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- [00:00]
Valentina
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- [00:59]
Monet X Change
My name is Bob the Drag Queen. And I'm Monet X Change. And this is sibling rivalry.
- [01:21]
Valentina
On this episode, we start out by talking about middle school dances.
- [01:26]
Monet X Change
We welcome my beautiful sis Valentina on to talk all about Drag Race Mexico.
- [01:31]
Valentina
And we find out what made Monet say this.
- [01:36]
Monet X Change
The fans still today, they're like, oh, Ger. I'm like, oh, girl, you look fierce in the meet and greet. Somehow you look good. Like, yeah, I'm just feeling my French vanilla fantasy. I'm like, I love it. More Valentina lingo. And we find out what made Valentina say this.
- [01:49]
Valentina
I'm totally fine saying, oh, mother or, you know, the mother of drag. But. But now get me saying, Ah. Ahel. RuPaul. That's definitely interesting.
- [02:01]
Monet X Change
Oh, my goodness. Sibling rivalry. Mother tucking listeners, y' all are in for a treat. Because the true honestly, I call you the queen of Drag Race. Cause there is so much folklore about Valentina. And I am so happy, y'. All. We have Valentina for civic rivalry. Hey, girl.
- [02:24]
Valentina
And the crowd roars. I am so good. I'm doing good. Oh, thank you so much. I'm so excited to be here with you. I'm doing good because I'm really happy to be here. I got a DM from Bob being like, hey, what's the tea? I need you to do me a favor. I was like, okay, girl, let me show up. And here I am in Bob's studio.
- [02:50]
Monet X Change
In the studio in his lovely apartment up in. Well, let me not dox Monet. You can't say where I live, but yeah. So, Valentina, I remember the first time I met you. It was the middle of season 10, and Shangela and Bunny were co hosting or something, worked the world, and one of them got sick, so they called me to sub host, work the world. And then I was like, oh, my God, I'm gonna meet. Cause I had met Violet before, but I hadn't met, you know, and two other people on the tour. I was, like, so excited. And then when I met you, I can honestly say, y', all, Valentina was the nicest fucking person to me on that tour. Valentina was like, my love, do you need any help figuring out a choreo, like, where you go and stuff? Cause Brandon just threw me into the tour. I was just like, okay. I had no idea what the fuck I was doing. And Valentina was helping me figure out the show because Brandon Voss did not. So thank you from the bottom of my heart. Never told you. Thank you for that.
- [03:42]
Valentina
Oh, you're welcome, Yaman. You know where all that came from?
- [03:46]
Monet X Change
What?
- [03:46]
Valentina
That all came from a place of just being like, oh, my God, let me help her. Because it happened once to me before, too. I was in. In. I was still on. Season nine was still on, and I was somehow in New York. They invited me to go do show, work the world somewhere in Canada. And these were, like, the glory days where the lineup was, like, Willem and Alyssa and Bob, like, Alaska. Like, these were all the people. Shangela, they were all there. Detox, like, this was like this. Like, these queens. And I was like, I'm not gonna miss the opportunity to, like, insert myself. Even if I didn't have the experience, even if I didn't have the number or the dancers or all, that's how I felt.
- [04:35]
Monet X Change
I was like, I have to do this. I can't say no.
- [04:37]
Valentina
Let me jump on board. And I went. It was so chaotic because the show already had its flow. The girls had their numbers with their graphics and their costumes and their dancers, and they knew what they were doing. They had their experience. And there I was, just plugging myself in, like, with my one little. With my one little, like, shake, shake, and go wig out my bag, like, throwing an outfit on, like, telling the dj, just push play and let me just flutter around.
- [05:07]
Monet X Change
Yes.
- [05:08]
Valentina
You know, do my number. And definitely I. I was very lost, like, with the group numbers and everything. And so I was like, when you came around, I was like, let me not let this girl feel what I felt.
- [05:20]
Monet X Change
I appreciate it.
- [05:21]
Valentina
Everybody was lovely, and everybody was Nice. It's just everything was moving so fast that I was like. I was like. When you came around, I was like, oh, my God. Like, she's gonna. She's like, I have to help her. Like, let me help her because this, like, I know what it feels like. So. And. But was that the first time we met? Because I think. I think I did a gig. Didn't I do a gig in New York with Aja, where it was like, in a basement, and then we were like, trapped in like, the refrigerator, like the freezer for a moment, and I was like, fully having, like a meltdown. Wouldn't that be the first time?
- [05:59]
Monet X Change
I don't think that was. I worked that gig, but I wasn't there that night. That was when you. I think both of y' all did Monster. Y' all did look queen at Monster, I think. And that's in the basement. And like, you had to go through, like, the secret, like, little back door thing. I. Girl, I cannot believe.
- [06:13]
Valentina
Were you there?
- [06:15]
Monet X Change
I wasn't there that night. I don't know why I wasn't there. I don't know why I wasn't there. But. Yeah, but I. But. But that fucking gig. Let me tell y', all, I am so grateful for. I mean, all of us, right, we're all grateful for the gigs that happened before Drag Race. And honestly, some of them that are still that post Drag Race, but some of these gigs, I look back, I'm like, I cannot believe I did shit like that. Like standing in a muddy, roach filled basement in a freezer, trying to stay cool. Cause you're melting because it's summer and you're going in. Then you have to pop out on stage and act like none of that happened. And give the children a fierce performance because if you don't, they're gonna go on Reddit or talk about you on Instagram. Like, I cannot believe that. So it's like you're in a rock caught between a rock and a hard place, trying to do the best you got. Trying to do the best with what you got. But it is what it.
- [07:03]
Valentina
Yeah, it was definitely one of those shows where I was like, out of my. Out of my, my environment. Like, I was never used to like, like my, my. My lace popping up or like my, my eyelash falling off of my face or like my eyebrows like, coming down and like, with like, you know, the cottage cheese texture of like my then blocked eyebrow was like lifting. And, you know, I just never experienced that. So, you know, being in the basement of New York and, like, performing where you felt, like, literally, like, you know, when you, like, go up to, like, like, glass or a window, and you go. And then it's like, those were the walls. Those were the walls. And then after the show, I go into, like, the. What? It's a huge, like, freezer refrigerator. And I just sit there and just, like, unleash my wrath of, like, why is this happening? You know, in the early, humble beginnings of my drag career, it was definitely fun. I remember I have. I even have an instance, like, where I can remember that happened to me. And very few times, like, it hasn't happened that much, but one other time it happened was in Honolulu at Scarlet
- [08:21]
Monet X Change
Scarlet, the hottest club in America.
- [08:23]
Valentina
I went there, and I don't think I'll ever be invited back. I had a really big tantrum.
- [08:30]
Monet X Change
Valentina is not exaggerating. This club feels like it is 9,000 degrees. They kind of try to. They try to put some ACs in, but they're kind of pumping in hot air. Like, it's so hot. The walls are just sweating with condensation.
- [08:45]
Valentina
They were so kind to me, and the audience was amazing. And the whole experience. Experience was. Was amazing. It's just that I'd never experienced that. And I totally, like, had a tantrum, and I probably will never go back because of it. But it was. It was a pretty funny tantrum. Like, I'm pretty sure, like, time has passed. Like, you know, I heard now that they have a lovely air conditioning unit
- [09:14]
Monet X Change
in the dressing room because of you. You made that happen for us, Valentina. Thank you.
- [09:21]
Valentina
And, you know, hopefully, maybe one day I'll get invited back to Hawaii and Honolulu. Like, I feel really bad. Like, let me just take this moment to say, like, I am so sorry for having had that tantrum. Please forgive me. If ever I can go back to Honolulu, I promise I won't be that way. Like, I've learned and I've grown.
- [09:39]
Monet X Change
You know, there is a thin line. Because here's the thing is sometimes, right, I go out to do a gig, and they meet me, and, like, sometimes stuff is not up to par, or I just, like, let it slide. And then they always like, oh, my God, you're so easy to work with. And I'm like, well, maybe I should be more demanding. Maybe I should, like, speak up more when. Like, when stuff isn't okay. Because if you're coming back to me telling me, oh, this thing wasn't okay, and this was a mess, and da, da, da, da. But you're just. You're just so you're so easy to work with. I'm like, no. I tell me and Patty, my sister, we talk. I'm like, I need to be more like, this is not okay. Fix this thing. I mean, there are some things that I do that when it's really out of control, I'm like, absolutely not. But most things I kind of, like, let slide, and I kind of kick myself in the ass. I'm like, I should speak up more and say, like, no, that's not okay. Like, fix this problem. I need to be more like you.
