'Let's Set Fire to the Stage': Bimini Talks RuPaul's Drag Race Werq The World Tour And New Music
Wednesday, 16 August 2023
Written by Laura Johnson
Question: what do 10-inch, thigh-high Pleaser boots, a raunchily customised Norwich City F.C. strip, a zit suit and an amoeba-inspired dress have in common?
Answer: East London Drag queen Bimini wore them all during season two of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in 2021, where they placed as runner-up, though many thought they would steal the crown.
Great Yarmouth-born Bimini is a law unto themselves; high-kicking and jump splitting their way through drag performances, presenting a sexy, brash and unconventional style through a punk lens.
They started drag in 2017, with Pamela Anderson one of their early inspirations, but had dreams beyond the regional club scene. Since their time on Drag Race, they’ve released a book, Release The Beast, walked in London Fashion Week, performed at Glastonbury and signed with Relentless Records, who put out their ‘When The Party Ends’ EP in July.
Always eager for a new adventure, Bimini has also been announced a special guest for the autumn UK leg of RuPaul’s Drag Race Werq The World Tour, where they’ll be the only UK queen in the cast. We caught up with them via Zoom to find out what we can expect from their performances on the tour, and all about their next musical move.
How does it feel to be the only UK queen invited to perform on the UK leg of the Werq The World Tour?
It feels good. I’m just excited to be on tour with [production company] World of Wonder. I was with them when we created Season Two [the Drag Race UK season two tour] and it was such an amazing cast and group. To be invited on tour as the only one is quite crazy, but I’m just excited to be working with World Of Wonder in any kind of capacity that I can. This is a great way to do it.
I thrive on stage. I recently played Glastonbury, I was on the Greenpeace stage there, and I’m ready to just put on a show and bring all of those elements. When we did the UK Series Two tour, it was three months it went on for, and it was a long tour. We were doing big stages, and obviously we did the Palladium [in London]. It’s not as big as the O2, but I think I’ll always bring my style in that, whether that is being a bit more punky. It’ll be fun, it’ll be a great performance.
Do you feel there’s still a perceived divide between British and American drag?
There’s a definite difference in styles, but at the end of the day the job is to entertain people, and whether that’s in a more pageant style or whether that’s in a more British, tongue-in-cheek style. We’ve got a different history of drag here in our British culture. We’ve got panto, we had Lily Savage, people that were like these raw British figures, and I think that could be a difference and we can have a bit of fun. But every queen that I’ve worked with in the past, we’ve always got on lovely, so I’m not worried about any of that.
What can people expect from your performance on the tour?
I think it can all depend. I’ve been performing with my band a lot. I won’t be doing that here, but I’ll be bringing different elements. I don’t want to give too much away, I’d rather people be surprised. But there will be a lot of tricks, and a lot of performance and fun elements that people will enjoy. I will be performing my music too. I’ll be incorporating all different elements from drag, whether it's live, dance, fashion. But I also like a stunt, so there’s going to be a lot brought to the stage.
Are you still East London’s bendiest bitch, as you claimed on your season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK?
I’m definitely still bendy, and that will be brought to the stage. I’ll be getting in rehearsals in the coming months and getting ready for it, so I’m ready to bring it. I’m excited to be on big stages like that. I’ve not been able to do this for a minute, what I’m planning, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s something I haven’t done in a while.
Are you collaborating with anyone on looks for the tour? Your style draws a lot from punk and the noughties. Will any of that creep in?
I have actually been thinking about it, about what I want to do. Obviously I’m going to be on stage for a decent amount of time, so I want to make it as wow in those moments as possible. I think we’ll see how it goes, but I’ve already got a couple of ideas that aren’t necessarily noughties, but I always like to flip it a bit, taking a certain era or idea, so I’m currently working on that at the minute. I think if there's a way to sum it up, let’s say the energy and style of Keith Flint [The Prodigy] and then let’s go with the appeal of Pamela Anderson.
Is she still your style icon?
She just always had that sex appeal about her, but she always had that edge to her as well. She was a bit rock ‘n’ roll with her style , the things that she would wear, she was experimental. So I always loved that.
She got a lot of misogynistic criticism for it, though.
She only got that said about her because of who she was and things that she did; posed for Playboy, she was an actress. She was confident in her own sexuality and her appeal. But people didn’t say things like that to people like Bowie. They were heralded as icons for being a bit more out there with style.
That’s always the same with the more male and masculine side of people who do it. Even nowadays, Harry Styles, for example, would wear quirky and outrageous clothes and be seen as an icon, but queer people wear things like that all the time and aren’t heralded for it. I think it all comes down to the idea of femininity. I think her being confident enough to wear those clothes, and be a bit more edgy, hats off to her.
It seems your connection with your audience is very important to you, on stage and off. How are you going to achieve that in such big venues?
