A Liverpool-based drag queen is swapping the city for the Nordic country of Sweden.
Antonina Nutshell, who is originally from Umeå, Sweden, is the latest queen to be announced to be appearing on Drag Race Sverige - an upcoming reality competition series based on the American series RuPaul’s Drag Race.
The 28-year-old, whose real name is Anton Nässlin, said it was a “full-circle” moment for her as it was the series that first sparked her interest in drag.
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She told the ECHO: “It's hard to explain how surreal and fantastic it feels. I have watched the original American show for almost a decade, and loads of international versions along the way. So when they announced there would be a Swedish version I just had to apply and now I'm here, about to be on the very show that made me decide to start drag.”
Antonina has been “experimenting” with drag for just under a decade now. She recalled once she started “it was hard to stop” and found it “addictive”. Without drag, the queen said she wouldn’t be where she is today both mentally and physically.
She said: “It takes over your life but in the most fabulous way possible. I realized after watching RuPaul's Drag Race that it was something I just had to get into. It just all made sense, like an ‘aha’-moment. I've always loved to dress up, perform and play with wigs and makeup since I was a small child, so I almost felt stupid for not realising until I was a young adult that drag was the perfect art form for me.”
Antonina first came to the UK in 2018 - every few months she would tour around the country with a group of Swedish performers. However, it was Liverpool that captured her heart and she has lived in the city centre since.
She added: “At that time I was only doing drag a few times a month back in Sweden, and since there are so many more opportunities for drag queens in The UK than back home I thought it would be the perfect place to continue my drag career.”
For Antonina, drag is all about having fun. Whilst she loves to “look pretty” the most important thing to her “is to entertain, make people laugh and have a great time”. She added: “Visually I would describe my style as if a page three girl robbed the wardrobes of the ladies of Golden Girls. I love to mix a sexy aesthetic with vintage clothes from charity shops.”
What Antonina believes will make her follow in the footsteps of The Vivienne and Danny Beard - who both won RuPaul’s Drag Race UK - is that she “isn’t afraid to get ugly”.
She said: “I am the tallest, so that's a good start. In a Swedish context, I'm the only contestant from the icy cold northern parts of the country which gives me a different outlook. But in general, I hope I stand out as being the friendly, happy, fun and open queen that I believe I am.
“I am so excited for the world to experience Swedish drag at its finest. I suppose most people just associate Sweden with ABBA, meatballs and IKEA, but now they will get to see so much more of my culture. If you love drag race you will love the Swedish version. It will be full of talented queens, laughs, emotions and fashion.”
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