- [10:25]
Valentina
Well, no, I mean, honestly, like, I think a lot of, like, my behavior in the past had a lot to do with the fact that I was, like, starving myself. Like, I was not eating back in those times. Like, I remember back in that day, I was doing this whole, like, not eating, which I'm not proud of, and, like, tanning beds and being as tan as possible, have my teeth be as white as possible. Like, that's what I was going for. And the kind of travel that I had would be causing for me to only ever eat, like, Starbucks at the airport.
- [10:58]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [10:58]
Valentina
Or, or, or fast food was being offered to me at three in the morning. And so I definitely think, like, like, my mental health was not in a place where I'd probably be treating people very nice because I wasn't very, doing a very good job taking care of myself. And so, like, you know, there's a lot of things that I've learned since then. And now, now I'm like, oh, my goodness. Like, now I have, like, an entire, like, infrastructure of how and when I eat and how I travel and how I ingest my food and what I do eat and how I prioritize that even contractually, you know, before I was just floating around, no assistant, doing things like shaking out the same wig and hoping that, you know, I could just spray away all the flyaways and, you know, smile real big and nobody would know that my mental health wasn't doing well.
- [11:48]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [11:49]
Valentina
I think now it's, like, navigating, getting through these things in a way where it's like, I have a team, and I'm, I'm, I've grown and I've learned things. And, you know, there are certain environments that I, I, I want to enter now, like, in this, in this place versus where I was at back then. And like, you said, like, you want, you want to put your foot down and, like, like, express more of what your needs and wants are. But you're great, babe. Like, you're you're amazing. You're such an inspiration, such a professional. Like, your personality and, you know, being from New York is taking you so far. That, like, work ethic that you have, you, you know, is. And, you know, I've always admired, like, your personality and how you've persevered. Like, you and Bob having the show is so incredible. Like, I have so many friends that they tune into this show and they say that this is, like, the most entertaining show out of Drag Race, you know.
- [12:50]
Monet X Change
Thank you. Thank you. You. You know, so I do want to. So going back to doing. Going back just a little bit. So there was this whole. And I want to, like, because I never asked you about this, and again, we can cut this out if you don't like this, but, like, when the whole red Eminem thing came out, people swore, valentina is a red Eminem girl. She is the one, like, you got villainized for this thing. Come to find out, I've heard through the grapevine that it's not even true.
- [13:17]
Valentina
Well, you know, it's. It's. It's so. It's such a complex scenario. I mean, the play Nashville, right? We've all been, you know, all been to Play Nashville.
- [13:31]
Monet X Change
That's the girl that. Just, like that big white wall and the queens. Yeah, you've. You've seen it. You've seen on Instagram, you know, and
- [13:38]
Valentina
at the time, you know, they'd just gone through the previous season, and then they were now going through season nine girls. You know, the. The way that that play works is that they have their cast. They're all professionals. A lot of them adhere by the rules of the pageant system. And there are casts where they have very strict structure. And I think a lot of us Drag Race girls came around with our demands and our careers and our. And, you know, building. Building from what the chaos of our life was, which was different from, I think, what the cast was. Would be going through at play. And we were coming through with. With our. Our diva antics and our. And our demands, and each person is very different, right? So by the. By the time that Eminem's happen, so, like, the girls from season nine, we'd already come through play. Each one of us having something monstrous about our. Our. Our demands or diva antics. Like, none of us are innocent. Like, we all have something where we're like, okay, like, I'm going to need this. You know? And then they're gonna respond like, damn, this bitch is the fucking diva. Who the fuck does she think she is? Right?
- [14:56]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [14:57]
Valentina
Which I Think it's, it's, it's cool. But, like, with the complaints that were going on were not just mine. Like, it involved, like, piece. Pieces of many other people's experience.
- [15:09]
Monet X Change
Yeah, I should have my writer. It's crazy to me when I had stuff from my writer that they. Because y' all don't know this. So not just drag queens. All performers have writer writers. Right. Saucy Santana had the whole thing that blew up recently. Like, every performer does the things that you need in the town that contractually, the venues, clubs, theaters, whoever, they're contractually bound to. And when they agree to bring you on, they're agreeing to provide you with those things. So contractually, if I have certain things in my rider, if they don't have certain things, contractually, I can say I'm not performing and you still have to pay me. Like, technically, we can do that, because as a performer, it is our right to have these things. It's not being a diva. Like, they agree to provide these things. And there have been two situations where Patty and I have had to leave a gig because they did not provide things on my writer that I need for the show.
- [15:56]
Valentina
Monet. The reality is, it's, like, it's so unglamorous to tell you this, but literally on my writer is paper towels. Towels, water, a table, proper lighting. That's it. Like it. I have a simple writer. The thing that I did request is like, oh, baby, I'm not doing no meet and greet after the show. And I'm sweating. Honestly, I kind of think I might be the pioneer of that in the Drag Race.
- [16:22]
Monet X Change
Thank God you are.
- [16:24]
Valentina
Because, like, I, I, I came through with that. And they were like, you know, that's where I was a diva and that, that's where I changed things up, you know, And I, I changed up things for the entire cast and how they do things there. And, you know, I kind of, like, regret it now. And I need to resp, like, now, now, now. I know. And I, I'm, I know and I'm aware of things. And if I could be guilty of anything, it was that I changed the meet and gre. Right?
- [16:48]
Monet X Change
And so, like, wake Val. We gotta take a short little intermission and tell us more about the meet and greets, because, honestly, I personally am grateful for that. I love that. It changed my life.
- [17:04]
Valentina
Close your eyes. Exhale. Feel your body relax, and let go of whatever you're carrying today while I'm letting go of the. That I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class, I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh, my gosh, they're so fast. And breathe. Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order. 1-800-contacts.
- [17:34]
Monet X Change
And we are back. Yeah. So, yeah, I do all of my meet and greets before the show, y'. All. You do not want a picture of me after the show. I am oily. My hair is not like what it was. Like, you do not want a picture with me personally. Also, I am a sweaty queen. There are a lot of queens that stay temperate. I get out there and I talk for five minutes and I am sweaty. I just don't want to see pictures like that. So if you are the pioneer of that girl, thank you for the pre show meet and greet.
- [18:08]
Valentina
Absolutely. Like, it's. It's something where it's like the makeup is fresh, the energy is. Is there, you know, like, you just put the heel on, you know, so might as well present towards your fans, you know, the best version of yourself versus the raggedy, like, falling apart. Like, like, I just threw my back out, you know, not, not, not that I dance like that, but, but, but,
- [18:39]
Monet X Change
yeah, like, you buck our lip sync, Val. You were bucking, girl. You destroyed me on that lip sync and you did. You did. When you started doing the chicken head, I was, I was watching you. I was like, oh, my God, she is tearing it up on stage. You it up.
- [18:56]
Valentina
Wow. I'm. I am. I am so, so, like, I'm so happy that we get to talk about this right now because I don't think we've ever had a conversation about this.
- [19:06]
Monet X Change
We never have. We never have. But you fucking killed it, girl. Like, I, I, I, I. You murdered me in the lipstick. Like, it's watching it back because, you know, you. You get this too. They tag us in this stuff periodically. And you like. And I was like, oh, let me watch this again. And I'm like, yeah, no crumbs she ate.
- [19:21]
Valentina
I'm, I am so, like, in love with that. Having been like, my story arc, like another Ariana Grande song. Like, it just had my name all over it. And I was just like, yeah, is this a setup? I like it. And this is the moment. This is a moment. This is a moment. And I'm just, like, so, like, I had, like, prepared to lip sync for my life in my hotel room with all my might. I wanted to out of. I wanted to, like, be in the moment. I wanted to be really present. But I did know that I had to, out of nowhere, pull out all the tricks and antics, because I'd seen it on season nine, and I'd seen it from the one and only Peppermint, and I saw it from Peppermint. I said, you know, I knew what a good lip sync was, and you just have to go full all out with the moves that, you know, people like. It's going to get the crowd or it's going to get RuPaul and it's going to get everybody.
