Following the success of their Celebrity Karaoke Club, ITV are bringing us an entertaining and explosive spin-off series full of glitter and joy. That’s right, Karaoke Club: Drag Edition.
After rounding up a fabulous crew of gorgeous, diverse and utterly iconic drag stars, the ITV crew locked em in their own VIP karaoke set, filled them with drinks and filmed the chaos. Honestly, we’re a little miffed we didn’t get an invite – that sounds like a crazy fun time!
Which amazing artists will be appearing on the show we hear you ask, well there’s 12 stunning faces to look forward to. Manila Luzon, Trinity The Tuck, The Vivienne, Danny Beard, Freida Slaves, Tete Bang, Cara Melle, Gingzilla, Vinegar Strokes, Lil Test Ease, Mahatma Khandi and Crystal will all be pulling out all the stunts and tricks along as they belt out a catalogue of camp hits and try to snatch that Karaoke crown.
Naturally they all had a few words to say about the show, let’s spill some tea!
The Vivienne: She/Her
How different was the Karaoke Club experience compared to a normal drag performance of yours? Were you nervous at the prospect of singing live on the show?
I wasn’t nervous as I sing live in my shows anyway. The weirdest thing was that the entire audience was filled with drag queens as well, so you felt like you had more to prove. Drag queens definitely watch with a more critical eye.
What can viewers expect from this series? Are there any shocks, secrets, feuds or romances?
You could liken it to what normally goes on in a drag queen’s dressing room.
Expect lots of drama, gossip and strategy – that’s the only way I can describe it!
Who did you think your biggest competition was? What did you do to ensure they didn’t stand in your way?
My biggest competition was probably Trinity [The Tuck]. She is such a fabulous queen, well rounded, and like me she’s not scared to make a fool out of herself. You’ve got to go in there and not be afraid, she is all of that and more. She’s one of my best friends and my biggest competition.
Trinity the Tuck: She/Her
Tell us about your karaoke history to date. Do you have any funny memories?
I actually have never done karaoke until I did this competition. Karaoke scares the crap out of me because it is something I know I’m not generally good at… Or am I?
As always, the karaoke club is home to some showstopping celebrity cameos each episode. Which pop superstar would be your dream karaoke partner?
There are some amazing cameos in this season! Definitely, my jaw dropped a few times. I would love to partner with Kylie Minogue!
When judging your other competitors, what were you looking for from their performances?
I wanted to have a good time so I judged based off who I thought entertained me. I also tried to be strategic because I wanted to win!
Manila Luzon – She/Her
How different was the Karaoke Club experience compared to a normal drag performance of yours? Were you nervous at the prospect of singing live on the show?
It’s like we drag queens were at our own private party, there was no live audience, so it felt like it was just us having a good time making each other cocktails and having a fun time singing karaoke together. We nearly forgot there were hidden cameras everywhere and people at home will be watching us make fools of ourselves singing Whitney Houston classics! Many of us are used to lip syncing songs on stage, so it was a big shock to hear our voices instead an octave lower!
Did you have any tricks up your sleeves or a game plan to win?
I’ve never said I was a good singer, but that’s never stopped me from recording a decade’s worth of drag music! So instead of relying on my vocal abilities, I’m bringing my experience of storytelling to the karaoke stage! I try to make my performances an experience!
Can you sum up the series for us in 3 words?
Cover. Your. Ears.
Crystal: She/Her
What can viewers expect from this series? Are there any shocks, secrets, feuds or romance?
They can expect pure lunacy. I think things do get a little bit heated here and there because it is a competition and a lot of queens have been on competition shows before, so we’re aware of the game. There was so much joy in all the karaoke. If you like a bit of drama, you’re going to get that too.
Did your experience of Karaoke Club teach you any new tips or tricks you’ll take with you for future drag performances?
I think I learned really solidly that I’m on the right track with lip-syncing.
Do you have any funny, standout moments from filming the show?
I have loads but I feel like the best ones will be shown on TV. You should just wait and watch! I knew almost everyone from the show really well so it was just like hanging out with my mates.
