After almost two decades of New York, Los Angeles, and Texas queens dominating the program, Florida has made something of a comeback over the past few years. Season 18 has five Florida queens in the two Dions, Discord Addams, Mia Starr, and Orlando’s Myki Meeks. Some of her fellow Floridians fit the mold of what you’d expect for a Sunshine State queen, but Meeks intends to shatter those assumptions.
“I understand that there’s a very big expectation of a lot of pageantry, and I am a title holder right now. I am Miss Glamorous Newcomer,” Meeks says. “But I do find that if we stick to one aesthetic, it gets a little boring. I mean, this is our form of reinventing ourselves, so why can’t I reinvent myself to every type of aesthetic? I like to think of myself as old Hollywood glamour and a party girl. I’ve done a lot of glamour recently, so tonight, Club Mikey is in effect.”
This was the fourth time the 30-year-old had auditioned for the show. She insists the first two times she had no expectations of being cast. She simply went through the process for practice. But this last audition tape? “That was the one. I felt it. I really felt it.” As for what you’ll get in Meek’s performance, let’s just say she views her versatility through a pop-culture lens.
“It depends on what the show calls for. I mean, I do a lot of Charlie XCX. That’s my favorite. I do an illusion of her,” Meeks says. “I have some pretty great comedy mixes if the space calls for it. But if anything, my favorite aspect of drag performance is the adrenaline that the crowd can get. So, I try to think of that within the type of performance and the mixes we make.”
As the years have passed, “Drag Race” licensing budget has increased, and you expect to hear pop music or pop dance’s biggest hits among the lip sync songs. Meeks says season 18 was no different. Although there was one track she still can’t believe made the cut.
“Yes, there’s a lot of great, great tracks on the playlist,” Meeks reveals. “There was one song that we were like, ‘There is no way they’re gonna make us do this one.’ Can’t really speak too much more on that. It was like, ‘You’re kidding. Like, this is a joke. This is a joke.’ And then there was a really fast rap song. And that was that one was probably the most stressful to get down.”
Oh, and one last tidbit, Meeks reveals that it took 18 seasons, but everyone on this cast knows how to use a sewing machine. She drops, “I’m confident to say this is the most competent sewing cast the show has had.”