- [20:26]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [20:26]
Valentina
And then I've seen, like, Peppermint, like, start to do, like, the Running man out of nowhere, and it was automatically like, it was. That was. That was a hit, right?
- [20:37]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [20:38]
Valentina
So I was like, I need my version of that. What am I going to do? And then I was like, let me take it back to middle school, girl. And this is where I'm going to. This is where I'm going to literally date myself. But, you know, in middle school, at the middle school dance, I went to school here in Hollywood, and I had friends of all walks of life. But at the time, it was like the Wobble, the Chicken Head, the. The Crip Walk, the Clown walk, the. The Sea Walk, the. The Harlem Shake, the. The show, like, all those moves that were being done. And then reggaeton, like. Like, I think Gasolina had just come out. And it was in my middle school. In my middle school, it was full chaos because there was not enough faculty to separate all the young children humping each other to grinding.
- [21:33]
Monet X Change
Girl, they were grinding like that. Are kids still dancing like that in school?
- [21:37]
Valentina
They probably are. They were grinding and they were macking, and they were making out.
- [21:42]
Monet X Change
What's macking?
- [21:42]
Valentina
Macking is when they would be kissing.
- [21:45]
Monet X Change
Oh, got it.
- [21:45]
Valentina
And the children were going at it. And there was not enough faculty to separate these children from feeling their fantasy to Gasolina. But there, you know, I. I learned how to do the Harlem shake the Wobble, you know, all these moves, and I was like, you know what? Out of nowhere, I pulled out those moves, and they're very chaotic.
- [22:07]
Monet X Change
No, but it worked.
- [22:08]
Valentina
They're very chaotic, but they came from a place of, like, I have to pull out every trick possible to win this.
- [22:14]
Monet X Change
You killed. You killed. You killed.
- [22:16]
Valentina
And. But, you know, in that moment, I was just like, I'm gonna give it my all, and I'm gonna be like, I'm just gonna go, ham. I'm just gonna go ham. And I think that was the moment to go. I mean, not aside from the fact that I started spinning psychotically out of nowhere. I don't know where. I don't know where that came from. I really don't know where that came from. But people have told me jokes that, like, it reminds him of like those toys in the 90s where, like, you pull the string.
- [22:44]
Monet X Change
Oh, my God, the fucking. Then they turn around.
- [22:50]
Valentina
But, but definitely that was a moment for, for us on, on All Stars. Like, maybe we should talk about All Stars because there's a lot of All Stars. I don't even remember.
- [23:01]
Monet X Change
Like, I don't either. I really don't either. I remember walking in. I remember when everyone came in and I like size. I was like, when I saw the entire cast, my first thought was, this is going to be a good fucking season. It was great. Fucking Queens. It was you, me, Naomi Smalls, Latrice, Trinity, all these really fierce ass fucking queens. I was like, this is going to be a good season, so at least we're not going to be a shitty long season one. I was like, I know this cast of girls is going to be fierce. And I think in my opinion, maybe I'm biased. I think All Stars 4 stands up as one of the best All Star seasons so far. Like, I think season two is All Stars to USOP. And I think we're like an All Stars 7 and we're like third in my humble opinion. I really do.
- [23:50]
Valentina
You do?
- [23:51]
Monet X Change
Yes. You don't think so?
- [23:53]
Valentina
I think any season I've been on is the most sickening. But that's just how I navigate my alternate reality. But I definitely think that season two is incredible. I think season one is. It's a great cast. It's just, you know, they hadn't really found out, like, yeah. What was like, just putting people in teams already. I'm like, girl. Like, girl. No, I wanted, I wanted to see a Tammy Brown defend Tammy Brown. Not have to Tammy Brown and Nina. Yeah, Flowers. Like, I wanted to see Flowers fully, like, revamp themselves. But then they had to be put in groups. That, that, that was the thing that I was just kind of like, oh, my God. As if you were. And as the fan, I was just kind of like, confused by. But then you get to All Stars 4 with us and girl, like, if you tune into those interviews that we were doing, they're a mess.
- [24:51]
Monet X Change
Are they?
- [24:52]
Valentina
Why? Like, what was that interview we did with Carson Kressley?
- [24:56]
Monet X Change
We did an interview with him.
- [24:58]
Valentina
I don't remember. Yeah, and there was like, a lot of star power in that interview. There's, like, a lot of big personalities. There is. There is this interview we did where it was like, like, I mean, as
- [25:12]
Monet X Change
like, on the show or press?
- [25:14]
Valentina
The press on the press.
- [25:16]
Monet X Change
Oh, the press. That's what you're saying. Got you. Gotcha.
- [25:18]
Valentina
And I think it's. It's in those moments, like, you're able to see, like, the full. Full, like, potential of a cast and the star power and, like, just having, like, Gia there without her drama, controversy.
- [25:30]
Monet X Change
So good. I wish she stayed longer. I'm so mad she got eliminated when she did. I wish she stayed longer. Gia, again, G and I, we've had our own online whatever. Gia is so entertaining for me to watch on tv. I'm obsessed watching her on tv. I wish she stayed longer.
- [25:44]
Valentina
Yeah, she's a great villain, isn't she?
- [25:50]
Monet X Change
Jacob, what happened?
- [25:51]
Valentina
I have two questions. So the Build series interview with Carson, there was that one moment where he was asking about RuPaul's looks in the Runway, and Farrah was like, aren't they all the same? Do you remember that?
- [26:03]
Monet X Change
No. That was one of the iconic moments in the build.
- [26:06]
Valentina
Farah is like, yeah, but aren't all of her looks the same? I think it was Farrah and everyone gagged.
- [26:11]
Monet X Change
And then the one with someone said something about Naomi, and Naomi said, blue eyes, blonde hair, and we were all, like.
- [26:19]
Valentina
We were all gagged. We were all gagged. We were all. And then there are conspiracy theories about who is singing in the promo, who's saying all hail RuPaul and who is not in the austere first promo. Oh, my God. Have we have. Has that even. Even be been spoken of?
- [26:41]
Monet X Change
We're speaking about it right now.
- [26:43]
Valentina
Oh, my God.
- [26:45]
Monet X Change
So we do the promo in New York City, and there's also about the promo. They're like, Valentina took 12 hours to get ready. It's like, that's.
- [26:57]
Valentina
That's true. But we did all go in order, and there were 12. How many of us were there?
- [27:04]
Monet X Change
There were 10 of us.
- [27:05]
Valentina
Yeah. And I just was like, you know what? Just, Just, you know, you guys all have fun. Just let all the other girls go first, and then I'll go last and everything will work out fine.
- [27:16]
Monet X Change
So, y', all, Valentina, what time did you get? Valentina probably got there like 8. 8am I don't think you did yours until like, 5 or like 6 o' clock in the afternoon. Valentina, how can do you enjoy taking that long to get ready? To me, I would be exhausted.
- [27:32]
Valentina
I love It, I mean, I love it. I mean when I first started like constructing and creating Valentina, it was like, like, okay, like practice the perfect eyebrow covering, you know, and then so I would spend hours just doing that and so like in so detail oriented. And then it would be like, move on, I'm gonna learn how to contour my nose. And then I would practice that for hours. So it's like though. And then I would practice in a tiny little mirror, like a tiny, tiny, tiny. So I'm just a very detail oriented person. I want, I want people to consider me beautiful up close, you know, Word.
- [28:09]
Monet X Change
And we do.
- [28:10]
Valentina
Which is not, which is not very common for a drag queen. Like, drag queens are like beautiful from afar, you know, beautiful from afar with the spotlight. Like if your eyes, you go, oh my God, she looks like, she looks really pretty, you know. But you know, with drag it's always kind of like, don't come too close, girl. Like, because then you're going to reveal a lot of our secrets. But I've always wanted to be that drag queen, like, because like doing drag in general, like going drag to see drag shows, like I'd always get like, collect a dollar from Raven really slowly and like study her makeup. And I always found it really fascinating that she would take her time to be seen, you know. And so I've always taken a long time to get ready because I want people to experience that up close experience of drag as well. I mean that's just how I, I build my, my brand. That's how I enjoy doing my makeup. That's part of what makes me Valentina, I suppose, is that I really enjoy the process. And the process is long actually. I'm usually the first person to wake up and the last person to go to sleep in general for everything in my life work. And it's been like that since I was like 11 years old. I've been waking.
