Gil MaciasIt’s been only days since Myki Meeks was officially crowned America’s Next Drag Superstar, and she hasn’t really slept since. Before she could even fully process that she achieved her dream of joining the coveted winners circle, the RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 18 reigning queen was whisked away to a blur of after-parties, early morning talk shows, and cross-country flights to her first post-win gigs.
In a season that kept fans on edge with shocking eliminations and unforeseen “flat tires” from some of its most polished performers, Meeks managed to outlast the gaggle of girls, rising from a chronically safe underdog to one of the most formidable front-runners during the second half of the season. But, as she tells LA Weekly, her survival tactic was simple: she trusted her instincts, always leaning into her self-described “ingénue” persona.
Now that the crown is securely on her head, the real work begins. Beyond the glamour and the $200,000 check, Meeks is facing the reality of Drag Race fame: a mix of sudden financial freedom and a fandom she says can turn from supportive to skeptical the second you start winning. Whether she’s figuring out which extravagant purchases to make with her prize money or eyeing a future on the Broadway stage, the Orlando-based theater kid is keeping her feet on the ground even as her star rises.
Myki Meeks (Courtesy of MTV)
During our exclusive interview with the newly crowned queen, we discuss what’s next on her career bucket list, her thoughts on Jane Don’t’s jaw-dropping elimination, and why trusting her gut was the most important tool in her makeup kit.
LA WEEKLY: It’s only been four days since you won RuPaul’s Drag Race. Can you give us a brief rundown on the whirlwind that followed right after you were crowned?
Myki Meeks: Oh, it’s exactly what you said: it was a whirlwind. On the day of, it was nonstop events. We watched the episode, then we had to go straight to the coronation and to the after-party. I got maybe an hour of sleep because I had to go straight to Good Morning America. So if I looked a little wired, that’s why. *Laughs*
But then I was able to have the rest of that day off and my best friends were in New York with me, so we were able to just go and celebrate — and get a bagel. Bagels are my favorite treat. Then I had to go straight to Phoenix, Arizona, for a gig on Sunday. That was my first performance since the win. Now I’m back home. I get to see my boyfriend and I’m reorganizing everything today to do it all over again this weekend.
It sounds like you’ve barely had time to breathe, but have you made any big purchases with your $200,000 cash prize yet?
That’s a good question. I haven’t purchased anything for myself yet. But all my friends were in New York, so I treated them all to a really big dinner, because they helped me with my package for Drag Race. And they’ve been there since day one. So it felt very nice to do so. But as for the future, I need to pay off my car. I want to pay off my debt for some of these designers because they absolutely killed it and I said I’d pay them back later, so that will be gladly paid off now. And then, in this market, a house is crazy, so let me buy a house.
In the past, we’ve seen finalists resort to gimmicks or big reveals that can go horribly wrong during the lip-sync for the crown. Did you ever toy with the idea of doing something risky like that?
I thought this song didn’t call for any big tricks or gimmicks. It’s an emotionally driven song. I like to call myself the ingénue, the actress who takes on the role, and I wanted to take on the role of this song, which was a girl standing up for herself and finding her power, frustrated with what’s going on around her. So, like RuPaul says, “You want to make money? Put on a suit!” So I put on a suit and my big old hat, and when I walked out, Miley Cyrus was like, “Oh my gosh, yes. Love the outfit. Very that.” And I just let the message of the song be the show. I wanted to deliver what the emotions were giving.
When you’re in that moment, were you keeping a constant side-eye on your competitor to see what they’re doing? Like, if Nini started doing some cartwheels and flips, would you have shifted your routine? Or were you just more focused on yourself?
I was absolutely focused on myself. I didn’t really notice Nini during that — I don’t think she noticed me. Let me tell you, I’ve been performing for seven years. There’s nothing as intimidating as performing on the Drag Race main stage. But I knew I needed to keep myself solid. I looked at RuPaul and Miley Cyrus the entire time, because I’m trying to win them over and I’ll let the other people get on the ride if they want to. But I was very confident with what I was doing.
Who would you say is the Season 18 queen you bonded with the most?
I feel like I bonded with all of them. I would say post-season now, Nini, Darlene and I have gotten very close. We spend a lot of time together and I love them. They’re some of my besties now. But on the show, even today, I can text Jane and Athena at any time. I know they’ll respond. I love Kenya. We FaceTime all the time. I adore Juicy. My venue was able to book every queen from the season, so I’ve had time to spend with every queen and I really adore them all. I wish I could tell you we’re a cast full of drama queens, but no, we’re all professionals and sisters and I really adore them.
Myki Meeks (Courtesy of MTV)
One of the most gasp-inducing moments this season was when Jane Don’t got eliminated. Do you remember what was going through your head at that very moment? It just goes to show that anything can happen, even to a front-runner.