Freida Slaves: They/Them
What can you tell us about your debut look? Did you go all out?
I had an iconic Freida look which is leopard print! But Cara Melle forgot one of her many costumes, so she had to wear leopard print. So I changed my outfit last minute into a costume I absolutely love – it’s sequined buttoned jewels all sewn into a corseted high waisted pant with a matching hat that my boyfriend slaved away making. I literally did nothing for it!
Who did you think your biggest competition was? And what did you do to ensure they didn’t stand in your way?
When I walked in, I could see everyone was my competition and I knew there were a lot of big names there – there was even a Drag Race winner in the circle so I knew I wasn’t comparable to them! I also felt like some girls maybe had their alliances as they’d met each other before and I think I was one of two queens from the starting line-up not from a drag TV show, so we were the underdogs from the start!
Did your experience of Karaoke Club teach you any new tips or tricks you’ll take with you for future drag performances?
I think the biggest lesson I learnt from this was that singing is actually quite hard.
Tete Bang: She/They
How different was the Karaoke Club experience compared to a normal drag performance of yours? Were you nervous at the prospect of singing live on the show?
I was really nervous; it was a big step out of my comfort zone. It was really exciting to be around lots of other queens again. It was nerve-wracking and scary at first because I didn’t know who was going to be there – drag queens can be drama!
As always, the karaoke club is home to some showstopping celebrity cameos each episode. Which pop superstar would be your dream karaoke partner?
I think I was quite lucky on the show because I did get to perform with someone I really admire. I mean I’m still not over it, I think it’s the most fun thing I’ve ever done. I think you’ll be in for a big surprise. There are so many amazing and iconic popstars involved in this experience. Obviously, in a dream world, I would choose Dolly Parton or Cher. I was very happy with the people we got to see perform. It was incredible!
Can you sum up the series for us in 3 words?
Campy. Chaotic. Cabaret.
Cara Melle: She/Her
Tell us about your karaoke history to date. Do you have any funny memories?
First of all, I’m a karaoke queen- I love karaoke! I used to go out in Atlanta where I’m originally from with my friend all the time. I always have a good time. I do a couple songs that I’ve done before in the past so they do go down well but there are a couple songs where I was like ‘I might as well do this, why not?’ and it was not cute!
Did you have any tricks up your sleeves or a game plan to win?
Honestly, my game plan was to have as much fun as I could. We’re really just there to have a good time! But let’s be honest, I know I’m a talented girl so I knew I wasn’t going to be kicked out.
When judging your other competitors, what were you looking for from their performances?
I was looking for someone that entertained me – as long as I had a good time watching them and I could tell they were having a good time, that’s what mattered. When I was judging the worst, it was whose performance I remembered the least.
Gingzilla – She/Goddess/Queen
What can you tell us about your debut look? Did you go all out?
Did I go all out? I left the best look until last girl, what are you talking about?! You don’t go all out at the beginning. My debut look was an 80s superhero glam rock inspired kind of vibe. Just sexy, slinky and glam rock kind of vibes.
Who did you think your biggest competition was? And what did you do to ensure they didn’t stand in your way?
The Vivienne was definitely my competitor, the elegance, the grace, the vocals, the face. I met her for the first time on the show and being up close to her I was like ‘oh my gosh your face is immaculate!’ Just stunning, flawless – she had an airbrushed look at all times! She didn’t even touch up once, she looked perfect even after filming a full episode, she must spray herself with glue head to toe.
Do you have any funny, standout moments from filming the show?
The performance of Celine Dion My Heart Will Go On. When you’re taking down the set with you, you know you’re doing something cute! I think all of my funny memories have got to do with Trinity the Tuck, I love her dearly and I have seen things that girl has done… words can’t describe. To be honest, it was such a lovely time to be with a group of queens. We weren’t performing for audiences; we were performing for our sisters. I loved that.
Vinegar Strokes – She/Her
What can viewers expect from this series? Are there any shocks, secrets, feuds or romances?
