Talk about starting your Pride Month correctly: The Queen of Flips is Flipping into Queens (and Jersey)! Thotyssey sets the season with “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Season 16’s lip sync assassin Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige.
Thotyssey: Mhi’ya, hello and thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us today! As of this moment, where are you and what were you just doing before you started answering these questions?
Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige: You’re so welcome. Right now, I am currently laying in bed watching The Oval.
So you weren’t the only Florida queen on your season (16) of RuPaul’s Drag Race… but in S17 which just concluded, practically half the cast were Floridians! Does part of you wish you were cast on that season with all those other Florida bitches, or are you happy to have been where you were?
Oh no sweetie, I am happy that I was on Season 16 and with my sister Morphine. It made us grow a strong sister bond. We never knew how much we have in common.
You are the Queen of Flips, known for your very athletic and electrifying gym-tastic dance performances! You’re constantly jumping off furniture, rolling through the legs of other girls, and just stunting across the board. You must do a lot of stretching before each show! Are there other ways that you physically prepare for a performance?
Honestly, I don’t stretch much. However I really need to start back stretching because I’m getting older… and I pay for it the next day, lol. But I do stretch some before each show. Oh, and I need a shot or two, lol… preferably tequila!
Can you remember a time when you most wow’ed the room with a routine that went really well?
I mean I always WOW a room, lol. Back at the old Palace on Miami Beach, I did 13 backflips in a row and gagged everyone, honey!
I was wondering if you could share a bit of your origin story with us: where is your original hometown, do you have a dance or performance background, and how did you discover and start drag?
I am born and raised in Miami–Liberty City, the heart of Miami. I have always been a dancer as a child. I would go to parties and shut the dance floor downnnnnnnnnn, lol. I played basketball and football, and I ran track. Once I got bored with that, I started street dancing around the age of 16. We traveled to different cities in Florida–different schools and clubs to perform our dance shows. Our dance shows lasted about 10 minutes. I had all the ladies loving me, lol… it was crazy!
I found out about drag during my dance group era. There was someone in the group who had already been doing drag (Melissa Plastic Hilton). She came one day to our dance show in drag, and also performed in drag. Then later at the age of 17 I started sneaking in clubs and that’s where I saw drag shows. Sheena Devine was the first trans / drag [performer] I fell in love with! My first gay / drag mother wanted to put me in drag so bad because of my cheek bones. It took time, but once she got me in drag it was a wrap! I did my first feature with some legends of South Florida at the Coliseum. That was major for me! A few weeks down the line I did my first competition show at ClubBoi and I won! After that, I was a force to be reckoned with on those stages.
What’s something the world needs to know about Florida drag?
I think me and Morphine showed the world what Florida drag gives, lol. The drag in Florida gives glam, fashion, pageantry, and shade. What separates us from other drag scenes are the performances and shows we put on. When it comes to hitting the stage, we take that very seriously! That’s why we’re number one on the performance category. We really have a lot of heavy hitters. We have so many girls that are title holders from big name pageants like Miss Black Universe, Miss Continental, Miss Black America and so on.
How did you first respond immediately after you found out you were cast on Drag Race?
I was at work, literally just finished performing and saw that I had a missed call from California. I knew that was the call. I immediately called back, then went and sat in my car screaming! I was so happy!
RuPaul was clearly tickled by you the whole season, and seemed to particularly love your Cher impression, lol! It must have been really out-of-body to interact with that legend, as well as all the other main judges and guest judges! Do you have any great memories or tea about interacting with any of them behind the scenes?
OMG that Cher impression is haunting me forever… and I love it, lol! It was always laughs with Mama Ru and all of the judges. Everyone really was so sweet and loving. There was one moment where me and Michelle [Visage] had a quick small talk. It was basically about me being dealing with anxiety, and she gave me some pointers. I really appreciated that so much. She also followed up with reaching out to me once our season finished to check on me.
You were the lip sync assassin of your season, causing three opponents to sashay away with your performance skills… even Plasma halfway through the season, after she won two challenges! Those wins no doubt earned you a huge fanbase, but maybe also a lot of negativity for sending home people’s favorites. Is it annoying to have to navigate all that noise, or is it better to just be happy for all the positive stuff?
