Jennie Livingston’s 1990 documentary Paris is Burning acknowledges that family doesn’t always mean blood, a notion that is well understood by the LGBTQ+ community. When unaccepting parents and a prejudiced society ostracize queer youth from their childhood homes and comforts, they are left to fend for themselves and search for a new sense of belonging. Pepper LaBeija, a legendary drag queen and mother of House LaBeija says in the film, “When someone has rejection from their mother and father, their family, when they get out in the world, they search. They search for someone to fill that void.” Livingston’s film investigates this all too familiar experience by interviewing African and Latin American individuals from the drag-ball scene in Harlem, New York.
Queer people of all ages flocked to the streets of New York to search for the acceptance and love that their own families wouldn’t offer them. Often, they would come across like minded people and become adopted by the different “houses” such as LaBeija, Xtravaganza, and Ninja which participated in drag-balls. The balls were places for people to compete in various fashion and appearance competitions as well as to dance and strut down the ballroom floor. While these communities have been described as “gay street gangs” and are highly competitive when it comes to the fashion and vogueing at the balls, they have also been described as “families for a lot of children who don’t have families.”
In many ways the houses are a more accepting version of the nuclear American family. The members of each house take its name for their own, are shown in photos that could easily be mistaken for family portraits, and are cared for by mothers and fathers of the house. Where queer teens may have been abandoned by their own homophobic parents that wouldn’t allow them to express themselves as they truly are, they gain a new identity in these houses that will support and protect them from the homophobia and racism that plagues the streets.
One member of House Xtravaganza shares that for their birthday every year Angie Xtravaganza, the mother of the house, would give them a birthday gift but their real mother wouldn’t. These mothers of each house are established because of their talent and power within the drag-ball scene but more importantly because they are protectors of their house’s children. They offer sanctuary and security to members who have no one to turn to and want to get back on their feet.Though they may not share the same blood or background, the fact that they share queer identities and experiences creates an unassailable bond,“I say that’s my sister because she’s gay too and I’m gay.”
Paris is Burning depicts a time within LGBTQ+ history that is plagued by fear and loss from the AIDS pandemic as well as the ever present danger of homophobia and transphobia on the streets of New York. The sense of camaraderie and acceptance that the drag balls and houses provided at the time show how essential community and belonging is to queer people. The drag balls were places to show pride for yourself and to let your peers celebrate you with trophies and applause. At these shows a person could be whoever they wanted to be and act however they wanted to without judgment, “we’re not going to be shady, just fierce.”
There was something for everyone at the shows no matter the participants' resources or appearance. Categories at the balls included everything from butch queen and luscious body to upcoming pretty girl and schoolboy/schoolgirl realness. Regardless of class, gender, or race a person could walk away from the ballroom competitions with a trophy and know that they belonged somewhere. Winning one of the awards has been equated to winning an Oscar or achieving celebrity amongst their peers.
The drag-ball and house culture in Harlem during the ‘80s and ‘90s showcases the indisputable value of community to LGBTQ+ youth. These found families and ballroom shows created a sense of purpose and solidarity that is essential to young queer people who have been estranged from both their own families and society. In these spaces people didn’t have to feel shame because they didn’t conform to societal standards or because they looked a certain way, instead they were celebrated for being different and true to themselves amongst the people who loved and protected them fiercely.
Livingston’s documentary is essential viewing and perfect to watch this Pride month! The film is a cultural touchstone within the queer community and documentary filmmaking at large. With interviews from BIPOC individuals and stories from queer icons, you are guranteed to take away a new understanding of LGBTQ+ history from the movie.
Paris is Burning is currently streaming and available to buy on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Max.
The New York drag scene has inspired not only drag worldwide but pop culture as a whole. Iconic artists in the scene, such as Crystal LaBeija and RuPaul, have proven influential for decades. Here are the ten most influential drag artists from New York.
Crystal LaBeija: Crystal LaBeija was a trans drag queen that created ballroom culture. During the 1960s, Crystal made a name for herself in drag pageants in New York. After winning prestigious titles such as “Miss Manhattan”, she competed in the “Miss All-America Camp” contest and was announced fourth place. As she was called, she made an iconic speech calling out the contest and the entire drag pageant scene as a whole for its racism. Many of these contests awarded white queens because they were viewed as the beauty standard. The speech became the standout part of the documentary “The Queen” in 1968. In 1972, Crystal and a friend, Lottie LaBeija, created the “House of LaBeija Ball”, making the first ballroom house and pageant. The two started the pageant as a way to include the communities that were excluded from the pageant circuit. During the 1990s, Crystal LaBeija died of organ failure. Though she left before seeing the extent of ballroom culture on pop culture, ballroom has created iconic moments such as the documentary “Paris is Burning”, Madonna’s song “Vogue”, the show “Pose”, and the ballroom competition show “Legendary”.
