Ahead of their New Zealand debut on Saturday 4 October, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Lawrence Chaney (they/them) opens up about moving to Vegas, surprising straight audiences, and drag-scene drug use.
Your comedy has always been a huge part of your drag. Will we get to see that signature Lawrence humour in full force at Palmy Drag Fest?
Of course! I’m gonna give it to you – anally!
What will you do with your time in NZ other than perform at Palmy Drag Fest?
Anita Wiglit has already been on the phone and told me she’s going to be my tour guide! So I’m just going to let her take me around… so if I go missing, you know whodunnit!
You made herstory as the first Scottish winner of Drag Race UK. Looking back, what do you think it was about your drag that resonated so deeply with audiences and Ru herself?
Going into filming my season, I just tried to be as authentic as possible. If I felt sad, I cried. If I felt happy, I joked. If I was angry… I shouted at Ellie Diamond (sorry Ellie, love you.)
For better or for worse, I hear more comments about me as a person and my humour and how I approach life, than any runway look I wore. I also think Scottish people have a very infectious accent and are seen as very down to earth and endearing. Thank God! That’s why I get to travel so much.
When you started drag – why did you give yourself a drag name typically used for boys, and why did you stick with that name prior to your time on Drag Race?
I started drag in 2014 and even though RuPaul’s Drag Race UK wasn’t a thing yet, I knew I wanted to be on TV and have a career in the limelight, so as much as I love names like “Noah Cunt” and “Penny Tration” I knew if I wanted global success, I’d have to change my name at some point or just have a simpler/male-sounding name.
Nothing’s funnier than performing at a straight comedy club and the MC says, “Make some noise for our next act, Lawrence Chaney” and I walk on stage in full drag. All the hettys (heterosexuals) just stare at me – mouth agape. I say, “Oh, you were expecting someone else?!”
Get your Palmy Drag Fest tickets now at palmydrag.com
Since your win, how has your relationship with drag evolved – and how has fame changed (or not changed) Lawrence Chaney?
Winning Drag Race and having the platform I have has just given me such a massive boost in confidence – in and out of drag. I feel like whatever I do now isn’t forced and it’s 100% me, regardless of how stupid or silly it is.
You recently relocated from Scotland to Las Vegas to be part of the RuPaul’s Drag Race Live show. Tell us about your life there – a rather different climate to the one you are used to!
I love Vegas! Just not the 120-degree heat (49 degrees Celsius)! When they first asked me to do Drag Race Live I misread the email and thought they were offering me “dessert” and not asking me to move to the “desert”. I thought I would hate it because it’s so different to Scotland but I kind of love that. It’s truly become a home for me. I have amazing friends and a lovely partner… and no one recognises me at Walmart when I’m buying toilet paper. That’s nice!
Were you surprised that a US audience gets you? And why do you think that is?
US audiences love a nice… THICK… accent! And boy, do I have one!
They just love soaking in other cultures’ humour and getting a glimpse at how people talk and joke in Scotland. I feel a lot of pressure to represent Scotland and make my country proud.
What’s your take on the state of drag in 2025 – and what advice do you have for local Kiwi queens trying to break through?
Drag is the biggest it’s ever been right now, and that’s why we are seeing so much political pushback. It’s why we’re being told we’re “shoving it down straight people’s throats” and it’s easy when faced with any negativity to retreat and hide away – but we need new queens with fresh takes on drag to keep pushing and fighting for a space at the table. So Kiwi queens, put on that padded bra and get out there!
At the start of this year we very sadly lost Drag Race UK Season One winner The Vivienne. How well did you know her, and what did she mean to you?
I knew Viv very well. I first met her in 2019 just before she was announced on Drag Race UK and then when it was rumoured I was on the show she texted me advice and linked me suitcases and containers to buy so I could take more stuff with me to film. I won directly after her and I felt such a huge amount of pressure to do the most after winning because she’d already created such a legacy for herself. It has to be said so I’m saying it here – without The Vivienne, there would be no Drag Race UK. She was an incredible talent, a one-of-a-kind person. She defended me multiple times to management, media, and fans. She’s a real one.
Get your Palmy Drag Fest tickets now at palmydrag.com
Do you think drug use in the drag scene and the queer scene in general is discussed enough?
It is discussed enough – but not in the right way. Either people talk about drugs and wanting to do them on a night out, or people judge others for their drug use. The latter is worse. We need to create a more open environment where no one feels judged for their past or current drug use, and facilitate more places where they can get the help they need with no stigma.
You’ve been very open about your own battles with anxiety and depression. What advice do you have to fans who might be battling those themselves?
Sertraline! I’m joking… well…
For me, I felt scared to talk to my doctor about my emotions and how I was feeling, so I let small anxieties snowball and become huge. For me, getting a short-term prescription from my doctor helped me live through the darkest period of my life. Medication isn’t the only route, of course. It differs from person to person – sometimes all you need is to vent to a friend, or a small block of therapy.
Outside of drag, what’s bringing you joy at the moment – any secret obsessions, comfort shows, or creative projects we might not know about?
I love horror films. For some reason, they relax me… I’m crazy, I know. I just watched Hell of a Summer, Bring Her Back, and Dangerous Animals. All of them different, all of them terrifying. I’m also working on a new project right now separate from drag – but I can’t say anything about it. Just keep your eyes peeled.
Finally, why should they bring their mum, their flatmate, and their nan along to see you at Palmy Drag Fest?
If you made it to this last answer and you’re reading this, let’s face it – you’re either coming or very interested in coming to Palmy’s Drag Fest, so come on! Come along. It’s going to be a lot of fun, silly, camp, buffoonery… and that’s just from me!
Get your Palmy Drag Fest tickets now at palmydrag.com
