SPECIAL THANKS TO IMOGEN REID AND AOIFE KILBANE AT THE BBC

Vanity Milan may not have conquered the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, but she did cement her status as one of the most show-stopping lip-sync assassins in the franchise’s herstory. And that’s on what? Period. “I relied on my one single talent and it got me to top four!” she tells GAY TIMES.

The South Londoner landed in the bottom two on four occasions, sending three of her competitors packing in the process. (Fun fact: Vanity now ties Tayce as the Drag Race UK contestant with the most lip-sync wins.) Viewers raved about each of her smackdowns, particularly for her battle against Scarlett Harlett to Mis-Teeq’s classic R&B banger Scandalous, which was performed in front of former member Alesha Dixon (aka the greatest guest judge the show has ever seen).

Vanity’s time came to end in this week’s semi-final, however, when she failed to embrace her inner Bianca Del Rio for a roast of the eliminated contestants, the panel and national treasure Linda La Hughes Kathy Burke. “I don’t like to talk publicly, it’s rare that I get on the microphone or host,” explains Vanity. “I’m a lip-syncer, I do the dancing and then leave the stage!”

We caught up with Vanity after her exit to chat about her incredible run on Drag Race UK, whether statistics (and badges) matter in the grand scheme of the competition, and why the next British season “should have at least five POC” contestants to make up for season three’s questionable lack of Black talent.

Vanity, condragulations on making the top four of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season three!
Thank you so much! I mean, it’s a blessing. I never thought I’d get there.

You sashayed away like an absolute goddess. I was sad to see you go, but it made me smile because it was just so warm and gorgeous.
That’s me through and through, to be honest with you. I came in humble and I left humble. Again, like I said, I didn’t think I’d make it that far! The girls behind me, they’re three amazing queens and really good friends of mine so I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I love when it’s RuPaul’s Best Friend Race. 
That’s what this episode is all about. We made it to the top four – twice! We became even closer, which was really good as well, and when it comes to RuPaul’s Best Friend Race, I think we’ve shown that you can be shady, but also lift each other up in a way that is loving, comforting and also shows our queer community that you don’t need to put someone down. You can lift them up, but also be a little bit shady at the same time!

“Are you gonna rely on your one single talent?” for example, which has became iconic.
Okay?! And I’m gonna put it on a t-shirt because I relied on my one single talent and it got me to top four!

Vanity, I just have to say, I think you’re one of the greatest lip-syncers Drag Race UK has ever seen. I don’t mean any disrespect when I say this, but I wanted to see you in the bottom every single week just so I could watch you perform…
Do you know what? The ratings might have went up! A lot of people have said that to me like, ‘You’ve done such a great job in this show, but I definitely wanted to see you lip-sync every week,’ and I was like, ‘I kinda wanted to lip-sync every week!’ The music they selected this year was great, but I was trying to stay out of the bottom because I didn’t wanna be in the bottom all the time.

I was getting Trinity K. Bonet vibes, because when she performs, she perfectly embodies a song’s essence. You switched it up every single time and the songs looked like they were coming straight out of your goddamn mouth!
The thing is, when it comes to lip-syncing, I just want to embody the singer, the vibe of the song, what it’s giving and what it gives me is what I’m giving to the audience when I’m performing that song. It’s like you’re watching, let’s say, Alesha Dixon performing Scandalous. I needed to give that kind of vibe, and I think that is, hands down, one of the best lip-syncs I’ve ever done. I’m gonna perform it until I’m dead!