Lady Bunny: In Lady Bunny’s extensive career, she has created one of the first and most successful queer festivals. Her Wigstock festival, held every Labor Day, is a staple in the New York gay community and signifies the end of the summer. The festival has helped launch the careers of queer performers while also highlighting pioneers in the industry. Lady Bunny started her career in Atlanta when her close friend RuPaul put her in drag for the first time. In 1983, both moved to New York City to join the emerging drag scene. As the drag scene evolved with the rise of countercultures like Club Kids, Lady Bunny’s drag evolved into her signature campy and exaggerated 60s look. In 1984, Lady Bunny and a few drag friends spontaneously put on a show in Tompkins Square Park after performing at the iconic Pyramid Club. This performance began the Wigstock, a festival parodying the Woodstock festival. The festival has been subject to three documentaries in 1987, 1995, and 2018. The first two documentaries followed Lady Bunny as she prepared for the festival, while the last one followed the festival’s revival after its 17-year hiatus. Lady Bunny has inspired many queens' drag styles, like Trixie Mattel and Bianca Del Rio.
Coco Peru: Coco Peru is one of TV and film’s most recognizable drag queens. Her signature red hairdo and wicked comedy have made her a favorite for drag fans. Since the 90s, she has starred in “Girls Will Be Girls” and made cameos in “Will and Grace”, “Arrested Development”, and “To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar”. Coco Peru has hosted a live show called “Conversations with Coco” since 2005, in which she interviewed icons of the LGBTQ+ community, such as Liza Minelli and Jane Fonda. The interviews have garnered thousands of dollars for charities like the LA Gay and Lesbian Center.
Joey Arias: Joey Arias has been a fixture in the New York cabaret scene for the past 30 years. Arias started their career as a lead singer of the rock band Purlie in the 1970s. In 1978, they moved to New York and worked at Fiorucci, a designer store. There, they connected with alternative performer Klaus Nomi, who became a long-time friend and collaborator. Because of these connections, Arias and Nomi were backup singers during David Bowie’s 1979 SNL performance. As the drag scene expanded during the 1980s, they became a staple in the cabaret scene, where she regularly performed as Billie Holiday. Throughout her career, she made cameos in “Wigstock: The Movie”, “Elvira: Mistress of the Dark”, and “To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar”.
RuPaul: RuPaul is the most successful and recognizable drag queen of our time. Throughout her 40-year career, she has proven to be the ‘Queen of Drag’ due to her success in music and her TV shows, primarily “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. RuPaul started her career in Atlanta before moving to New York City during the 1980s. Between the 1980s and 1990s, she became a big name in the New York drag scene. In 1993, RuPaul released her album “Supermodel of the World,” which included one of her most well-known and successful songs, “Supermodel (You Better Work)”. Later in the decade, she became the face of MAC Cosmetics’ “Viva Glam” campaign for HIV/AIDS awareness and hosted her talk show, "The RuPaul Show”. RuPaul’s most significant success is through the drag reality competition show “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. Through its fourteen years on air, there have been 15 seasons of the main show and 15 spinoffs in total. The show has won 11 Emmys and 24 Primetime Emmys throughout its run. Drag Race has inspired many young queer people to explore their art and has become a platform in which drag queens from across the world can show their talents.
Shequida Hall: Shequida Hall is one of the most unique performers in the New York drag scene. Her opera singing and acting have garnered her success worldwide. Shequida was born in Jamaica and moved to New York to study at Julliard. In 1997, she made history as the first drag queen in a recurring role when she starred as Wendi Mercury in “One Life to Live”. In 2008, she reached the top 20 of “America’s Got Talent” because of her five-octave vocal range. Her off-Broadway shows have been performed internationally in cities such as Berlin. Now, she regularly hosts “Drag Wars”, a drag competition show hosted at Pieces Bar and her own show at Hardware Bar.
Sherry Vine: Sherry Vine is an icon of New York’s drag and theatre, seen since the early 90s. She founded her own theater company with Joe Gross and Douglass Sanders. Vine has starred in many of the company’s shows with Jackie Beat. Vine is most known for her parodies of performers such as Madonna and Lady Gaga.