- [29:35]
Monet X Change
I would love to be 11 year old Valentina. I would, I would die to meet 11 year old Valentina.
- [29:39]
Valentina
I was waking up at 4:30am every day to go to performing arts school in Hollywood. 4:30. Oh, wow. Sometimes going to sleep at 11, 12, had homework, had rehearsals, and it was that sacrifice that I would make to go to performing arts school. So like, I've always been in this kind of like process of like waking up super early and making sacrifices for my life to, to see this is what I mean.
- [30:05]
Monet X Change
So like when people see people like Valentin, like myself, whoever, and they're like, this is lucky. And they got on drag Race. And that's why they're like, no, like the fucking 10. Because they talk about these artists doing 10,000 hours, 10,000 hours of anything to like, to, to, to, to arrive at your craft, right? That goes into that. 10,000 hours is your whole high school career. Waking up at that time in the morning, going to rehearsals, doing the show. Like, all that has contributed to the art is that y' all see today. So when you see, oh, she just got lucky and she got on Drag Race. That's why she's famous. No, bitch. It is a long time coming. It is a long time of like working things out and sacrificing to get to these points that we have gotten in our careers, which I think is very fab. And I love that. I love that part of artistry. Like, I went to art school in Manhattan and like I was always in rehearsals when people were on spring break. I was doing choir tours like on a shitty yellow cheesebuzz, driving up and down the east coast, sitting up straight for overnight so we get to the next city. Like all that contributes to the artistry dwelling.
- [31:04]
Valentina
Wow, I didn't know that. How was that experience for you?
- [31:09]
Monet X Change
It was good. I love like, I think that's where I found like my love for like classical music. Cause we did like lots of anthems and spirituals. And that's how I like discovered that I liked singing differently because, you know, spirituals and stuff, they're not, they're very adjacent to classical music. And that's where I found my love for that first. And that's why I went into that, into college. And so I'm really grateful for those experiences that taught me about this new type of music that all my friends thought were, was corny and not cool, but I was like, I like it. And then, you know, now it's come full circle in my career again, where I'm doing stuff with orchestras and symphonies. I'm, I'm doing classical music now again. It's kind of, it's kind of wild.
- [31:50]
Valentina
Yeah, it's the, the humble beginnings that, you know, connecting with that inner child or just like kind of coming full circle, you know, with your life. It's those things, those, those challenges that, you know, that they make, they make part of, of, of your success. Right? Like, I definitely know that like can tolerate all the ins and outs and the madness of this industry because I was that dedicated 11 year old that was waking up at 4:30am to go and make these things happen for myself. So it's definitely a blessing right to have those.
- [32:30]
Monet X Change
Yeah. Let's take a little break. We going to talk about that promo again? Because I, I, I, Valentina thought we gonna go back to. So we're back. So we're on set for this promo, and it's the shot, y', all, at the end of the promo when they see all of us on all of, all 10 of us together. And then it was. Cause our season randomly was airing during Christmas. Like, we started, like, early December, our season airing. So it was like this whole winter, like, Christmas kind of theme promo. And there's a line that we had to sing all hail RuPaul. But some girls were like, absolutely not. I'm not saying that. I'm not saying all hail RuPaul. That is demonic. I will not be saying that. And I was like, whatever. Like, I said it. I know I don't remember who said or who did it. I think I remember. I don't know if I'm making it up. Some people who didn't. But I want to speak on other people's experiences. I can say for me, I did sing it. I didn't think it was weird.
- [33:29]
Valentina
I mean, I definitely find it really interesting. And I definitely find it something that is very combative for lots of people. There's a lot of different people from many different walks of life that maybe that won't set well with most people. You know, there's people of different religions that practice chance and prayer and whatever, whatever it is. And to say, ahel, RuPaul, like, I'm, I'm totally fine saying, oh, mother, or, you know, the mother of drag. But now get me saying, that's definitely interesting. That's definitely interesting. Like, whether I'm for it, whether I'm against it, it's interesting as a standing alone, like, piece. You know, if you put her in the center of the room and you tell some, you make a bunch of people like, are you going to say this? It's definitely going to be a controversial topic, right?
- [34:27]
Monet X Change
For sure.
- [34:28]
Valentina
And in that moment, it was our job to do whatever they said. But, but, you know, I mean, it, it's funny. I think it's silly. I think it's so silly. And at the end of the day, like, we experienced it, we lived it, and, oh, well, like, it's silly. It's just, you know, move on. But back. But back to being on set all day, like, it wasn't like people were sitting around waiting for me. It was just like, well, there's this many of us, then I might as well Luxuriate and take my time. Yeah, but it was, it was really fun. I think it was really cool how we all brought our outfits together doing those promo shoots. It's always really long hours, but it's, it's. It's those moments where we actually get to all be together as a cast and we get to produce work without competing, and we kind of get to be in each other's. In each other's realm to be able to help each other without being in a competitive mode. I think those, those moments I really cherish, like when we have to, you know, be in a position where we're like, damn, this picture is just going to be the picture that everybody uses for forever. Two years for every fucking flyer that I go to. So this picture better be correct, you know, so, yeah, I mean, and now,
- [35:52]
Monet X Change
bitch, you're hosting your own fucking franchise. Like, I mean, that is the ultimate flex to me. The ultimate serve to a show that you were on to, now hosting your own fucking franchise. I mean, I remember when they were talking about that drag, you know. Cause you always hear, like, rumblings of, oh, they're gonna do Drag Race Mexico next. And like, okay. And we're like. And I mean, among especially RU girls. And I think the fans too, were like, the obvious person would be Valentino. Like, if Valentina is not hosting it, it would be wild.
- [36:22]
Valentina
Oh, my goodness. I know. It's so exciting. Have you seen it? Have you tuned in to season one?
- [36:28]
Monet X Change
I watched the first two episodes.
- [36:29]
Valentina
Okay.
- [36:30]
Monet X Change
I watched the first two episodes, but because Bob and I watched. We watch the regular season for Drag Race. I need. And we just finished all All Stars. Whatever, whatever. This is finished. So we give ourselves a break before we drive back in again because we have to dive back into regular season on December 10th. So I think we might. Maybe we can do it for Watcher. We will watch all of your watcher and talk about it.
- [36:50]
Valentina
Oh, my God, yes, please. I mean, I. It's. It's a, It's a body of work that I'm really, really proud of. It's. I had an amazing team putting me together that I.
- [37:03]
Monet X Change
The looks. Yeah, the looks.
- [37:05]
Valentina
I really appreciate their, Their, their art and their talent because without them, I wouldn't be able to deliver my lines, which. Which was a big challenge for me entering the Spanish speaking world. Yeah. As a host. Fully in Spanish. That was a big challenge for me as a Chicana. You know, I'm. I'm born in California and I'm now taking this position to, to host or co Host, rather, with Lolita Banana.
- [37:35]
Monet X Change
Yes.
- [37:37]
Valentina
Co host. And we, we have such a chemistry, and we, we built our, Our relationship before everything happened. We were out there in, in London and in Paris building, Building a chemistry and building what you guys could see on tv, which is a really beautiful relationship that we do have, because we really wanted to go into all of this having that chemistry and having that ability to be on set and to be holding each other's hand, like, underneath the table, making sure that we held each other up, you know?
- [38:10]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [38:10]
Valentina
Catched each other in a moment of. Of opportunity, you know? So, yeah, I'm very proud of it. And I, I, I definitely want everybody to tune in. You know, I, I really loved having, having done it. I loved having been a part of pop culture, queer culture for Mexico, which is something that I've been working on for, like, seven years now. It's building my name in Mexico and in Spanish. So, very, very grateful for the opportunity. And I use this platform with you to even congratulate our. Our winners. We have three winners. We have our winner of the show, season one.
- [38:54]
Monet X Change
I'm gonna do this. I don't want to spoilers. I want to watch this. Go ahead.
- [38:56]
Valentina
Oh, okay. We have.
- [38:57]
Monet X Change
No, no, go ahead.
- [38:58]
Valentina
Our winner, Cristian Peralta. And we have our Miss Congeniality Lady Ghetto. And we have the first official fan favorite of the franchise. It was a fan favorite award given by Tick Tock to Matraka. So I congratulate my girls, and I wish them all the best of luck. And to all my girls from season one, my historical first season of Drag Race Mexico, I love them with all my heart. Thank you so much to those girls for having contributed their love and their. Their art with us. And I really do hope that you tune in and watch the rest of the episodes. Monet.