If Taylor Swift can do it in stadiums, I’m sure I’ll be fine.
You were recently featured in Rolling Stone’s Albums You Need to Hear This Week, and you’ve gone from appearing in the music videos of other artists to starring in your own. Do you find that exciting?
For sure, especially [because of] the people that were in that as well, people that have been in the industry for a while and have really made their mark. So to be recognised by Rolling Stone is incredible, and I think it gears up for what I’ve always said about the music.
I didn’t want to put music out so quickly, I dropped God Save This Queen after the show, but I didn’t want it to be seen as a superficial thing. I really worked on it, and I’ve got so much more to come, and so much more to give musically, and what I want to say and do, this is just the start. I think to be recognised by them for my first EP is incredible, and I’m excited for people to hear what’s to come.
In a recent social media post you said this is only the beginning, and in an interview you said you have 90-100 songs you haven’t released yet, and are working on your second EP and looking towards an album. What can we expect?
There’s a lot to explore with the music and what I want to say. I want to keep putting music out, and keep it coming. Someone messaged me yesterday on Instagram, a really lovely message about it all, saying that they were unsure at the beginning what my music was going to be like, and then listening to my EP they understand that I do want to put in more effort and keep it going. I’m just glad it’s connecting with people.
Tell us more about the relationship with your producer Redshank.
I’ve worked with them from the beginning, for years they’ve always been there. We work really well together. Redhsank and Billy Blonde, who I write with, were the ones that explored a lot of different genres and styles to really hone a sound.
Where we’re at now is a bit more ‘90s electronica, dancey. There’s a lot more to come. We’ve been exploring different genres of disco, and Don’t Fuck My Groove opens the new EP, and I think that’s a bit more disco-ey. That definitely sets up the direction sonically. So, yeah, Redshank’s incredible, such an amazing producer. They’ve done some really amazing things, we’ll have fun things, some really heartfelt, vulnerable. They’re just a great all-rounder at understanding me.
Overall, what do you want people to take away from your performance at Werq The World?
I want people to be blown away, that’s what I want. I want shock, not shock in a bad way. I want people to think it's rock ‘n’ roll. My performance will be poised, but it’s never gonna be prim and polished. It’s always going to be a bit raw and ruckus, and that’s what I want. I want people to enjoy that.
Are World of Wonder cool with a bit of ruckus?
They’ve not really said anything. They’re happy with the route I’m going, so let’s go. Let’s set fire to the stage!
RuPaul's Drag Race Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue August 15 2023 - PROVIDENCE Rhode Island - Providence Performing Arts Center (USA)
Fri August 18 2023 - OTTAWA - TD Place (USA)
Sun August 20 2023 - TORONTO Ontario - Scotiabank Arena (Canada)
Wed August 23 2023 - BOSTON Massachusetts - MGM Music Hall at Fenway (USA)
Fri August 25 2023 - NEW YORK New York - Radio City Music Hall (USA)
Sat August 26 2023 - OXON HILL Maryland - Theater at MGM National Harbor (USA)
Sun September 10 2023 - PERTH Riverside Theatre
Wed September 13 2023 - ADELAIDE AEC Arena
Fri September 15 2023 - MELBOURNE Margaret Court Arena
Sat September 16 2023 - CANBERRA NCCC Royal Theatre
Sun September 17 2023 - SYDNEY Darling Harbour Theatre
Wed September 20 2023 - BRISBANE Great Hall BCEC
Sat October 07 2023 - MANCHESTER AO Arena
Sun October 08 2023 - LONDON O2 Arena
Thu October 12 2023 - BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena
Sun October 15 2023 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Wed October 18 2023 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Sun October 22 2023 - PRAGUE Cogress Centre (Czech Republic)
Tue October 24 2023 - LUXEMBOURG Rockhal (Luxembourg)
Fri October 27 2023 - STOCKHOLM Hovet (Sweden)
Sat October 28 2023 - OSLO Spektrum (Norway)
Sun October 29 2023 - COPENHAGEN Royal Arena (Denmark)
Tue October 31 2023 - WARSAW Torwar (Poland)
Thu November 02 2023 - AMSTERDAM Ziggo Dome (Netherlands)
Fri November 03 2023 - HAMBURG Barclaycard Arena (Germany)
Sat November 04 2023 - COLOGNE Lanxess Arena (Germany)
Sun November 05 2023 - BERLIN Mercedes Benz Arena (Germany)
Tue November 07 2023 - VIENNA Wiener Stadthalle (Austria)
Thu November 09 2023 - ANTWERP Lotto Arena (Belgium)
Fri November 10 2023 - PARIS Accor Arena (France)
Sat November 11 2023 - ZURICH Halle (Switzerland)
Sun November 12 2023 - MILAN Mediolanum Forum (Italy)
Tue November 14 2023 - MADRID Wizink Center (Spain)
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