Peppermint: Peppermint is one of the best performers that have been on Drag Race. Throughout her decades-long career, she has released two albums and five EPs, starred in the Broadway show “Head Over Heels”, and is a judge on the drag competition show “Call Me Mother”. Peppermint first moved to New York to study musical theater at AMDA in 2005 and during this time, she found the queer nightclub scene. As she started her drag career, she recorded music for Jonny McGovern and starred in Sherry Vine’s parody of “Telephone”. In 2012, she came out as a trans woman and started her transition. In 2017, she was cast in “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season nine, where she won runner-up. Her lipsyncs on the show have become favorites of Drag Race fans and earned her the ‘lipsync assassin’ nickname.
Bianca Del Rio: Bianca Del Rio is one of the most well-loved Drag Race winners and comedians. Before winning Drag Race, she made a name for herself as one of the most well-known working drag queens from New York. Bianca started her career in New Orleans, where she won the title of “New Orleans Gay Entertainer of the Year” for three years in a row. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Bianca moved to New York to continue her career. For the next few years, she created a name for herself in comedy by working with queens like Lady Bunny, Jackie Beat, and Sherry Vine. In 2014, she was cast in “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season six and later won the season. Bianca has seen success with her movie “Hurricane Bianca” and her stand-up comedy. She was the first drag queen to headline a sold-out show in Wembley Arena with her “It’s a Jester Joke” tour.
Bob the Drag Queen: Bob the Drag Queen started drag after watching the first season of Drag Race and became one of the “ultimate winners” of the show. In 2009, she moved to New York to start drag by competing in drag competitions. By the time she was cast in “RuPaul’s Drag Race” season eight, she was a fixture in the New York drag scene. After winning her season, she found success through her music and comedy specials. In 2020, her show “We’re Here” with Eureka O’Hara and Shangela aired on HBO. The show has been nominated for multiple Emmys throughout its three seasons. As of now, Bob the Drag Queen is slated to open for Madonna for her upcoming tour.
Sammy Rae & The Friends is an alt/indie band that is rapidly rising in the music industry. Consisting of Sammy(vocals), Will(guitar), Kellon(alto sax), Max(tenor sax), Debbie(keys), JQ(bass), and CBass(drums), this band brings music to a whole other level. They do this through, as Sammy emphasizes in the interview, listening not only to each other as a band but also to their audience. They began releasing music in 2018 and have now accumulated about 17 released singles. With 7 members, Sammy Rae & The Friends are a family and they express that on and off the stage. They even make sure they include their fans as a part of The Friends. Sammy says in the interview “Our hope is that if we can make a family out of ourselves, and the audience can see that onstage and off, it will encourage them to work to make space for those around them in their communities as well”.
Read below to learn more about Sammy Rae & The Friends, including conversations on pride, hard work, advice about the music industry, sneak peeks, and so much more!
What does pride mean to you?
To me 'Pride' means permission to be myself. Queerness is so much deeper than gender identity and sexual orientation. While this is a part of the queer experience, being queer is also about self-love and self-permission! It's about walking through the world in earnest, constantly expanding your worldview, and reveling in your authentic self-expression. It's about being who you are. Pride Month is a time to celebrate how much the LGBTQIA+ community has overcome in the past few decades. It is a time to acknowledge the contributions and accomplishments of queer folks from all walks of life. It is a time to educate ourselves more deeply on the Stonewall Riots, the gay civil rights movement, and the ways we can further advocate for the liberation of LGBTQIA+ folks across the United States and beyond. It is a time to connect with, socialize with, offer support to, and uplift the LGBTQIA+ people in our lives. It is a time to meditate on the notion that all people deserve the right to love who they want, and live their authentic lives expressing themselves fully! Pride Month is a time to do all those things and share that perspective with the world. But above all (in my opinion), Pride Month is a time to educate ourselves on the LGBTQIA+ trailblazers that have come before us, their sacrifices and accomplishments, and the ways in which they have paved the way for a more inclusive way of life. More on this in a later answer!
Who are The Friends?
The Friends are the 6 band members of Sammy Rae & The Friends who are not Sammy Rae. The Friends is also the community of people who support this band by buying tickets and merch, streaming our music, and sharing our content with their communities. If you've ever come to a Sammy Rae & The Friends show, you are a part of The Friends! Sammy, Will, Kellon, Max, Debbie, JQ, and CBass are just the 7 Friends you see every night at every show. But The Friends is how we address our greater community of those who support us doing our thing.
What sets you apart from other bands?
