‘It all stopped’ when Icee Drag On received the ‘Golden Bell’

“The casting officials asked me if I knew how to play an instrument. I didn’t really say that, but if I had to learn.” YouTube tutorial and two weeks later, drag on ice She found herself on stage France has incredible talent, mastering a few piano notes enough to make a slight impact with its interpretation born this way by Lady Gaga.

The quick learning paid off: As the faithful saw on Wednesday night’s show on the M6, the drag queen was showered with praise by the jury, so much so that Marianne James pressed the “golden bell” to automatically qualify for the final.

“That was out of the question for me.”

“Everything stopped at that moment, and I didn’t know who I was, or where I was, or why I was there. It was so improbable for me, I didn’t expect it at all. I just wanted to not be eliminated in the first round and to avoid the Red Cross”, Remember the actress today 20 minutes.

In town, Icee Drag On is called Sébastien. This 34-year-old Parisian adoptee created his alter ego three and a half years ago. At the time, he just played a “twenties transvestite” on the show. the Red ball. Also discover the popular TV show now RuPaul’s Drag Race. Then he decided to start his turn with the birth of his “artistic personality”.

It remained to find a name. I chose “Icee for water and ice because it’s an American brand of granite. And drag on to evoke the drag action and wordplay with the dragon. I wanted to be a little in the world of Daenerys.” game of Thrones. »

“You are a stage beast” 🔥
The jury has a real crush on Icee Drag On’s vocal performance. #LFAUITWednesday at 21.05. pic.twitter.com/rCru0YCu4q

– M6 (@m6) November 5, 2021

His immersion in the raucous Parisian drag scene “wasn’t always so obvious.” And to clarify: “There is a lot of competition, jealousy, but fortunately also a lot of beautiful, benevolent people. When I arrived, I didn’t know anyone, I was trusted. I did the open scene Patouchka Banana, and then I thought I would create my own scenes .”

Paradise Latin Manager

Then Icee cast a file swipe on, an evening that still exists today and takes place regularly on Wednesdays at La Foisonnante (Paris 19) or Aqua e Farina (Paris 10). This space allows drag queens for beginners to perform in front of an audience. “I leave the possibility of making the scene to everyone. Of course I look a little on Instagram what this offers in terms of aesthetics. It should be a minimum of work, that is my only requirement, the artist confirms. There are a lot of pulls that made a profile swipe on These past years and today are doing well and stand out in the landscape. “

If the believers of swipe on Predominantly young and gay, Icee Drag On targets a wider audience in Paradis Latin. She just started her second season at a popular capital nightclub: “I’m dating two or three a week, alternating with my other drag queen, Venus FK, as the director. We welcome people, we go see them, we discuss, we’re there to have a good time with them. Then it begins.” show and then we pair up the numbers, like festive mistresses.”

Eric Antoine told him: France lacks a drag queen star. Could it be Icee? “On the star side, I don’t think it can work as well as in the States,” she replied. I don’t know if we’re ready to welcome the draw somehow bidder. In Paradis Latin, sometimes, some people look at us strangely or think about it. For example, people said to my colleague while looking at her from top to bottom: “Oh no, that’s not possible.” It’s hard to hear these things. “Sometimes homophobia takes the form of physical assault: ‘One day, I was with a drag friend, we were standing next to where we were supposed to go, and we had just gotten out of the car, we were assaulted by a guy on a chain bike. He wanted to hit us, we didn’t let him go. “

“I’d rather be silent and learn from what I see”

At first, Sebastian says, he didn’t indulge in “doing the activism” but “he learned when the drag is too political”. despair swipe on He goes to the Pride March, and participates in
Sidragtion, a fundraiser for Sidaction organized by Minima Gesté and Enza Fragola, two famous figures on the French drag scene. And to add: “I try not to get too involved in politics because I don’t know myself enough, and I don’t want to talk nonsense, I’d rather keep quiet and learn from what I see.”

To teach and celebrate the “world of drag,” the artist works with a friend to create a drag journal, which will also talk about “aesthetics, history, and specific vocabulary.” The publication, which is intended to be sold on newsstands, will be addressed to both experts and the general public. Incredible editing talent?