This spooky season, the queen of Sexy Lane is King Ki! [Cover photo: Angel Rivera]
Thotyssey: Hi King! Halloween is upon us… so do you prefer your looks this time of year to be more sexy or scary?
King Ki: Hey Thotyssey! Halloween really is here, isn’t she? I honestly, like many others, tend to go the sexy route — especially as a queen. But I’m never all one or the other. If King is sexy as hell, she’s still giving a lil’ spooky. If she’s scary as ever, you somehow — in the deep crevices of your mind — still wanna fuck her. This year, I live on Sexy Lane on the corner of Scary Street.
Given your name, can you identify the craziest thing you’ve done onstage?
Ahaha! I will say I was very intentional in choosing my words carefully — my name is a happy accident(-ish). “King” comes from the name my dad would’ve given his daughter if he’d had one. “Ki” is a play on my Japanese heritage, and the loss of that culture over generations. The two together sound like “kinky!” I definitely wouldn’t call myself NYC’s kinkiest queen, just the kinkiest queen whose name is King.
If I had to say the craziest thing I’ve done in a number, it would have to be throwing “gold” on the stage and at the crowd in my “No Face” number for “Studio-Ho Ghibli” [at C’mon Everybody] right before my sister Mx. Ology went on. Poor thing could’ve tripped if we didn’t sweep it up before. Rehearse with your props, y’all! Come to think of it, I’m ironically pretty vanilla out of drag.
Can you share a bit of your origin story?
Absolutely! I’m a tried and true New Yorker from Brooklyn. I grew up and down the East River mostly. My family is truly a mixed bag: my mom immigrated to NYC from Russia when she was seven, and my dad is fourth generation Japanese American on his father’s side and first generation Dutch American on his mother’s side. Both of them grew up in New York, though! I would say I carry my background — ethnically and culturally — with me in every facet of my life, and drag is no exception.
A huge highlight from my childhood, and arguably the origins of my interest in drag, was dressing up with one of my best friends when we were little. She had every single Disney princess outfit, and I had my pick of all… except Ariel, she claimed her.
Funny enough though, I was never really one to play with toys as a kid. I loved dressing up, grabbing scarves and blankets from my mom’s closet and wrapping my brother and I in makeshift dresses, walking around in my mom’s heels. I always wanted to sit with the grownups at dinner time. I was ready to be a woman.
In middle and high school, I got really into theater. When it came time for college, acting school was just not an option for me… so I went down a more traditional route. Lucky for me though, I found drag in school trying to maintain a relationship with my love for performing. Drag has so become a fostering of my relationship with my child self — a fiend for attention, as happy in a lion or scarecrow costume as in a bikini.
As a native New Yorker, do you think you might have a different perspective on drag and nightlife then many of your transplanted peers do?
Honestly, yes and no. I don’t think my personal experience of being from here affords me a vastly different or greater knowledge of NYC drag and nightlife. I came into the scene more of a fan than anything, and I still have so much more to learn and grow.
“New Yorker” is definitely not a monolith, and neither is “transplant” for that matter. There are people who have been here their whole lives who I would argue are more out of touch with culture here than many who grew up elsewhere. Having grown up middle class in Brooklyn by two parents that grew up in New York in the 80s definitely puts everything we have now into greater perspective. Especially growing up surrounded by a lot of straight up rich white kids in school; that definitely has given me an appreciation for positionality, especially in community and queer spaces.
There’s an entitlement that some transplants bring with them to the city. I don’t think that applies to the vast majority of my transplant peers on the scene, though. Most know what’s up pretty quick. And they are most all here to find community they couldn’t find back home, like the OG transplants of NYC, all us weirdos and freaks.
Truth! Have you had a favorite moment so far as a drag performer here?
To pick one is crazy! Honestly, the first that comes to mind is definitely up there. In July I competed in Atomic Annie and Chase Runaway’s “Annual Mx. Chicken Pageant USA Diamond Deluxe at Large” at C’mon Everybody. To be so real, I was mostly excited to just act stupid and eat some spicy chicken. I was even more gagged, though, to place in the top two — especially with a sister I love and appreciate as much as Cherry Jaymes. That was one of many first recent moments where I’ve felt so affirmed, recognized, and seen as an artist on the scene by peers… all of whom I just have so much respect for.
It’s no secret starting drag in NYC is no walk in the park. It’s hard as hell, and one thing I was really firm in over the first few years was taking my time. I love drag so much, and I knew that if I burnt out that might change. So there’s never been “full speed, no stop.” To hear drag artists say they’d been wondering where I’d been after I take a month or two off… not only for people to recognize my art, but to feel like an invaluable member of community, is massive.
Folks can find you co-hosting a Halloween night show with Soraya Sis at a venue called Hellbender in Ridgewood.
Yes! Soraya is truly my good sis, and honestly it’s gonna give that energy and more. It’s all family on Friday, and the space is just incredible. Hellbender is a full service restaurant, and so we’re opening a party right as they end a busy Friday night dinner service. People can eat dinner there, and then stay for the show right after!
There’s a faux taxidermy jaguar on the wall, and we’re gonna bring a silly spoopy “hyuck, oooo, AH!” Really excited for this one — I’m making a brand new look for my costume, some big hair I’ve never worn before, and maybe even some new eyes. Lots of dancing, delicious drinks, and a costume contest! People should definitely come [King] ki.
Anything else coming up?
Ya! I’m really excited to bring back my show with Kanika Peach, “K Hole!” It’s the show where you trip off our quirky derangement. We’re gonna be bringing it back in the next month or two at one of my favorite venues in Brooklyn. Otherwise, my calendar is wide open after this — for now — so if anyone wants to book a silly sexy freak, call ya girl!
Let’s end with a Halloween-ish throwback: Team Edward or Team Jacob?
Oh my God. I gotta go Edward, simply for the travesty that was Taylor Lautner playing a Native American.
Thanks, King!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for King Ki’s upcoming appearances, and follow her on Instagram.
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