Absolutely. Yeah, she said it herself: She’s an incredible queen who had a flat tire that day. And the cards fell where they did and they decided to send Jane home. Do I agree with that decision? No, I think Jane deserved to be in the finale with the work she put in the season, but the show’s unpredictable. In the moment, yeah, I was devastated for her as a sister and a friend. But as a competitor … she walked off the stage and I definitely realized, “Oh shit, I’m the front-runner now.” Knowing Jane, she’s resilient. She’s one of the best drag queens I’ve ever met. So this is only going to aid her future of being … the robbed queen. Sure, we’ll give her that.
Now that you’ve crossed winning Drag Race off your bucket list, what’s next as far as major career goals you want to achieve?
I want to move into more creative directing and producing and giving opportunities to queer entertainers who have the same vision for themselves as I did. I feel like Broadway or regional theater would be my childhood dream, and I would love to achieve that. But, oh my gosh, TV and film. It’s just something that I could never get myself before the show. I would love that. Also, this is a stretch, but I think it’s time for SNL to hire a drag queen.
Myki Meeks (Courtesy of MTV)
Speaking of TV, you already made an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. Any chance you’ll make a return?
Oh, she just left me a very nice message on the show. They posted it the other day. But at the end, she said, “Come back, please come back.” I don’t know if she’s the booker for the show, but I would love to. If she ever needs a queen, I’m the queen to call.
What would you say is the biggest thing you learned about yourself during this competition?
I think my biggest takeaway was trusting my gut will get me where I need to go. That was the baseline lesson. There were a lot of times where I doubted myself or if I didn’t know if I was making the right decision, but I went with what my gut was telling me and it worked out in the end.
And what is the most rewarding feedback you’ve gotten from Ru or one of the judges?
The first time I got RuPaul’s seal of approval, on Snatch Game, she said, “You are a shining star.” You can’t beat that, come on!
As the show was airing, did you watch all the components that accompany it, such as Fashion Photo RuView or The Pit Stop with Bianca Del Rio? Were you ever like, “I have to see what Raja and Raven are saying about my looks!”
No, I think it depended on the week. If I knew I didn’t like my runway that week, I avoided everything. But when I know I did a good job, I’d like to hear the opinions. I think I’ve learned to just take it on the chin. I think the biggest reminder is, every queen on the show has been through this and people have talked about them in every type of way. People talk shit about Sasha Colby and she’s one of the best drag queens I’ve ever seen. If that can happen to her, I can take it as well.
What’s your personal rule on engaging with fans on social media? They’re so passionate and they comment on everything, probably even on your own account. Do you turn a blind eye to it or do you actually engage when you can?
It depends. I think for Instagram, if this is my portfolio of stuff, people are very kind to me there. Twitter is kind of like the Wild West. You can really get any type of response. I will say fandom is — you can never predict it. Because when I was the underdog of the season, and I was about to get a win or not really getting a win, people were in my corner and they were really cheering for me. Then, I started winning things and — they turned. They were like, “Wow, she didn’t deserve that. She doesn’t deserve this.” And, I’m like, what?! Like, what happened?!
I think my biggest takeaway is they want to see you win until you do. There’s a portion of the fan base that just wants to be contradictory and wants to go against what the show is giving. Fine, it’s your opinion, but damn, you can’t start a private group chat? Why do you have to post it online? We’re not that famous. We can see everything you’re posting.
Myki Meeks (Courtesy of MTV)
You were once a pre-teen fan watching the show, but now you’ve lived it and won. So what’s your number-one advice to young drag queens who are thinking of auditioning?
Getting on the show, if you got on, that’s already an achievement. The next step is, what do you think your weak spots are? Okay, you now have to do a camp of getting that down. I would say, get some sewing classes down, take an improv class, be on the microphone at your local gig or try to get some public speaking in. There’s so much to it. This is not just America’s Next Top Model, this is not Project Runway, this is not The Voice: It’s everything in one. So you have to be well-rounded to make it. Oh my God, take a dance class, too. Jesus, I wish I did that too. There’s such a limited time to get prepared. So just stay focused and know who you are and you’ll do it just right.
RuPaul is 65 now and she’s still doing drag for over 40 years. Do you see drag as a long-haul career? Can you see Myki Meeks doing drag well into her 60s or do you see yourself eventually pivoting to something else?
I think it’s always going to be with me, whether I’m doing it five times a week or once a year. Myki Meeks will always be a part of my life. She’s gotten me everything, you know? It’s a whole expression of myself. So yeah, I for sure see it. But I might have to take a break for a while. I mean, I can’t wait to celebrate my 60th birthday in drag.
Follow Myki Meeks on Instagram @myki.meeks.
Myki Meeks (Courtesy of MTV)