Honestly the negativity didn’t really bother me because I have tough skin. Words don’t hurt me. I knew what I was signing up for; Malaysia Babydoll Foxx was my classmate, and we kinda started drag together. She did Season 15 and, I experienced the love and hate she had coming in. My hate wasn’t as bad as hers, lol. But it didn’t bother me. Hell, I would troll them back and talk shit to them… especially if I was bored or on a flight. I think the Drag Race fandom needs to really chill. At the end of the day, we have feelings. They have to stop letting this show dictate who people are and how they live.
Dropping your wrap on Morphine Love Dion during the Donna Summer lip sync, after which she threw her “boobs” at you, was such a TV moment!
It’s crazy because that wasn’t planned, lol. I really didn’t plan on throwing my bustle on her. She just happened to lean back while I was spinning to throw it on the floor, and I saw the perfect opportunity. We literally still laugh about it; she’s still to this day is gagged that I threw it on her, lol!
In general, what are some people or some trends in the drag world today that really excite and please you, and what are some aspects of the scene that you’re done with and like to see go away?
I love seeing more acrobatic girls performing and flipping all over the place. I honestly just love seeing people win, especially my Season 16 sisters. I haven’t done pageants and ballroom in years, so I think I’m kinda done with them both. Things I want to see go away: lazy performances! It irks me to watch someone not putting any energy into their shows.
Have you had a favorite place or show you performed since being on Drag Race?
OMG, everywhere I’ve been has been such a great time. Fabrika in Philadelphia, Splash in San Jose, South Beach in Houston, e Roundup in Dallas. OMG, The Pink Flamingo in Brazil was everything!
You haven’t performed very much in New York or New Jersey in the past, have you?
I’ve been to New York and Jersey a few times, in the past but only to walk balls.
You will be in town for a few exciting performances on Pride Month!
Yes I’m so excited I will be there for three days.
First off, you’ll be at Icon Astoria on Thursday, June 4th for a “Pride Kick-Off Party” featuring local stars Misty Mountains, Freeda Kulo and Catrina Lovelace as well as S17 Jersey Girl Crystal Envy! Have you ever worked with Crystal before?
Yes, I have worked with Miss Crystal Envy. She was such a ki!
On Friday, you’ll be at Paradise in New Jersey for an epic performance with Vanity LaVain and others, plus a fan meet and greet!
Then on Saturday you and Crystal will be part of another great drag cast, this time for brunch at Porta in Asbury Park! You have done a ton of brunch shows in Florida… what’s the key to looking fabulous in outdoor day drag?
I love a brunch show, they’re so fun! The key to looking fabulous in day drag outdoors is to put that face on like you are hitting the stage in a club with a spotlight. Some girls say less makeup is better… oh no! Baby, bake that cake and put the paint on, lol! Bright colors, stones, fringe and feathers are the best when it comes to brunch.
What else is coming up for you?
I have a feature coming out next month with Season 16 and 17 sisters. The song is so dope! I’m working on my single also. For the month of June I have:
- 6/4 Icon Astoria
- 6/5 Paradise
- 6/6 Porta New Jersey
- 6/7 Motor City Pride in Detroit
- 6/13 Spokane Pride in Washington
- 6/19 R House in Miami
- 6/25 Flex in Raleigh, North Carolina
- 6/26 Modjeska in Augusta Georgia
- 6/28 SADBrunch in Frederick, Maryland
I also want to get into acting and other television shows.
And finally: you have a few S16 sisters on the currently airing season of All-Stars: Morphine, Dawn and Hershii. Whose team are you on!? And, might you return to an All-Stars season yourself someday?
I’m team All Three. I love each one of them so much! Like. they all have a special place in my heart. And I absolutely have to return to All-Stars; I have to redeem myself and really show the world who I am and how I drag!
Looking forward to all of it Mhi’ya, have great shows!
Check Thotyssey’s calendar for Mhi’ya Iman Le’Paige’s upcoming area appearances, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and her website.
Thotyssey 