A CAREER adviser once told Chanel O’Conor that becoming a full-time drag queen wasn’t a viable option.
“I hadn’t even started drag at that point,” said O’Conor. "I'd only dabbled.
“But I remember saying that I’d love to get into performance and drag and they said: ‘Why don’t we think of a plan B?’”
Now, O’Conor is the first Scottish queen to appear on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in nearly four years.
In the end, it appears she didn’t need the plan B.
A native of the Isle of Bute, O’Conor first got into drag while attending a weekend drama school as a teenager.
“When I was growing up, drag was only something I saw on TV in the form of Lily Savage or a skit on Chewin’ the Fat,” she said.
“But I had this teacher at drama school called Heather Marshall and one day she said we were going to have a murder mystery workshop where we could come dressed as whatever character we wanted.
“Heather knew I was a bit fruity, as they would say. So, I went into my mum’s wardrobe and came dressed as a nun in black velvet heels, a Poundland Dawn French-style black bob and a red lip.
“I spent the whole day pretending to be this nun who may or may not have committed murder and it was so fun!
“And that’s what drag is all about for me. It’s about play and storytelling and giving the audience the opportunity to escape somewhere else.
“That day was the spark that made me realise I wanted to do this.”
After leaving school, O’Conor began studying fashion technology in Edinburgh.
Yet while she was learning the sewing skills that would eventually lead her to making outfits for a host of other RuPaul’s Drag Race queens, she was also trying to get her foot in the door at drag shows in the capital.
“It’s like anything in life, you’ve got to put yourself out there,” she said.
“So, I was going to nightclubs in full drag, speaking to the hosts of drag shows and just trying to get noticed.”
O’Conor performed for the first time at the Rabbit Hole, a now concluded show at CC Blooms which was hosted by stalwart Edinburgh queen Alice Rabbit.
The Rabbit Hole helped birth many of the biggest names in the scene in Scotland — including RuPaul’s Drag Race UK season 2 winner Lawrence Chaney.
“I was so young and probably shouldn’t have been allowed in the club but that’s where Chanel was born,” she added.
While not the first Scottish queen on the show, O’Conor does become the first Scottish queen to display a particular characteristic associated with the country: ginger hair.
“Dame Edna was known for always wearing a lavender wig,” she said.
“That identified her and I really appreciated that older style of drag that’s very character based.
“So, I thought Chanel in a ginger wig had to be a constant thing. And I’m always recognised for it.
“To be specific, the colour I wear is called ‘burnt pumpkin’ and I love it. I will wear it to death!”
While O’Conor’s drag is characterised by its embrace of fantasy (she often masquerades as an obscenely wealthy woman of leisure), she is aware that not everyone considers what she does fun or even acceptable.
Political wrangling over gender reform legislation has put a spotlight on all performers who play with gender, sparking protests, cancellations and streams of online abuse.
Although she now lives in Manchester, O’Conor hopes that as a prominent representative of the community in Scotland, she can show people that drag isn’t harmful to anyone.
“I know that I represent Scotland and the drag scene and it’s a pleasure to do so,” she said.
“But I think a lot of the hate that happens is through fear of the unknown. They don’t understand it so they choose to hate it.
“And I hope that seeing a Scottish person on Drag Race again can build a bit more appreciation for our LGBT+ community.
“Because it’s so beautiful, there’s so many beautiful souls and voices that have to be cared for.
“If I can make even one of those people feel a bit safer or more welcomed, then I’ll be happy.
“Being on this show and having this platform is magical.
“I just want to make sure we keep that momentum and we don’t have to wait another four years to see a Scottish queen on Drag Race.”
In that vein, O’Conor said many of her runways have Scottish elements.
Indeed, she even gave The National a glimpse of a Glengarry bonnet which she wore on the show.
“It’s my dad’s hat and I wore it because I think it’s really important to represent Scotland.
“I wore my family’s crest everyday so I could I feel closer to home.
“Because, of course, I did feel pressure to represent the nation.
“I will say it’s a tough competition with a fabulous cast.
“That’s the thing about season six, it just keeps you guessing.”
The new season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK will premiere on BBC iPlayer at 8pm on September 26.
