories. I cannot believe I鈥檓 finally going to see a real koala!鈥澨�听

As well as Sasha and Roxxxy, the Werq The World tour also features drag icons Derrick Barry as Britney Spears, Jaida Essence Hall as 叠别测辞苍肠茅, Marina Summers as Ariana Grande, and Vanessa 鈥榁anjie鈥� Mateo as Rihanna 鈥� ensuring an electric mix of comedy, glamour, and fierce performances.听

You can find more information and purchase tickets for the RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq The World Tour via .