On Point With: Nube Cloud

Day drag diva Nube Cloud serves it sunny this summer! [Cover photo: Gio Rodriguez]

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Thotyssey: Nube, hello! Happy Pride! I see you were recently at Hombres Lounge in Queens for your sis Sophya Medina’s birthday bash, how did that go?

Nube Cloud: Hello! I did very well! I always enjoy every event where I have the opportunity to work.

How long have you been a queen?

I started to drag in 2021, so I have been doing it for a little over four years.

Where are you originally from, and what sort of things were you into while growing up that might’ve led to drag?

I was born in Venezuela, then I lived in Ecuador for a few years where I began to do drag. And although I grew up distant from the entire LGBT scene due to my conservative family, I always had a lot of attraction and empathy towards art in general. So when I discovered for the first time how it made me feel to express myself through drag, I went wild and never stopped doing it again.

What were your first days as Nube like?

Doing it for the first time in Ecuador, where there aren’t many queens and queer spaces are limited, it was difficult to find simple things like heels and wigs. But what motivated me the most was that I could create costumes and wear them. I could create things that I couldn’t use in my everyday life. That made some queens want to work with me, and helped me loosen up on stage.

What made you want to come to New York? And did you find the hugeness and complexity of the drag scene here really difficult to navigate at first?

I came to New York fleeing from the crisis that is affecting much of Latin America. Yes, definitely the drag scene in New York is quite complex and competitive; there are some really good and incredible queens! At first, it was difficult to know where to start or what I should do to begin doing it in this city. It’s hard to get attention, especially since each girl has some talent, so I think you have to take it very seriously and work hard.

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How might you describe your drag today, as far as looks and numbers go?

I can say that I still have a lot to do, but a year ago I set out that many girls would want to use my looks… and little by little that is happening! This year I have had many shows, I have won all the open calls in the city, I shared the stage with Ivy Queen, and I did a collaboration with Beyoncé’s dance captain. Although I know that many people still do not know me, I will continue to work hard so that my performances are an inspiration to many.

You’re becoming well known for your costume and fashion creations… who or what have been some of your influences in that realm, and what’s your secret to designing / constructing a successful garment?

Honestly, my style is born from a mix of the celestial and the street. I draw inspiration from legends like Alexander McQueen for the drama and storytelling, Jean Paul Gaultier for his rebellious spirit, and the raw, inventive energy of Latin drag and ballroom culture — where we make magic out of scraps and imagination. Nature is also a big influence for me — clouds, storms, the way the sky shifts — because I’m here to float, yes… but also to strike.

My secret to designing a successful garment? It has to tell a story before I even open my mouth. The silhouette should speak for itself. I think about how the fabric moves, how it catches the light, how it lives on the body. But most of all it needs soul, drama, and a little bit of humor. A successful look is one that makes people stare a second longer than they meant to. If that happens? I’ve done my job.

We’re in weird times now, with an administration doing bullshit things with immigration, drag, queer rights and across the board. What inspires you to carry on and be fierce with all that happening around us?

Precisely that motivates me! Drag is resilience and political struggle, so definitely stopping would mean ceasing to fight for the rights we have obtained over decades. Surely those who fought for the rights we have today would not feel good if we left them in oblivion.

Preach! Let’s get to the gigs. First off, you and your sis Mili host a Saturday brunch at Chelsea’s cute White Maize… how’s that been going?

It is a cozy and nice place! The food is very good, and we have been able to invite several queens from the city to work with us.

Wait, don’t you have two Saturday brunches, somehow?

I am also going to Lucky Cheng’s on Saturdays, so I rush out of White Maize to do this!

She’s a true Daytime Diva, now with a new solo Sunday brunch at Brooklyn’s Bogota as well!

This place is amazing! The influx of people is much larger because the space is bigger and older, and the food is very varied and very Latin… I love Latin food. I also love inviting queens, because there are girls who can entertain the audience very well… and that is definitely very attractive. I know there are many brunches in the city, but I want the audience to want to come every week to see a new queen or something different. I always try to make my performances varied and tell a story.

And on Pride Friday and Saturday, you and Mili will be serving dinner shows at hotspot Empanada Mama in Hell’s Kitchen.

Yes, it’s the second year that we are there for Pride dates. I love working with Mili, she is very good!

What else is coming up for you?

I hope to have more spaces in the coming months! I will continue doing what I love, which is doing drag and creating looks, and I hope that many queens invite me to work with them.

Excellent! Okay lastly: what’s your favorite item in your drag bag, cosmetic or otherwise?

You can never be without a needle, thread, and a perfume!

Thanks Nube, Happy Pride!

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Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Nube Cloud’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram.

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