Meet Beatrix Bella Rouge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Beatrix Bella Rouge.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Beatrix. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I was first exposed to drag in high school through the TV show ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race.’ I remember being so fascinated with the idea of drag and immediately knowing it was meant for me. I played in drag throughout high school and my freshman year of college at the University of Arizona, but it wasn’t until this past year, my sophomore year, that I began to take it seriously and treat it as a career.

This past October, I found an online ad for a local drag show in Tucson which is what really inspired me to go out and get noticed. I went to the show dressed in drag which led to extremely positive responses and a huge boost in my confidence. Going out in drag for the first time was an invigorating and empowering feeling that I will never forget. I was approached by so many people which led me to booking my first couple of performances.

My drag performance debut happened in a coffee shop two weeks later and was without a doubt one of the best nights of my life. I was able to express myself free of any judgment and entertain people at the same time. This show made me want to never stop performing and left me longing to get back in front of a crowd.

After my drag debut, I made sure to perform in shows consistently and continue to share my art with my community. Social media has been a huge asset to my growth, allowing me to reach a wider range of people who enjoy what I do. Not only has social media helped me with promoting myself as a drag queen, but it has given me an opportunity to document my drag journey thus far. I always make sure to record my performances and take pictures of all my different looks.

As someone who has been doing drag for about ten months, I can confidently say that I still have a long ways to go. I hope to one day be on the show that inspired me to start doing drag, ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race,’ and have my drag introduced to people on an international scale. Having so many goals and ambitions for my drag career can sometimes cause me to lose sight of the present moment, but every time I get into drag I’m reminded of how much joy it really brings me. No matter what I’m doing, I always make sure to have fun with my drag and stay true to who I am.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There has definitely been some struggles in the process of starting drag, but nothing discouraging enough to keep me down. One major aspect of drag is the application of makeup, which is a skill that requires a lot of practice. Even after playing in makeup for several years, I still find it somewhat challenging to get my look perfected. I always want to make sure I look as presentable and put together as possible, while also being efficient in my makeup application process. Even though I still run into some setbacks when doing my makeup to this day, I’ve impressed myself with how far my makeup ability has improved over the years.

One other struggle that has been prevalent in my drag journey is continuing to receive bookings. The only way to increase your relevance in the drag industry is to work your way up by continuing to appear in shows and at events. Since this industry is such a social network, it can be very difficult for an up-and-coming queen to be offered enough booking opportunities to remain relevant. I’ve been lucky enough as a new entertainer to have had as many shows as I have since starting drag, so I hope to continue to create a demand for my art and only improve my status in the community as I progress.

We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
As a drag artist, I don’t like to limit myself as far as what I’m capable of creating. Because my career is still in its early stages, I don’t have a whole lot to show for it. A huge part that comes with the job of being a drag queen is paying your dues early on in order to later be rewarded with success. I know that drag has the ability to take me very far in life and is a vessel for many of my aspirations, but for the time being I’m making sure to set up a good reputation for myself as an individual and also a brand.

The majority of my drag experience is attributed to the performance opportunities that I’ve been given for my hard work. I find great inspiration from my music, so when I do perform, it’s usually to a song or artist that I’m very drawn to. I love mixing classic songs from the 70’s and 80’s with newer pop music when drawing inspiration for my numbers. Some of my favorite performances have been to songs by Blondie, Fleetwood Mac, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Lana del Rey.

I would say that I’m most proud of the small but significant impact I’ve had on my local scene. Since I perform primarily in Tucson, I’ve been able to work with and build good relationships with most queens living in the Tucson area. The local entertainers there have been very welcoming to me and allowed me to have a space to share my art with the community. I’ve also had the privilege of working with several queens from the Phoenix area and getting recognition from them has meant so much to me as well. Overall, I’d say I’m the most proud of how I’ve been able to make a name for myself in the short amount of time I’ve been in my local scene.

Something that really sets me apart from other queens is my dance ability. I’ve been training in dance for just under 15 years and I’m currently a dance major at U of A. I think my biggest strength as a performer has been utilizing my dance background in my drag in different ways. I make sure to incorporate high energy dancing into my numbers very frequently, but even when I’m not doing a dance number I still have a strong stage presence and performance quality from my experience on the stage for so many years. Dance is something that I always plan on continuing with, and pairing it with drag gives me the freedom to produce extremely unique and entertaining art.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
In the drag world, many new queens have drag mentors or drag mothers with great experience to guide them and teach them the ways of being a good queen. In present day, however, the internet has changed the way drag is taught, making so much information accessible through YouTube videos and materials available from shopping websites. I am definitely a product of the internet, having so much of my drag knowledge come from online tutorials and such. Because there is an endless supply of drag information available to me through the internet, I’m sure to take advantage of it every chance I get.

Although I don’t have a drag mother or mentor, I always find myself learning from the queens around me. As much as I have learned and benefited from the new drag era of technology, having people give you advice in person is just as, if not, even more valuable than a search engine. Every show I’m booked in gives me a chance to work with a queen who has years more experience than I do, so I’m always receiving valuable knowledge from queens who I look up to so much.

Lastly, the most support I could ever hope to receive has come from my family. Every LGBTQ+ person and drag artist has some reservations when deciding to come out and be their authentic selves, and my family has been nothing but encouraging to me every step of the way. My mom is my biggest cheerleader and has traveled countless times to come watch her son get on stage and do what he loves. If I could give anyone my deepest love and sincerest gratitude for their support, it would be my mom.

Contact Info:

• Email: bookbeatrix@gmail.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/beatrix.rouge/
• Facebook: facebook.com/beatrix.bella.rouge/
• Twitter: twitter.com/beatrix_rouge

Image Credit:
Cassy Hurley, Cailyn Charron & Cheryl Bujold

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