Eliminated Drag Race UK star on shocking Alexandra Burke with lyrics
The latest queen to be eliminated from Drag Race UK season six has revealed just what was going through her mind when she stunned Alexandra Burke with an X-rated ad-lib, and why she believes she would have been on the winning team had the queens been judged as groups in this week’s challenge.
Warning: Sickening spoilers ahead for episode 4 of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK
Two queens have already sashayed away from Drag Race UK‘s sixth season, with Saki Yew being taken out by a shower, and Dita Garbo failing to impress judges in the season’s first acting challenge.
In episode four, the remaining queens were challenged with a twist on the franchise’s iconic girl group week, battling for the ooky, kooky, spooky Hallowe’en number one in two separate ‘Ghoul Groups’.
While the win went to Rileasa Slaves, it was Filipina goddess Zahirah Zapanta who landed in the bottom against Lill, and eventually sashayed away after lip-syncing to guest judge Mabel’s “Don’t Call Me Up.”
Speaking to PinkNews following her elimination, Zahirah unpacks last episode’s killer drama, why she thought her group was going to win this week’s challenge, her tribute to her father and the reason for her iconic ad-lib in front of Alexandra Burke.
Hi Zahirah! Huge congratulations, it was such a joy to watch you on Drag Race UK. How did you feel watching the episode back?
It’s obviously so bittersweet, but I can’t be more proud of myself, because even to be a part of the show is a first class ticket to drag Disneyland. And to be a part of this season, with the most diverse cast of Drag Race UK was nothing short of magical.
I was so happy to be a part of such a strong cast, we brought so much talent and fierceness. And you’re going to continue to watch that throughout the season.
Well before we get into this episode, we have to discuss last week’s drama between Chanel O’Conor and Marmalade! What was it like to experience that in the moment?
That was the moment that it finally hit me. I was like: ‘I’m on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and I get front row to watch this drama unfold.’ It came so left field! I was not expecting it, the audience was not expecting it.
Chanel was shady the house, but made amazing TV, Marmalade’s poetry…! “Flip flopping like a haddock in Cardiff market,” was bananas. I mean, you saw my face, I was gooped, gagged, and living for it.
Let’s talk episode four, the Ghoul Group challenge. When it was revealed that that was the challenge, how did you feel?
You come into the competition wanting to win. So every challenge that Ru presented to us, I wanted to be on top, I wanted that moment to be able to shine.
I said it in during the critiques this episode that I was starting to get frustrated with myself because I wanted that moment, but I’m still proud of myself for what I did get to present, and in terms of the girl groups, this is one of the most iconic challenges in the UK franchise. So I would like to say Dracula’s Child “Dead or Alive” is available now on all streaming platforms.
Now that’s a child of RuPaul. Now, I have to ask about this, and I can’t believe I’m about to do so on a BBC Zoom. But where the hell did the “Let me c*m in you” ad-lib come from during your recording session?!
Well, the merch is available now! Listen, when you go to Drag Race UK, you’re there for weeks on end. You don’t have your phone, you don’t have access to the internet, I didn’t have any of my boyfriends there, so I was honestly in heat.
When I said Rileasa [Slaves] was looking scrumptious, I meant it, because I was so in heat!, you know, I brought some vintage magazines to the show, you know the ones, which went round on some of the girls. And when I was doing the acting challenge, with the Brit crew, I just had my arm round his biceps and milked it.
So when it came to recording the song, I wasn’t even thinking, it just came out of my body.
Fast forwarding to the choreo, we see the queens getting a bit frustrated with Chanel: what was that like in the moment?
It was frustrating. It was like, just do it, girl, I want to win. Because at that point, we didn’t know it was going to be judged individually, so I wanted to be the winning girl group. It was frustrating, but she worked on it.
Had the episode been judged in groups, do you think Dracula’s Child would have won?
I think so, yeah. I believe in Dracula’s Child, and Dracula’s Child will be coming to a city near you. Tour announcement coming very soon!
Now, the performance. When I think of Zahirah, I think of a performance queen! How was it actually executing the song, for you?
So I was first in the verses, but I think because of the lift [which wasn’t executed correctly], it just started my performance off on the wrong foot. Listen, if you go back and rewatch it, and rewatch me in particular, the moves were hit, the dip was there!
And do you think your placement was fair?
We come into this competition knowing that we are going to be critiqued. Was the judging fair? You know what, I wasn’t cast to judge, so I have to respect the critiques of the judges.
I’ve taken them on board, because since coming off from filming, I’ve already refined and elevated a lot of who Zahirah is as a drag queen. I’ve grown so much in the past year. I am so excited, going forward, for that to develop as an artist. At the end of the day, it’s a sport, it’s a competition, somebody does have to go home, and with it being such a strong cast, you do have to nitpick.
I’d also love to touch on the relationship you had with your dad before he sadly passed away. It was so touching to see you speak about – what did it mean for you?
I think it is so important, and it important to me personally, to be able to show that side of Zahirah. As much as I’m fierce and I’m sickening as a drag queen, what’s amazing about Drag Race UK is that we get to share these human experiences, that people are able to relate to.
It’s been so beautiful and so meaningful to receive such a plethora of messages from the fans who’ve been through something similar, and what we can do to keep moving forward with this grief is to celebrate the people that we’ve lost.
The love that, my dad and my family still continue to give me to this day is so quintessential to what made Zahirah and how I got on the show. For their parents to give their queer kids love, and to protect them, means your child can blossom and flourish into whoever they want to be.
And who’s your pick for the win?
I’m team Actavia, and I’m Team Kyran, my House of Cards design challenge sisters and brothers.
Even after Actavia’s wig?
Listen! I am now [doing Actavia’s hair]! Her hairline is sickening now.
Final question; what’s your favourite moment from filming?
Just one!? You know what, I loved every time I stepped down that runway, I felt so powerful with my horse legs. I want to do it again. I want to walk down that runway, again.
An early pitch for a Zahirah Drag Race return?
Oh absolutely. And I’ll bring pants for my runways this time.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK air on BBC iPlayer from 8pm every Thursday.
