On Point With: Nasty Queen

This Brazilian bombshell is a dog-walker by day, a fierce AFAB queen night… and a former pro skater! Known for working the weekly competition circuit and being part of the cast of a massive show at The Ritz, this Nasty Queen is now slaying the livestreams as well.

Thotyssey: Hello Nasty! Thanks for chatting today! So… quarantine Thanksgiving! Is yours gonna be more grim than usual?

Nasty Queen: I don’t think it will, I’ve usually worked on Thanksgiving, so this year will be no different!

What’s your work?

I’m a dog walker, but we also do dog and cat sittings. So I usually spend holidays with my furry friends, which I love.

Cute! Who’s better, dogs or cats?

Hmmm… that’s a hard one for me! I like them both equally, to be honest. The biggest difference between them is that you have to walk the dogs so they can go potty, and the cats do everything inside.

Cats for the win!

Where are you originally from?

I’m Brazilian! I never felt like I belonged in Brazil, and when I finally visited NYC in 2014 I new this was the place I was meant to be.

Werq! So what were your earliest interests growing up, as far as creative and fashion stuff go?

I never was that much into fashion; it was never my forte. You should see the way I used to dress–and still do sometimes, lol! I always wanted either to be a vet or famous (like most do, lol). But I always had a creative and imaginative mind. I was always inventing things–only on paper though, since it was some crazy things. Like, shower heads that occupied the whole ceiling, so no part of the body could escape the water, lol.

I want that right now!

I know, right? it would be so perfect!

How did you discover the world of drag?

In 2015, when I was still in Brazil! I was going through a rough time–sinking into depression–when I came across a blog showing the “Top 25 Happenings in the Drag World,” and I decided to check it out. One of the happenings was Bianca wining Drag Race, and it had a little clip of her with some show scenes. When I watched it I instantly loved it, and decided I needed to find that show to watch. It took me some internet digging, but I found a way to watch the show; I fell in love immediately. Watching [Drag Race] always made me feel like I could be myself, and people would still like me. I come from a very small town, so drag wasn’t something very common.

After a month or so I found out there was a party called “Xtravaganza” in our capital city (an hour away by car), and they were bringing Jujubee! I knew I had to go, and after that I would go to every single party they had. Because that’s how it used to work back there: a party every two to three months–nothing like here! And going to the parties I met local drag queens, and we became friends. When I told them I have felt I wanted to do drag since the first time I saw the show, they were the ones that told me I should–that drag was for everyone. They gave me the push, and one of them even put me in drag one time before I moved here! It was amazing.

[So yes,] I had started doing drag back in Brazil… but I was not even close to what I do now. Mind you, I always hated makeup while growing up and through adolescence. So when I started drag, I didn’t even have the basic makeup skills or tools.

So then what was it about drag that you loved?

It was the whole package! I love performing; I was a professional roller skater until I was 18. I did ballet, German dancing and freestyle dancing, so I love performing. But it was also the freedom to be myself, and happiness I felt being around the community that attracted me to drag.

Where did you start performing here in NYC as Nasty Queen?

At [the weekly drag competition] Look Queen, when Dusty was the hostess. But I also always went to TURNt Wednesday at the The Ritz as Nasty, to watch the girls perform. There I got to know [TURNt hostess] Maddelynn Hatter, and we became friends. When she offered me to be the shotgirl I said hell yeah, and the rest was history.

TURNt was wild! At one point I think the rotating cast included Maddelynn, Holly Box-Springs, Miz Cracker, Sh*rry P**, Judy Darling, Aja—

And Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Jasmine Kennedie, Egypt and Black Widow.

Wow, that’s a lot! And it was wall-to-wall packed every night, of course.

Yep! Sometimes it felt like a lot, but I loved it! It was always so much fun to see everyone and hang out with the girls. It was wild, and I miss it.

In the olden days of four years ago, there were very few AFAB people performing as drag queens in NYC… I remember at one point only knowing of you and Crimson Kitty. Was anyone ever like, “you are a woman, you won’t get the same opportunities as the male queens do?”

There were! I remember that was something that scared me the most in the beginning, [when I started] doing drag here. The sentiment was that it was unfair to the other queens… so I got denied the opportunity. Which I also understood, because not everyone has the same opinion. Still, to this day I’m sure that’s a factor for me, not getting nearly as many opportunities as other queens do.

Well, you certainly give the children good shows when you do get the stage.

Thank you so much!

How would you describe what a Nasty performance might be like today, for the children who haven’t seen you yet?

I’m more on the sexy side when it comes to performing; I also love performing songs that makes you get up and dance. And I loooove a good choreo!

You’ve done a few digital drag shows these past few quarantined months. How do you like that?

It was interesting… and more comfortable, lol! Definitely not the same, but good to keep some sanity.

Well, it should be a cute kiki this Monday on Instagram–you’ll be doing makeup and chatting with the lovely Ari Kiki (6pm EST)! How fun will that be?

I’m very excited for that! I’ve never done my makeup on a live before, and I haven’t been in drag for awhile now… so I was super excited when she invited me!

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Yay! Anything else coming up for you?

Not for now. I decided to wait until I move and have access to all my drag again, to get things going.

Where are you moving?

Back to the city. Since Covid hit, I ended up moving in temporarily with my cousin in Long Island, so all my things are in storage.

We’ll be happy to have you back! Last question: what do you want for a Christmas?

I want everyone to be safe. And lots of wine! But really… I understand it’s a family holiday, but we are on a high of Covid cases again. So I really just wish everyone can be indoors and safe!

I hope people are hearing that! Thanks, Nasty!