In her Gay Times exit interview, Chai T Grande addresses the contrast between how the judges received her and how fans embraced her, and her plans to reclaim her narrative with her upcoming music.
SPECIAL THANKS TO NIALL HAY AND ELOISE LONGDEN AT THE BBC
“I didn’t fade into the background. If anything, I stole the spotlight,” says Chai T Grande. The queen, who made history as Drag Race UK’s first Thai contestant, is referring to her season seven girl-group number, ‘She Ate That’ — a performance that earned rave reviews from fans, particularly for her witty lyricism (“giving double, not half!”).
To the surprise of many viewers, Chai landed in the bottom three. Over the next two episodes, the judges’ critiques continued to diverge from audience enthusiasm: she placed low once again in the acting challenge, and her talent show dumpling routine ultimately saw Bones send her home after a lip-sync battle.
While Chai was determined to fight until the very end, she tells Gay Times that she felt “a slight element of catharsis” when RuPaul told her to sashay away. “I put a lot of thought into what I wear because I get power from style and fashion. Watching me walk into the challenge workroom in just a hoodie and a pair of slacks, I knew in my heart of hearts that I was going home. I couldn’t explain it, and I still can’t. But my gut was just like, ‘You can still fight.’”
Read on for our full exit interview with Chai T Grande, where she reflects on the passionate response from Drag Race viewers, the challenges of the competition, and her plans to reclaim her narrative with upcoming solo material.
Thank you. That’s really kind to say. I’m sad as well!