Expect lots of camp, lots of fun, lots of crazy drunk people in wigs, just having a good old time. I think the shockers are going to be who the special guests are, I was definitely shocked myself! That will definitely be a fun moment for everybody.
Did your experience of Karaoke Club teach you any new tips or tricks you’ll take with you for future drag performances?
It taught me that I can actually drink five gins instead of three before a performance. I can perform under the influence, whether I’m bad or good? Who knows!
Can you sum up the series for us in 3 words?
This. Is. Drag.
Lil Test Ease – He/They
How different was the Karaoke Club experience compared to a normal drag performance of yours? Were you nervous at the prospect of singing live on the show?
Compared to what I usually do, it was very different. I don’t perform with drag queens a lot, it’s normally cabaret with other kings. The prospect of singing was interesting because my performances are usually more rap/comedy focused. It was so exciting and I was glad to be a part of the show.
As always, the karaoke club is home to some showstopping celebrity cameos each episode. Which pop superstar would be your dream karaoke partner?
Megan Thee Stallion would be absolutely incredible to do karaoke with. I’d love to share a stage with her!
Do you have any funny, standout moments from filming the show?
I think an overload of tequila will bring you lots of moments which may stand out when you watch it back although you may not remember. I found it hilarious to get involved with other people’s performances too. Being the only king in this space was in itself quite entertaining because a lot of the queens kept choosing me to be their romantic interests.
Danny Beard – They/Them
What can you tell us about your debut look? Did you go all out?
I like working with independent queer creators and the person that’s created this look I’ve worked with from the beginning of my career. I used to climb up into his mum’s loft and we’d come up with costume ideas and patterns and now they’re creating looks on all the big drag shows in the UK and America. They’re called Freak Couture in Manchester. We went all out – I wanted to feel fierce and stage ready! It was like Little Mix on acid! I went a bit nuts and threw loads of Swarovski crystals on it.
Tell us about your karaoke history to date. Do you have any funny memories?
I’ve never been in to karaoke until I decided to go into the Drag Karaoke Club and I can see why people love it! I think performing in drag, there’s a serious element to it- I’ve got to do well, I’ve got to hit the notes, I’ve got to try and entertain people. As soon as you take that pressure away and its karaoke you really get to let your hair down. It’s like unleashing the beast! I’d say I’m a karaoke convert now.
When judging your other competitors, what were you looking for from their performances?
Just a good time! No one was looking for a perfect vocal. The people who gave me the best time as an audience, that’s who I voted for and I expected others to do the same.
Mahatma Khandi – She/They
What can viewers expect from this series? Are there any shocks, secrets, feuds or romance?
Oh my word! A lot goes on. Some of us know each other, some of us don’t. There’s definitely some camaraderie going on. The great thing about the cast is that everyone was really up for it. That’s the beauty of a show like this, you get to see people perform, yes, but also you get to learn about people’s lives and who they are. The things that sometimes you don’t get to see on a lot of shows. The one thing I really enjoyed was there was a genuine atmosphere.
Did you have any tricks up your sleeves or a game plan to win?
I thought I did but as soon as you walk in, everything goes out the window! In my mind, I was like I’m gonna do this and they’re gonna love me but in the end when I was up there I was like I’m just gonna get to know these people I’ve admired for such a long time and see how it goes! For me, that’s the main thing – have a good time because when’s the next time you’ll get to do this? So that was my game plan – just having a good time.
Can you sum up the series for us in 3 words?
Camp, diverse and silly!
So we’re gonna go ahead and say that this is lining up to be a total giggle fest with a good old portion of drag drama to keep us hooked. Just for good measure we took a little glimpse into the first episode and well, we can’t wait to see how this turns out!
©Monkey, Courtesy of ITV Studios 
©Monkey, Courtesy of ITV Studios 
©Monkey, Courtesy of ITV Studios 
©Monkey, Courtesy of ITV Studios
You can catch Celebrity Karaoke Club: Drag Edition nightly on ITV 2 starting Sunday 26th of September and on ITV Hub soon after.
Strap your heels on, fix your wig and grab your glitter mics – it’s karaoke time!
