POPSUGAR UK

All the Things They Did: Bimini Bon Boulash's Life After Drag Race

13/06/2022 - 03:40 PM

Bimini Bon Boulash was one of the most talked-about contestants on "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" [1] this year for a number of reasons. Their eccentric and cerebral fashion sense that wouldn't feel out of place in Vogue, their witty remarks and deadpan humour, and their powerful portrayal of the London drag scene are some of the ways Boulash stole the nation's hearts in series two and has continued to — long after the show came to an end.

There aren't many people who can say that, in the last year and a half, they've been signed to a modelling agency, had brunch with the Mayor of London, released their first single, and announced the launch of their first book. Well, since leaving "RuPaul's Drag Race UK", Boulash [2] has done all that and more. We caught up with Boulash to reflect on all the things they've done this year, to chat about life after "Drag Race", and to find out why they'd make the perfect candidate for the next Mayor of London.

They Rocked Download Festival

On 12 June, Boulash surprised the crowds of Download Festival with an unexpected performance, making history as the first drag artist to have been booked for the event. Wearing a bleach blonde mullet, jewel-encrusted top adorned with the face of Princess Diana, netted skirt and sky-high heels, Boulash looked rocker royalty from head to toe.

Performing their 2021 single "God Save The Queen" as well as a medley of Britney Spears [3]' "Toxic" and Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Around", it was an unlikely set for a crowd of metalheads, but if anyone can win them over, Boulash can.

They Filmed a Documentary with BBC

As part of BBC's "We Are England" series, Bimini Bon Boulash created their very own documentary: "Homecoming Queen". Boulash shared the news on Instagram, alongside a caption that read "So excited and nervous to share this. We went back to where I grew up and the journey I've been on to get here now. Interviewed people throughout all aspects of my life. So wild!" The documentary is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

They Were Nominated for a BAFTA

This year's BAFTA Must-See Moment [4] award nominees featured 6 iconic TV moments from throughout 2021, including Bimini Bon Boulash's incredible verse from "UK Hun" [5]. The song was featured on "RuPaul's Drag Race UK" during series two, and has gone on to become one of the most memorable songs from the show.

They Contemplated Running For Mayor of London . . . and Queen of England

When we asked Boulash about their future plans, it seemed the answer was simple. "My future plans would probably be Prime Minister or Queen of England, if that can happen. But yeah, Prime Minister, I'll probably go for Prime Minister, and I'll always want to be in a look. Maybe go to space as well."

When discussing the first thing they'd do as Queen of England, Boulash told us that "if I was Queen of England, I would try and sort out the homeless crisis that we've got going on. I think it's a really horrible thing. Where I live in London, there's a lot of austerity. It's so bleached around the area. There's a lot of homelessness, and I think it's something that really needs to get sorted. That's what I would do."

Until then, we'll have to settle for Boulash becoming friends with the current Queen of England, though they might have some explaining to do first. "Hopefully we would get on; I think we'd have to have a few conversations. I don't even know if she knows what [drag] is. I think she hears people say 'yes queen', and then she thinks they're talking about her."

They Starred in a Calvin Klein Campaign

Boulash recently appeared in a Calvin Klein campaign for Pride, sharing an image in a Calvin Klein tank with a poignant caption that read, "when I was 19 I moved to London and started experiencing the nightlife. It was the first time I saw all of these gender-non conforming people expressing themselves so freely and creatively. It took me a few years after that to really explore my own identity, but it was in that moment that I knew I wasn't alone and I was going to be okay!"

They Posed For Vogue Italia

On their recent cover shoots, Boulash said, "I shot four different covers, which was so incredible. Vogue Italia was a real moment for me." Boulash shared images of the shoot, with a powerful caption that read, "This is one of my proudest moments yet. Shooting an editorial and feature with Italian Vogue. This is the sh*t I thought could never happen in my wildest dream. Thank you to every single person that made this happen. I'm truly grateful 💓"

They Became Mates With Game of Thrones Star Maisie Williams

Boulash attended one very special show at LFW this year, the first London collection by emerging designer Reuben Selby [6]. Selby is currently dating Game of Thrones star and sustainability advocate Maisie Williams, who met Boulash for the first time at the show.