- [39:37]
Monet X Change
Well, you know, you know, Bob and I, we did a. We did a Spanish speaking teleprompter challenge, and I bodied it. I did way better than the Bob. So if you guys are ever looking for a Miss Congeniality correspondent, I would love to tune in and give some words of encouragement to the. To the girls next season.
- [39:55]
Valentina
Oh, absolutely. You're definitely a lot more congenial than I am, huh? Like, and let's talk about that, because I was given a Miss Congeniality award in private on a closed set with no fans, and I was supposed to be grateful for it. And usually because Miss Congeniality is given in front of a live audience, it's always been you when you get you you were able to receive the applause of the people that were there. A lot of these girls that have won Miss Congeniality, they. They get the applause from the people that gave it to them and the people that are there. I would like for everybody to consider that my Miss Congeniality was given to me the day after we recorded the live audience taping, and I had a very long standing ovation, and then was announced as Miss Congeniality on a closed set with all these girls. And it was a show within a show.
- [41:08]
Monet X Change
Oh, girl season. That reunion is so good. It's so good.
- [41:12]
Valentina
And so then. So then I Miss Congeniality or fan favorite, and.
- [41:19]
Monet X Change
Or.
- [41:19]
Valentina
And fan favorite. And then, you know, I had to go and do my reign as a Miss Congeniality, and to be like, this is a responsibility, right?
- [41:32]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [41:33]
Valentina
And then once. Once my year was over, I was like, I'm going to denounce this. I'm the fan favorite work. And so, you know, that's definitely interesting. But now there's a fan favorite award. Girl, now there's an official fan favorite award.
- [41:51]
Monet X Change
Another. Again, Another door Valentina has opened for the Drag Race multiverse.
- [41:58]
Valentina
Well, I really love it. I love that drag is in its golden era. Like, we are literally in the golden era of drag and in the golden era of television in general.
- [42:11]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [42:12]
Valentina
And the way that the two have merged and taken, like, center stage for queerness, it's awesome. It's super amazing. I'm just hoping that drag really starts to broaden so much more, so that we, like, give so much more opportunity to the. To. To everybody else in our community. You know, the drag kings, like, it's their time. Like, can we. Can we, like, highlight that now? You know? Like, yeah, right.
- [42:40]
Monet X Change
Like, do we think. Do we think that the era is gonna, like, are we afraid that it's gonna, like, close soon? Like, are we in, like, the peak and then we're gonna see decline? I'm like, no, because in my opinion, I hope not, because I feel like there's so much more that we can offer. Art and TV and film, people just take more time to understand our creativity and our fucking entertainment prowess. I think there's so much more. I'm hoping that we're not peaking. I'm hoping that we. That this goes longer, people see more of it and make us a part of more things. I really hope so.
- [43:16]
Valentina
I really do hope so, too. But, you know, whatever goes up must come down.
- [43:21]
Monet X Change
I know.
- [43:21]
Valentina
And, like, it's. It's. It's our responsibility to Take everything forward with our careers. And, you know, both you and I, we've gone and ventured in separate ways in separate directions. And you know what our contributions are. It's like if we're all this huge circle coming in and we all kind of bring together this. We're like these drag superheroes that are kind of like broadening and opening doors for. For everybody behind us. And I think it's. It's really awesome. I'm really honored to have that. That caliber of opportunity and platform, like Drag Race in Mexico to do that. And it's. It's really awesome. I definitely love being present right now and living in the moment and living in the golden era of drag in the moment is something that I really am enjoying and I really do appreciate in the moment.
- [44:23]
Monet X Change
I'm trying to do that more. Be in the moment. I think sometimes I obsess and think, trying to even, like, day to day stuff like gigs, I'm like, thinking about, like, what's next? I'm like, no, bitch, just take in this moment. Like, I just did this show last night in Chicago, my one show. I'm like, I should take that and not worry about the tour that I want to do with it next. I need to fucking savor the moment more. More. Thank you for saying that. I'm gonna make myself do that more. Savor the flavor, be in the moment. Just enjoy the thing happening right now. Y' all too. Listening to this, do that. It's very important.
- [44:53]
Valentina
Yeah. And enjoy. Enjoy all the drag you guys are seeing on television right now. It wasn't always this way. And.
- [44:59]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [45:00]
Valentina
And I think a lot of people like to complain about, I didn't like this or I didn't like that. I'm like, you, we are in a place where we have it, enjoy it.
- [45:10]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [45:10]
Valentina
You know, so I. I definitely think being present in the golden era and having contributed or been a part of it is such an honor and such a treat. Such a treat.
- [45:23]
Monet X Change
I mean, but I want to know, like, what are you up to lately? Like, what have you been up to, girl?
- [45:27]
Valentina
Well, right now I am in full recovery, healing mode from an injury. Oh. I was hard at work in, in Mexico City. I was promoting Drag Race and I was preparing a performance at. For Mexico City at the Socalo, like in the center of all of Mexico City. So I had, like, I had promotion all day, and then I would go rehearse all night for like three weeks. And so being in my heels for everything, for all of it, and then the hours of rehearsal Like, I injured my foot, and so I was diagnosed with bursitis.
- [46:07]
Monet X Change
What the hell is that?
- [46:08]
Valentina
Bursitis is, like, inflammation of, like, a joint. Like, you get fluid, like, between, like, two. Two bones, like, in the cartilage with ligaments so that they don't touch together. And be being that I'm fully elevated in a six inch heel doing my choreography. Like, I never wear, like, a little chicken nugget heel or a little Capezio heel that you could put point your foot in. Like, I've always worn, like, a stiletto. Like a real. Yeah, real stiletto. And I've performed Sinead Chassade in a stiletto. Okay. So after so much rehearsal, I ended up causing, like, an injury. So I've been recovering and the doctor told me, like, to be off of my feet for three weeks. So I've been recovering from that. That's been very hard on me because it's like, you know, I'm taking a break. I took my nails off, not wearing heels. Like, I haven't been exercising, so that's definitely been interesting. But it's been really nice because I've been cuddled up with my cat. Monchi. I know you have a cat. We're both cat ladies.
- [47:09]
Monet X Change
I don't. We're cat girls. Let me tell you something, people. I. Again, no shade to dog lovers. Dogs are great. But something about a cat. I just love a cat because they choose when they want to love you. They're not easy to love. Like, they don't just take anything. You got to work for that affection. And I love. And when. And when your cat fucking loves you, they love you, and I love it.
- [47:29]
Valentina
Yeah, they're so. They're so. They're so special and so sweet. They have such ways that they navigate their life. A little bit like a drag queen, you know? Yeah. They're like, only when I want.
- [47:44]
Monet X Change
Okay, fair. I see that. I see that.
- [47:48]
Valentina
Very much so. Like, yeah, like, definitely being home. Munshi has been a total treat. Like, he's a Persian cat and he's super poofy and super cuddly, but the moment he gets over me, he'll, like, walk away and, like, be, like, a diva and, like, be with me, but, like, facing another direction, like, giving me his.
- [48:10]
Monet X Change
Oh, my God, that part.
- [48:11]
Valentina
That little attitude, like, literally the catitude. And yes, I kid you not. My cat could literally just turn its neck one way, and I'm already like, that was amazing. Like, my cat could just do one side, like, and I'm like, oh, my God, that Is. That was amazing. Somebody get that on camera. Like, it's just been such a treat. Like, being with Monchi just makes me so happy, so. But I've also been just gathering. Gathering a lot. A lot of. A lot of plans for. For my future. I'm entering my humanitarian era, so I'm working with the tribal project. I'm working on a. On a project called Mujeres Librez, where we're liberating women that are, like, wrongfully incarcerated in Mexico.
- [48:56]
Monet X Change
Okay, word.
- [48:56]
Valentina
You know, I worked with the Hispanic Federation, which then led me to meet people at the Transatina Coalition and the travel project in Mexico, and just. I'm just entering this new realm where I'm just wanting to contribute my time with my platform towards something that feels good, you know, because a lot of this career has been a whole lot of diva, a whole lot of attention and a whole lot of privileges and all this and all that, but I want to start giving back. Like, I feel the need to do that with my platform.