Firstly, we're big. There are 7 people on stage, all of whom play several instruments in the studio and during the show. Secondly, we're a family onstage and off. It takes a great deal of trust, communication, and understanding to live on a tour bus with each other for most of the year. There's a siblingship there that we've always kept at the forefront of everything we do. We have a vision for this project to grow over time, with us, as our lives change around it. We've seen each other through break ups, family losses, new pets, new apartments, and wedding engagements...and we work just about as hard at maintaining that family dynamic as we do the music. It's hard work. We come from all different walks of life, all different studies of music, and all over the world. Our hope is that if we can make a family out of ourselves, and the audience can see that onstage and off, it will encourage them to work to make space for those around them in their communities as well. A huge part of our mission is not just to make killing music, but to exemplify love to our audience.
How did Sammy Rae and The Friends become what they are today?
The previous answer has a lot to do with this. We listen to each other. We listen to the audience. The band trusts my vision and they listen to me and our team. I always envisioned us as a band made for big venues. In the beginning, it was hard (as it is to start anything new) to be fearless and steadfast in that vision. I always paid my band to establish respect, even if it was minimal. If I couldn't afford the rehearsal studio or the players, I would pick up extra shifts babysitting or at the pizza restaurant I worked at for a number of those early years and save up until I could afford the gig. I upcycled a lot of our outfits for the stage from Dollar Tree or Rainbow outfits with hot glue, felt, and sequins. I never took no for an answer, from any venue or any studio. I distinctly remember one venue not believing me when I said I was the front person when I showed up for load-in. They made some misogynistic comments. I never returned. I never let my being a woman or being queer or being young or being unknown stand in the way of putting on a great show or finding some sort of loophole contact for the venue I was looking to get into. I guess you could say we faked it until we made it. When it came time to add some team members like a booking agent, tour manager, and band manager, I was upfront about who I was and how this band operated: as a family first, but also as a group of professionals. In the band, we call it 'vibe checking' before anyone comes on board. We need to hang out and be our wacky selves in front of them to see if they can hang with 7 adults who very much lead with their inner child. From the very first show, I've always asked the audience at the end to come back with a friend if they enjoyed themselves. It's simple math, the rooms started doubling in size and would always sell out. We always give the audience what they ask for, but only if it's in line with our vision for the future and the reasons we started this project.
When did you begin creating music?
I started writing songs when I was about 12. Around that time, my parents had a few CDs they played on repeat. The bands I remember most vividly are ACDC, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, and Fleetwood Mac. I come from classic rock, and I come from bands. I was always inspired by bands. I never wanted to grow up and make music solo. I thought it was such a cool life to make art with your friends and travel around the world collecting great memories together, with people you could share these memories with. I took piano lessons for a brief period of time when I was little-little, like 4 to 8, and then fell off it. I started to pick it back up again by ear around 12 and also found the ukulele around age 15. I was attracted to the concept of writing songs as a 'safe' way to express my emotions with metaphor and analogy. I could be as vague to the listener as I wanted and still get my feelings out. I could write my own version of things that happened to me or never happened to me. I loved that idea.
Where do you get your inspiration for your songs?
The road! And also, nature! It is an inherently loud and stimulating life we live, performing for so many people almost every night. I always find myself called to retreat to nature to get some peace, quiet, and inspiration for new songs. A chance to process what magic I've been experiencing out on the road, listen to myself, and write.
What do you want your fans to take away from your music?
There are a few big themes in SR&TF tunes (at least the ones that aren't character tunes, like 'Jackie O'.) Be unabashedly yourself. Never stop growing. Find joy in the little things in life. Every day is a gift. Be good to those around you, yourself, and the Earth. You've got a place in this world, and you are important. Being your authentic self is an easy way to make the world a better place. I hope these themes ring true for our audience and shape the way they view the world!
Do you have any advice for people starting out in the music industry?
Go to every show, and meet every person. While it seems daunting, you can't create all the music you want to create only by working with yourself. You need to collaborate and learn from other people you admire to grow as an artist. See every show you can, and connect with the musicians afterward. Start building your community as soon as you can! Ask people to go to coffee so you can 'pick their brains'. Every person has a different story about how they got started, and it's worth it to hear as many stories and as much advice as you can. It’s also important to consume lots of different types of music as you discover what moves you and rings true to you, this will help you shape your own individual sound and style as a musician.
If you could perform anywhere, where would it be?
I've spent some time visiting Mexico City, which quickly became one of my favorite cities in the world. I would love to be able to play in Mexico City, around Mexico, and on a South America tour. And also Madison Square Garden. Which we will eventually do. I front a band in Brooklyn. You have to dream about The Garden ;)
What are some common misconceptions people have about Pride Month? How do you think we can address them?