They Attended London Fashion Week

During this year's London Fashion Week [7], which managed to play host to a number of in-person events, Boulash took over the official LFW Instagram account, documenting their experience whilst attending all of the shows.

They Walked the Red Carpet at the BAFTA Awards

Boulash, along with Lawrence Chaney and A'Whora, walked the red carpet at this year's BAFTA Television Awards [8]. As an avid supporter of emerging talent, Boulash wore a dress designed by Central Saint Martins students Ása Bríet Brattaberg, Dem James Erik Paris, and Kitty Hemmings.

They Appeared on the Cover of Time Out

Boulash's Time Out cover is probably one of the most impressive, as they're pictured on the streets of London in an incredible gown with one of the editor's dogs on a leash.

They Appeared on the Cover of Evening Standard Magazine

Boulash has appeared on the cover of a number of magazines in the last few months, with one of the most prominent being Evening Standard Magazine — in a look not too dissimilar to their "amoeba" outfit from Drag Race.

They Had Brunch With London Mayor Sadiq Khan

On meeting (and becoming mates with) the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Boulash had a lot to say. "Me and Sadiq are mates, I love Sadiq. I'm going to Sadiq's party soon, when we're allowed, when it's legal. We spoke about lots of things. I spoke about the importance of queer nightlife and how we need to save that and really look after it," Boulash explained.

They added that "nightlife in general was a big topic I was speaking about, because with queer venues in the last 10 years, we've lost about 50 percent. These are places that if I hadn't had when I first moved to London, I probably wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now. They're really important for people to find themselves, and Sadiq was on my level with it, so that's good. We also spoke about my potential at running for mayor; he said don't do it until he's out, but he'll support me."

They Released Their First Single

After the stellar "U K Hun" performance [9] that the United Kingdolls put on during RuPaul's Drag Race UK, it became pretty clear that Boulash had a musical gift that couldn't be denied. Fast forward a few months, and Boulash released their first single, "God Save This Queen", accompanied by a video that was the ultimate tribute to British punk.

They Were Featured in Selfridges's Project Earth Campaign

With being a great icon comes great responsibility, and with that we're grateful that Boulash continues to use their platform to promote good causes. They partnered with Selfridges for its Project Earth campaign, encouraging shoppers to get into fashion rental.

They Had a Cameo in Little Mix's "Confetti" Video

Back in April, Little Mix released their dazzling new video for "Confetti" [10], and we spotted some familiar faces. One of those faces was Boulash, who, along with Tayce [11] and A'Whora, had a cheeky little cameo that took the video to the next level.

They Collaborated With Depop For Earth Day

As one of the most fashion-forward queens on Drag Race UK [12], it makes sense that Boulash would up their sustainable fashion game after completing the show, and what better time to do that than Earth Day? Boulash collaborated with Depop, the most popular preowned fashion app [13], to discuss sustainable practises and using their platform for good.

They Signed With a Modelling Agency

Boulash explained that becoming a signed model was on the cards for a while, and they told us that "it was incredible because it's something that I never thought could happen. I never thought that someone like me would be signed to something like that. So all of the opportunities I've had, it's been mind blowing. I can't believe it's happening."

They Wrote Their First Book

On announcing their first book [14], Boulash said, "I definitely wanted to [write a series], because the book that I've written isn't necessarily fiction. It's me and I'm talking about my experiences, but I would like to get into fiction, I think." So basically, don't be surprised if a fantasy series with Boulash's name on it ends up being released in the future!


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https://www.popsugar.co.uk/entertainment/bimini-bon-boulash-life-after-drag-race-interview-48394939