- [49:32]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [49:32]
Valentina
Because after a while, like, being so privileged and having all these opportunities, you have to be able to do something with it. So I've definitely been working on those things along the way, and. But recovering from that foot injury, girl, I feel I'm like, not bursitis. The name of it is so ugly.
- [49:51]
Monet X Change
Your name is so ugly. I'm like, girl, it's a dragon.
- [49:53]
Valentina
Somebody should call themselves bursitis.
- [50:00]
Monet X Change
Beside his foot. She's definitely. She's a Brooklyn drag queen. Very precise foot. I know her. I've seen one before work. I want to go back to drag. Is Mexico a little bit. So these looks. Tell me about these. Look. First of all, the same people who are making clothes for Beyonce are making Valentina's clothes in Mexico. Tell me about these looks. Are you like. Because I know that you, even on All Stars 4, you were very involved in your looks, like when you did your atelier one. And the flower, like, you're very, like, this is my vision. You go with the designers, you craft them perfectly to you. Tell me about your Jaguars Mexico go looks, because we are all want to know about how they came into fruition.
- [50:41]
Valentina
Thank you so much. Well, I come armed with an incredible, talented team in this. In this venture of my career. I wanted to go at it in a way where the visuals were saying things before ever I did. And I wanted to touch base on Mexico. I wanted to touch base on the things that make up the identity of my image. I wanted to, you know, touch some things in the Past and some queer mean some Mexican icons. And right now I have very, very, like, amazing network in the fashion world and the beauty world. And so I wanted to utilize that network. And it all kind of started with my creative director, best friend Ali, Daniel Flores, who helped me with all the looks. He has almost. Flores. All my looks were produced. Well, mainly all of them, like, I would say maybe like 90% were produced and made in Guadalajara in Mexico.
- [51:57]
Monet X Change
Wow.
- [51:57]
Valentina
Work by my friends of almostiflores and made by hand with an entire team. And going through the looks and creating an evolution very closely with my friend Ali was something that we had so much fun doing. One of the looks is Georges Hobeka, and I was modeling for my life in Paris. I walked in a couture show, and part of the.
- [52:24]
Monet X Change
I remember you looked so beautiful, so pretty. Like, when I see you post these things on Instagram, I'm like. Because you know me, I'm like, zooming. I'm like. And I'd be sitting there like, this girl is so. You look so beautiful.
- [52:41]
Valentina
Thank you so much. Yeah. And my friends over in Paris, Jad, wanted me in their show, and that. That was a big honor. And. And. And like, I'd asked them, you know, for Drag Race, I'm like, mi amor, I'm gonna go film this show. Would you make me a dress, please? Please? And he said, yes, babe, whatever. And so he ended up gifting me this dress that I ended up doing this. This blue look with. I don't know if you've seen it so good.
- [53:07]
Monet X Change
Yeah, I've seen all the looks. The blue one, the full. We're gonna talk about. Because we're gonna talk about Ernesto too, because I'm obsessed with his work. But anyway, so.
- [53:14]
Valentina
So that's. That's like, so with Ali, you know, even then, like, I told Ali, like, we need to make something with this. This look. He's like, yeah, absolutely. This is super cool. And so the. The evolution of how. How we built the looks was, like, in private, like, in my home, like, for hours and hours, just sitting and, like, manifesting and dreaming. And then it's like the shopping of the materials and then bringing together, like, mood boards. And then, like, obviously my makeup team was really remarkable because I have two Emmy award winning makeup artists, Luscious Massacre and Ernesto Castillas. And so during the kind of like the. I would say the first third of filming, Luscious was there. And then for, like the last bit, like, Ernesto took over work. And so the. All of those things went in Hand in hand with the look, with the direction of Ali's suggestion, but also, like, the main source of inspiration always being, like, me and what I've built since, like, the beginning and then involving either, like, Mexican icons or just, like. Like, there's. There's. There's an entire, like, YouTube series that Ali made where he goes through all the information of this, and I. And I hope you guys tune into. To see that. But then with. With Ali's creative direction, we then went into creating makeup looks and then having mood boards for that and, you know, referencing, like, just, like, how I draw my eyebrows or how I do my eyeliner or how.
- [54:59]
Monet X Change
Which is also iconic. You put that. You. The. You started the lines. No one did it before you.
- [55:05]
Valentina
Yeah, so it's like the panini brow and the spiky eyelashes and the circle. Circle lands. And then the thing that people fell in love with, right. And I was like, telling, you know, Ernesto and Luscious is like, we gotta give people what they're asking for. They're so tired of me doing this, like, you know, like, lip gloss and mascara kind of look. They're so over it. And the people want what the people want how they fell in love with me, and we're gonna give it to them. And so, you know, we made that, you know, a big. A big, like, detail. But, like, when I'm in the workroom, like, I'm fully giving, like, my. Myself, like, which is, like, browless and, like, using my natural hair and just throwing on a corset and wearing clothes that's more ready to wear. Right?
- [55:56]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [55:56]
Valentina
And then for the main stage, like, throwing on, you know, the lift tapes and the.
- [56:03]
Monet X Change
The.
- [56:03]
Valentina
The. The lace wig in it in a different color and to kind of really transform to, like, another level and to wear things that are not as ready to wear, you know?
- [56:13]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [56:13]
Valentina
Couture, you know, and so luscious. Doing my makeup was so much fun because each episode we're, like, building, and there's, like, an evolution, and we're improving on the brow shape. We're improving on what works, what doesn't work. And then my hair was done by two people as well, because I have my homegirl, Wally, who's now doing. She's on tour with Dana Paola. She's a Mexican pop star. She's a very, very big deal. Very beautiful. She was actually on our first season, and so she's doing hair for her, but she was doing. She did all my hair for the work room, and then some. Some of the hair look that where she used my natural hair for the. The runways as well. And she was installing all my wigs. All my wigs were made by Jean Baptiste in Paris.
- [57:05]
Monet X Change
So when who has been making your wigs for a while now, like, all your custom front.
- [57:10]
Valentina
Well, no, we. I'm new to working with him. When I went to go get this George's hobeika dress, like, I hit him up and I was like, I'm gonna be doing this. Would you like to do my hair? He's like, yes, absolutely. And he actually ended up coming all the way out to Colombia in Bogota to bring me the wigs. I flew him out and I got him a hotel, and, like, we did some fittings, and we navigated through that. And, you know, I'm just so happy to be in a place with my career where I can make those kinds of decisions.
- [57:38]
Monet X Change
Right.
- [57:38]
Valentina
And make those things happen and have the flawless, you know, TV lace and have the custom hairline and. And have somebody so brilliant and so talented from so, so far away bring their talent to. Yes, to the plat. You know, to my. To my art. Right. And. And I. I just love what, you know, Wally. What she did with my natural hair, like, how she styled my hair, but also all the while, like, putting heat protector and making sure to take care of my beauty so that I'm not just, like, frying my hair every day for a month. And then, like, at the end, they're
- [58:13]
Monet X Change
like, okay, girl, we're done. You send it just cold, like, you
- [58:17]
Valentina
know, and, you know, luscious being there. And her speaking Spanish and, like, her. Her sense of humor, like, would rub off on me on set to, like, you know, really, like, get me in the mood and the sense of humor. And then my friend Ernesto, who is somebody that has known me for a very, very long time.
- [58:35]
Monet X Change
Really? So you knew Ernesto before he was doing Kelly Rowland?
- [58:38]
Valentina
Yes, yes, yes. Work. Yes. Me and Ernesto, like, we came up together, like, where, you know, when I came.
- [58:45]
Monet X Change
So handsome.
- [58:46]
Valentina
Yeah, he is very handsome, very talented, very sweet, very loving. But, you know, when I. When I first came out, like, Ernesto was one of my first queer friends. So, like, you know, we've definitely come up together in the industry, and having my team with me there was definitely a big treat.
- [59:04]
Monet X Change
Well, here's the thing, okay. Because you are someone who's so particular about Jamaica. How do you find? Like. Well, you just told me, like, you and us, I know each other for a long time, so I see that. But I think my problem with someone else doing my makeup I cannot feel comfortable enough, like, being done and not looking like me. But every time you get someone to do your makeup, you look like you. You don't look like someone else did your face. You look like you. And I cannot find that trust with someone. I don't know how I'm gonna find. Cause I would like to pay someone to do my makeup for some gigs, but I'm like, then I won't look like me.
