EXCLUSIVE: Drag Race UK’s Divina De Campo opened up to Reality Titbit about the intense pressure of taking part on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and offered advice to the queens heading onto S4.
Divina De Campo originally took part on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S1 in 2019, and she quickly became a fan favourite. She secured one huge fan base and has gone on to curate a large following who has shown her nothing but support since she missed out on the crown at the last hurdle as The Vivienne reigned supreme.
Reality Titbit had the chance to sit down with Divina. We spoke to the Manchester-born queen about life following the show. She also shared some advice to the new queens who are about to enter the Werk Room for Season 4.
“Yes it’s competition, but no it’s not the end of the world”
As RuPaul’s Drag Race UK S4 approaches, we were intrigued to know if Divina had any words of wisdom for the new queens. Their lives are about to change forever as they prepare for the premiere of the highly anticipated season.
“Remember, yes it’s competition, but no it’s not the end of the world,” she said.
“You can go in there and have a great time and have a great career afterwards. The show isn’t as much about the winning as it is about building relationships with an audience. Go in there and be yourself and you will find your audience.
“If you go in there and pretend to be someone else then that’s what they’re expecting forever. That is one thing I was trying to do when I was there. I was totally crazy but I was being me in my crazy moment.
‘Drag Race is a very difficult and pressurised environment’
After RuPaul’s Drag Race S1 came to a triumphant close, fans of the show were quick to express their opinion that they believe Divina should’ve taken the crown home. Her loyal followers preferred her run on the show compared to The Vivienne.
Upon asking Divina about the tension between herself and Viv after the series came to a close she was quick to tell us about how filming created pressure.
“Drag Race is a very difficult and pressurised environment, and I don’t necessarily think it brings the best out in people,” she said.
“You most certainly didn’t see the best of me on that show. It’s like any other reality TV show, you’re tired, you’re hungry, you’re cold. Some of it is engendered to create some drama.”
Divina continued: “After the show, I think it would’ve felt really difficult because so many people were saying I should have won, and I don’t think that.
“I was not surprised I didn’t win, anybody else who was in the room wasn’t surprised either because she was INCREDIBLE. The Vivienne was an absolute machine on that show.”
“I’m really pleased for the success that she’s got, I’m just pushing along doing my own thing and having a great time.”
“Of course I’d be up for All Stars”
Fans are desperate to see her return to screens after making the final two queens in her season.
Divina was quick to tell us she would be more than happy to return to the show to show off her progress to the judges.
“Of course I’d be up for All Stars,” Divina admitted.
“I’ve made no secret of the fact I was absolutely bonkers on season 1. I was surprised I made it through the psych evaluation test, and for anybody that knew me was pretty surprised I made it through the psych evaluation test.
“I’m in a much better place mentally, I would be much more relaxed about it going back in. Not to say I’d be entitled but I would feel less like I have to be perfect.
“That was the issue with season 1. I really felt the pressure to be perfect, and the reality is that is impossible. There is no such thing as perfect.”
“I think Drag Race focuses way too much on pageant style drag”
As Drag Race has already evolved so much for the UK version, fans of the show have shown they are loyal to their favourites but aren’t as devoted to the other contestants.
Upon asking Divina if she believes fans are taking away an element of fun away from the art form she most certainly had a lot to say.
“I think Drag Race focuses way too much on pageant style drag, which isn’t a UK thing to much,” she explained.
“Some of my favourite drag performances have been by people who have been in what we call ‘Bin Bag Drag’. Really cheap wig, really cheap outfit, just hilariously funny. Something that is using your brain rather than just going ‘Oh I’m so beautiful’.
“I think it could be really useful if Drag Race fans could remember that you just see five minutes of this person’s life. So you’re just building up a narrative on who this person is and who you want them to be.”
Divina said: “Don’t be putting your expectations on somebody else, that they should live like this. We’re drag queens and do not for one second think that Drag Race is going to make the best role models, lots of us are not, me included!”
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK returns to screens September 22nd on BBC Three and iPlayer.
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