I think a lot of people both inside and outside of the LGBTQIA+ umbrella see Pride Month as an all-around joyful time for queer folk. Parties! Parade! PRIDE! In reality, a lot of LGBTQIA+ people (those who are both out and about, and maybe not out fully or at all) have a hard time with Pride month. This can be a time when people have their queerness and past or present queer trauma at the forefront of their brains. For example, seeing and hearing so much conversation about the LGBTQIA+ community and experience might bring up memories of times when an individual was targeted, bullied, or made to feel bad about themselves in the past. It might also be a time when queer folk still in the closet experience sadness that they aren't ready, or don't feel safe enough to 'join the party'. I personally experienced that sentiment every Pride Month until I came out at 25 years old.
Pride Month commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement. On June 28th of 1969, patrons and the community of The Stonewall Inn, a prominent gay bar in New York City, rioted against police who had organized a raid to arrest individuals presumed to be 'homosexual'. While we can celebrate that this event kicked off an important time in LGBTQIA+ history, we can't forget that many people were killed, fired from their places of work, arrested, and so on for being visible in the riot and taking part in adjacent events. Marsha P. Johnson, a Black trans-woman and LGBTQIA+ rights activist, who is widely considered the mother and spearhead of this movement, was murdered in 1992. This case remains unsolved. Many other LGBTQIA+ activists in this time lost their lives to violence at the hands of police and bigots, as well as the AIDS epidemic which disproportionately affected their community (and therefore, was not taken very seriously as a public health crisis by the United States Government).
While Pride month is a time to celebrate how far we have come as a community and a country, it should primarily be a time to remember where and why we started. It is also a time to mourn the loss of LGBTQIA+ lives over the decades, and advocate for those queer folk who are still targeted and discriminated against in certain parts of this country. We can address this by educating ourselves...everyone! Straight folks and allies, and queer folks as well! LGBTQIA+ history and culture are deep, important, and extend back much further than you might expect. Even if you consider yourself well-educated on the topic, dig deeper. Chances are you'll find a queer inventor, artist, politician, or doctor who you never knew about, and learn something that changes your worldview.
Have you ever struggled with your pride? Do you have any advice for those who are?
Totally. I touched on this briefly in the last question. I knew I was queer from the time I was a child, but I didn't give myself permission to talk about that with friends and family, or fully be myself until I was about 25. I had a hard time watching other people celebrate who they were, especially during Pride Month. I was also very intimidated by what my family would think. Even though they had never made me feel threatened, or like I couldn't be openly queer around them (and they were hugely supportive of me from the moment I came out to them) I had a lot of internalized homophobia instilled in me by the church, the media, and generally the world. I can tell you that once I gave myself the freedom to stand in my authentic self as a queer woman and artist, I started to attract all the things in life I had ever wanted; good friends, meaningful work that fulfilled me, musical inspiration, body positivity, and healthy and beautiful love relationships. It's hard to give someone advice on how to overcome the fear they might have about being their authentic self as a queer person because that experience looks very different for everyone. Some people live in locations and situations where they risk losing their jobs, homes, or family if they come out. While gay marriage has been legal in the United States since 2015 in all 50 states, I want to reiterate that queerness is so much deeper than that. While the right to love who you want is there in the law, there is so much discrimination, exclusion, and hate which is implied socially and politically. I would say this: You have to be yourself as hard as you can. Otherwise, you will spend your whole life frustrated that you can't achieve the ultimately unattainable goal of being someone else. The easiest way to make the world a better place is to be yourself so loudly and stand so firmly in your joy, that it encourages others to be themselves and stand in their joy. Imagine a world where people stop pretending, and just exist. You are allowed to be who you are. While you may not always feel that way, you are allowed to be the most joyful and full version of yourself. Unfortunately, some people who aren't comfortable enough with themselves won't understand that. Your joy will unsettle them. There are people out there who understand and love you. You just need to look for them. And you can't attract the people, the opportunities, or the energy that you truly want unless you put your true self out there.
What is your favorite song you have written/played so far?
I really love 'Saw It Coming'. It's a bit of an underdog, but it's a joy to sing and perform and I think the messaging is really lovely and whimsical. It kinda lives in my head as the quintessential SR&TF song. That, and 'Denim Jacket'.
What is in store for you guys? Is anything new coming up?
We're headed out on a fall world tour! We'll hit a lot of major cities in the US and UK, as well as some more of Europe. In between time on the road, we're happy to say we're working on our first full-length album. Fans can expect it in mid-2024!
Sammy Rae & The Friends will be performing at the SummerStage show in Central Park on 6/15 from 7 pm-10 pm (doors open at 6 pm). It will definitely be a show you won’t want to miss! So get your tickets now. We hope to see you there!
Interviewed and Written by Grace Bugin
Photography by Mia Aguirre
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