- [59:35]
Valentina
I think it's really about having built a signature face, you know, And I think any. Any talented makeup artist is going to respect what you've created and is going to study the reference. And the reference being you, right?
- [59:51]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [59:52]
Valentina
I would suggest things like, you know, like, build your brow, Suggest the products, you know, that. That work for you.
- [60:04]
Monet X Change
Okay.
- [60:05]
Valentina
But also have a lot of trust in the talent that people offer, which is something that you're. You're not skilled at. So, like, when. When I. When I'm an expert in drag makeup, right, Like, I wanted to open up myself to the possibility of beauty, just natural beauty makeup, which my friend Ernesto is Emmy award winning, very talented, paints the most successful stars of the world. So there's a lot for me to learn from that. No matter how good I am at my drag makeup, like, I need to position myself in a place where I am learning and growing, and I sit in the chair to learn from that experience. Now, are there. Are there moments where a very talented makeup artist is going to maybe learn from me as well? Yes. So then I think it's that balance of learning to kind of do this dance between. It's like, okay, let's do this hybrid collaboration between the extremes of my drag and the artistry of your. Your. Your beauty, your beauty work. What is the beautiful dance or balance between both of us? That is where we're going to find the art and expressing something that's never been seen. So I think that's the excitement and the. The way that you build the relationship with the person that's going to do your makeup and the. The preparation between, you know, what. What foundation are we going to go for? What are we. How are we going to block the brow? How are we going to, you know, get the undertones? Like, those conversations are really important to walk into it. And I. And as drag queens, like, sometimes the responsibilities of our life is so much bigger than just looking pretty. We have to learn our lines, we have to. To remember choreography. We have to have a really nice personality. So as I've navigated through this industry, I've. I'VE I've tried to find people around me that are willing to just go along with this, the craziness of this industry and.
- [62:07]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [62:08]
Valentina
And be there with me, take care, to take care of me, but also have fun at the same time.
- [62:14]
Monet X Change
Yeah, girl. And all the sticks in the mud.
- [62:17]
Valentina
Yeah, it's definitely hard to find people that, you know, are going to work with with the madness of this, this industry, you know, and how one day you can be on set with like all the professionalism in the world and, you know, the fancy craft services, and the next day you could be in the corner of a closet like, you know, painting your makeup in a dingy little light. So, like, having people around you that know the way that life is is not always fair and that they, they're willing to be a part of that is something that I think is also really important, you know, and luckily with like someone like Ernesto or Luscious or Wally, like, we have this relationship where like, it's guaranteed the art is going to be amazing. But I'm also looking for like an environment where that makes me feel like I have a piece of home with me.
- [63:10]
Monet X Change
The French Vanilla fantasy.
- [63:12]
Valentina
Absolutely. Absolutely. And we have, we have so much fun collaborating and we create so much art. And you know, I, I love that we're getting to talk about this because a lot of, a lot of what's happening nowadays is like, it's their work. You got what I mean? Like, yeah, it's their talent that, that I benefit from and I hope people enjoy it.
- [63:34]
Monet X Change
Yeah, I mean, so I just said it really quick. So the French Vanilla Fantasy. So we're on set of All Star Score and every time Val would get, you know, a PA or something or she'd make it herself or PA would bring her coffee, they had to make sure they added the French Vanilla fantasy to Val's coffee or else Val was not drinking the coffee. Can you tell us about the French Vanilla fantasy, Valentina?
- [63:55]
Valentina
Well, the French Vanilla fantasy is more so a, a self care ceremony more than anything. To feel the French Vanilla fantasy is to do whatever it takes possible to have like a little energy or to be lost in a dimension that's other than the reality of being on set and having no fucking sleep. Like asking for a French Vanilla fantasy is literally the only thing that would make it all feel better because it'll pick me up, you know, it'll be, it'll make me go into a dimension of not being so tired because like when we're on set, we are exhausted sometimes sleeping One hour, sometimes sleeping, two hours, sometimes not sleeping at all because of our anxiety. Like, and then we go on set and we're expected to be like, super refreshed, you know, and like, what a lot of people don't know is that like, maybe we're doing a confessional and it's eight in the morning, nine in the morning. But yeah, you know what the TV show that you guys are watching is, you know, something that people are living at like 8 o' clock at night.
- [65:05]
Monet X Change
But yeah, you know, it's like seven o' clock in the morning for us. Talking about some. It's a new day to work and girl, I just need to. You're like, yeah.
- [65:14]
Valentina
With the, with the PAs and with the French vanilla fantasy, it was a moment of sense self care. It was a moment of saying, I'm going to indulge in this warm French vanilla flavored coffee to make me feel comforted, to make me feel awake, to make me feel like this is silly and fun and to kind of distract me from the reality of how exhausting it was, you know?
- [65:38]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [65:38]
Valentina
And so the French vanilla fantasy became a way for me to just kind of be like, this is fun. I want to do this. I love dressing. This is great. This is going to be great. Because ultimately I do love drag. I do love the opportunity that I was in. But sometimes you just have to learn to push beyond and through the exhaustion, you know, which is not. Not 100% the reality of what I have to offer as an artist, as a drag queen, as a television star. So my French vanilla fantasy took me very far because it helped me disengage from the exhaustion and bring forth the fantasy, you know from where? From a dungeon of. I don't know where because I've not slept. But this French vanilla fantasy ceremony is gonna take me far.
- [66:26]
Monet X Change
And it just, it has the fans, like, still today. They're like, oh, gear. I'm like, oh, girl, you look fierce in the meet and greets. I'm like, you look good. Like, yeah, I'm just feeling my French vanilla fantasy. I'm like, I love it more. Balancing the lingo that has imparted on these kids. It's hilarious to me.
- [66:39]
Valentina
I love it. And the French vanilla fantasy is really like, just step into that alternate reality bubble where everything is amazing and like, yeah, go into your inner child where you just to play an imagination and you saw things a lot more beautiful and amazing than they really were. You know, those things for me have been like survival mechanisms that have been so crucial for my life as a person of color, as a working class person that has been trying to climb the ladder, as a person that has been working in this industry, like, you kind of have to create survival mechanisms because it's not going to be easy, you know?
- [67:21]
Monet X Change
Yeah, for sure.
- [67:23]
Valentina
The French feeling, the French vanilla fantasy is really about going there in this alternate world that makes you happy, which might not always coincide with the reality of other people, but, you know, in my French vanilla fantasy, things are very different from. From how other everybody else navigates and describes their life.
- [67:47]
Monet X Change
Before you go, we do have a little game that we want to play. Right? So I'm gonna name these Drag Race spin off franchises, and you tell me who you think you should host. Who would you choose to host? Okay, so let's say Drag Race New York. Who would be the host of Drag Race New York?
- [68:05]
Valentina
Drag Race New York. Lady Bunny or Shaquita Hall?
- [68:10]
Monet X Change
Shaquita hall would be a great host for Drag Race New York. I love that. Great. That's a good one. I didn't even think about that. Lady Bunny is too kooky. Lady Bunny would be a mess. She could be, like, maybe a Michelle or, like, honestly, a Carson. We need her every other episode. We cannot have her every week. It'll be too much. But Shaquita, that's a good one. Drag Race la
- [68:32]
Valentina
me.
- [68:34]
Monet X Change
You go, bitch. You go to. Well, RuPaul does three. You could do two.
- [68:38]
Valentina
I want to have multiple gigs a year, and I will give it to myself. Are you shocked?
- [68:48]
Monet X Change
No, I'm not. Not at all. Okay. Drag Race Atlantis. Atlantis Fantasy season.
- [68:57]
Valentina
Like, oh, like under the water.
- [69:00]
Monet X Change
Yeah.
- [69:02]
Valentina
Oh, my God. I want to do that one, too. But who. Who would give? Who would give? Like, maybe somebody like Juno Burch? Ooh.
- [69:15]
Monet X Change
Well, I think she'd be appropriate for this one. Drag Race Mars. That'll be Juno Burch.
- [69:20]
Valentina
No, no, no, no, no, no. How dare you. The disrespect. That is for Tammy Brown.
- [69:25]
Monet X Change
Oh, right. Teleport, right.
