GURL: For those who aren’t in the know, who are you?
Choriza: Howdy Juan! I’m Choriza May, a Newcastle Queen from Valencia, Spain. Much of my drag is quite political with a comedy twist and my look (most of the time) is very stereotypically Spanish. I like to think that I look like a character from a Pedro Almodóvar film. My 2 main goals in drag are: positive social change and expanding and promoting the Newcastle Drag Scene. I consider myself a hard worker and I take care of every detail when it comes to performances and looks. But what makes me really unique is my pussy: some say it’s like a peach – fluffy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
GURL: Didn’t you win a couple of crowns or something – tell us more?
Choriza: Very kind of you to bring that up. Yes I have! I’m the current Newcastle Drag Idol Reigning Queen and was also winner of The Liverpool Big Drag Pageant. The drag competitions were a great platform to show the public and other drag artists what I was capable of. And winning both titles was a great way to help manoeuvre the spotlight onto me and get my name out there on the UK drag scene, and hopefully gain the respect of other drag artists in the process.
GURL: We’ve been so proud watching you grow and absolutely slay from day one of Drag Idol.
GURL: Who has been your favourite person to perform with so far?
Choriza: My family! For Northern pride 2019 I did a performance about honouring the mothers who support kids in the LGBTQ+ community (you can watch it on my YouTube channel). I had the immense honour of having my mum on the main stage with me, and I can’t put into words how amazing that day was for us and how happy it made us both feel. As a kid I don’t think I brought her too much joy, as she was constantly worried about me being bullied, and as a teenager I was a bit of a rebel. But we got a lot closer in my early twenties, so it was my mission after uni to bring her as many happy moments as I possibly could, and this moment was definitely a highlight of both our lives. I also had the pleasure of performing with my cousin Ivan, who is a professional ballroom and Latin dancer, both in the final of Drag Idol and on the main stage of Northern Pride 2019.
GURL: We absolutely adored this, we started off with tears of laughter but the true emotion of having your mum and cousin on stage with you sank in soon after. (We also liked spotting our name on screen)
GURL: Would you do a drag idol winners season?
Choriza: I 100% would. I may come across calm and easy-going but I am mega competitive! I think a Drag Idol Winners competition would be super exciting to watch. All the previous winners are so talented, it would be great to share a stage with all of them and see everyone bringing their A game.
GURL: Competitive, you? Gosh we would never have guessed……though we admire how you’re always still a truly lovely person too.
GURL: Who are your biggest inspirations?
Choriza: I mentioned this before, the early Pedro Almodovar films are my main source of inspiration. He shows a very colourful but tragic Spain and tells stories of women that haven’t had it very easy in life. And that’s kinda my mission in drag; I want to bring smiles through my looks and make people think through my performances.
GURL: What’s your fave bop right now?
Choriza: Say So by Doja Cat!! I listen to it when I wake up, in the shower, while I’m cooking! I will probably hate it next week.
GURL: Trust us, we know exactly what that’s like – it’s an anthem! (And now we have a Nicki Mix)
GURL: Do you even like chorizo?
Choriza: I do love chorizo haha! However British people use it too much and in the weirdest ways, and I will say this: If I see one more person adding chorizo to paella I will loose my mind haha! It seems like when people here are feeling a bit exotic they’ll just add chorizo to a dish and think it automatically makes it Spanish. A chorizo stew with white wine or a chorizo tortilla, that’s how you make the most of it! (That was probably too intense for such a simple question, I am very passionate about my chorizo, what can I say!)
GURL: You did a number as Marge Simpson, but would you sleep with Homer?
Choriza: Absolutely not, but I would sleep with Ned Flanders.
GURL: Wouldn’t we all sleep with stupid sexy Flanders? We all remember that dating site tape, all that praying got him BLESSED.
GURL: What would a ‘Choriza” cocktail consist of?
Choriza: Well actually, Tragidy created a Choriza Cocktail for a cocktail master class she used to do at Central. I’ve asked her what it had in it and this is what she said:
25ml Malibu, 25ml Archers, 25 Blue Curacao and Tropical Juice with a slice of chorizo decisive garnish, served in a hurricane with lots of crushed ice. Sounds disgusting to me, but there you go.
GURL: That actually sounds rather delicious until you slip a bit of spicy sausage up in there, very fruity!
GURL: Which three fellow performers would you recommend?
Choriza: A local queen: Opium, she is a multidisciplinary drag artist and I think the world needs to know more about her, she is a genius!
A UK queen: The Vicar’s Daughter, based in Manchester and one of my favourite drag performers ever!
A Spanish queen: Hugáceo Crujiente, based in Valencia they are an amazing drag performer and visual artist, they make me really proud of the Valencian drag scene.
GURL: 3 absolutely fantastic people right there!
Go get yourself a taste of this spicy, saucy, Spanish sausage right now!