- [69:27]
Valentina
Teletubbies. Teleport us to Mars. That is. That has Tammy Brown's name all over it because she is out of this world.
- [69:36]
Monet X Change
She really is. I did one gig with Tammy Brown in the uk. We on a tour together, and she was so lovely. I love working with Tammy Brown, actually. She's very fun.
- [69:44]
Valentina
And she. She would be the first queen to represent an entire planet, honestly, which is
- [69:50]
Monet X Change
fierce, fierce, fierce, fierce. What about Drag Race Hell? Who's hosting Drag Race Hell?
- [69:56]
Valentina
Definitely Sharon Needles.
- [69:59]
Monet X Change
Sharon Needles Hell. My Bigfoot. Drag Race Hell.
- [70:03]
Valentina
Definitely Sharon Needles is the girl for that.
- [70:10]
Monet X Change
I don't think I've said this story before, but we were. Kim and a bunch of us, we were doing work, the world, Asia, Australia. And Sharon was on that tour. And we're going through the Sydney airport because we're going from Sydney to Tokyo, I think. And then. So we're in the airport, and then Kim is in the Gucci store at the Sydney airport, like, looking through stuff, like, trying to buy stuff. Sharon walks into the Gucci store behind Kim and just starts yelling, she's stealing. She's stealing Her. She's stealing. She's stealing. And Kim was like, wait, no, I'm not. I'm not. And then Sharon was like, she's stealing. And she just walks out the store.
- [70:43]
Valentina
No.
- [70:44]
Monet X Change
Unhinged girl crazy. Kim was so mad. It was wild. But that's just. Everyone has a Sharon Needles story from Tor or something. The girl is.
- [70:56]
Valentina
That woman is. That woman is fully uninhibited and unhinged. She. She went. She. Once time. One time she told me Valentina. And I said, what? She was like, people have no idea how punk rock you are. You are so punk rock. And I just was like, oh, my God, thank you so much. Like, I don't know what to say about that, but thank you. She said, yeah. I still don't know what it really means, but I said, thank you. And I was just like.
- [71:30]
Monet X Change
One of my favorite stories Bob tells about you. It is so funny. When you were. When you were. He was on work. Y' all wanna work the world together. And you were leaving to a gig. It was like a TV gig. It was a big opportunity. And then so. And you told Brandon you was like, I have to leave the tour. And he was like, wait, it's not for a few months. You're like, no, I have to leave now. I had to start getting ready. And Bob was like, you went to every girl and you handed it. It was like, kim, this is my earring. I'm gonna leave this with you. Like, I am obsessed. Valentina, you are so iconic. But the thing is, you know you're iconic, and we know you're iconic, and that's why we all agree. And it's. I just love you so much. You're so great.
- [72:10]
Valentina
I'm just really big about, like, legacy and leaving a sign that I was here. And, like, I. You know, when I left All Stars, I left everybody assigned 8 by 10.
- [72:25]
Monet X Change
I still have that 8 by 10.
- [72:27]
Valentina
Nobody asked for it, but I know you want it. Even If I know. And the thing is, like, even if someone doesn't like me, the fact that they have that is iconic. You get what I mean? And I want to come through this earth being an entity, and I want to be something that lives forever. And you leave your legacy not in just things, but you also leave it in people. And so if you gift them something, maybe with your picture on it, maybe it's an excuse to. To always live on, in. In the hearts of people or to be a story or something. And I just left work the world and gifted everybody a piece of me because I was really leaving. I was really leaving. And you know, I. I felt really bad because I was really excited about where I was going to go in the direction of my career and my life. And I cr. I kind of promised myself that I wouldn't look back. Not because I didn't want to return, but just because work the world was such a happy time in my life where I was looking for community, I was looking for sisterhood. And that's why I did it, because I only been on tour by myself, no assistant for years, and I was searching for a sisterhood. Once I. Once I experienced it, once they had it, like, it stays in like this capsule. And if I do revisit it ever in the future, which I'm. I'm totally open to it, but it's not something that my heart desires, as if it's the priority to experience that in my body. Experience, experienced it. So having gifted somebody like you guys, like a piece of me was like solidifying that. Like, I'm kind of turning the page, you know, towards a different direction. And I remember having like a long conversation with Bob about that, you know, and I. And I was ultimately invited to work the world again. And, you know, there's open opportunity to go to Las Vegas, you know. And the thing is, it's like I'm not shooting it down. It's just like there's. There's so many things that I'm like, challenged by artistically right now. There's so many responsibilities, like for me to. To. To be of service even, you know, in Mexico that I'm. I'm focused in on. Like, I'm also entering kind of like a humanitarian era of work, of my work. So, like, I definitely appreciate the whole work the world moments in my life because there is so much unsaid of what happened in those experiences that are like, they could make up a movie, they could make up a series, it can make up a multi universe of experiences. And I'm very honored. But, like, when I did leave that tour, I left knowing that I wanted my entire life and career to go in a different direction. And gladly it did. And then Bob, in the end, sent me a message fairly recently and, and said, wow, you did it. Like, like, word. You really did.
- [75:34]
Monet X Change
I just got chills in that.
- [75:35]
Valentina
I just got goosebumps because the conversation with Bob was like, no, like, don't leave the tour. Like, stick it out. Like, you might regret this. Like, and I remember telling Bob, like, you know, Bob, like, I really want to go and prepare for this next job and I really want to put my, my, my full energy into that and I want to look forward and not look back. And, and it's nothing personal. It's just something I really want to make happen for myself because I want a long lasting career. I don't just want a drag career where it's like, I did season nine and then I just kind of fade into the background like, I want a career, a long lasting career. He's, yeah, he's like, well, we all want a career. And, you know, it's not easy. You know, I've been doing this for years and I say these things for you with experience. I'm like, oh, my God, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. But then fast forward to now, like Bob has told me, like, bitch, you fudgeing. Did it, like from that moment that we had that conversation, like, you really made it happen for yourself. And reflecting on those conversations and having that sisterhood from the work, the world experience, like, I'm so appreciative, you know, but yeah, like, it's, it's, it's been, it's been a roller coaster of, of, of emotions and this experience. I've now done seven years of being in this, in this boat of, of girl fame.
- [76:59]
Monet X Change
I'm six. I'm six. Yeah.
- [77:01]
Valentina
So excited.
- [77:02]
Monet X Change
Listen, I am, am and always will be in constant awe of you as an individual, as a drag queen, as a person, personality, as everything. I really think you are truly. And I've said this on this podcast before in different interviews, I just in love with you as a human being, as a person. You really are that girl. And I'm obsessed with you. And so thank you so much for coming out and doing the podcast. We really appreciate it.
- [77:25]
Valentina
Well, I love you too. I love you very much. I respect and honor the things that you and Bob do with your career. Representing the black community and being so talented and so ambitious and being those girls that are go getters with their life. It's. It's so inspiring. It's so important, and it's so uplifting. Like, as a girl of color, the opportunities come harder.
- [77:54]
Monet X Change
Yeah, they do.
- [77:54]
Valentina
And the way that you guys navigate it.
- [77:59]
Monet X Change
Thank you, sister.
- [78:01]
Valentina
In this. In this world that is not built for. For us, we.
- [78:07]
Monet X Change
Hello.
- [78:07]
Valentina
Find ways to. To push. Push beyond and push further. And all my love, respect, and admiration for you too. And thanks for having me here. It's definitely been an honor, and I just. I really hope that. That there could be more of this. Like, I'm so excited for you to even see the whole season.
- [78:31]
Monet X Change
Oh, I can't wait to watch one.
- [78:33]
Valentina
And when you guys do, like, a review of it, please call me back.
- [78:36]
Monet X Change
Yeah, I'm gonna say y' all comment below. Should we review Drag Race Mexico? Comment below. Give us. Let us know and we'll do it. Y' all know it. We always request. We always listen to Yalls requests and finish it out. I think that could be really fun. And a chance to get Valentina back on the pod.
- [78:50]
Valentina
Oh, my God. Yes.
- [78:50]
Monet X Change
And also Lola. I would love to have her too, as well.
- [78:53]
Valentina
Of course. Lolita Banana. We should text her.
- [78:57]
Monet X Change
Yeah, I would love to have her as well. Okay, my dear, be safe, and I'll talk to you very soon.
- [79:01]
Valentina
Thank you, mi amor. Take care. Love you. Bye, everyone.