Drag superstar and trans icon Laganja Estranja has revealed what set of circumstances it would take to get her to compete on a season of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars.
“Y’all wanted a twist, eh? Come on season six, let’s get sickening,” was the entrance quote heard around the world, when Laganja pumped into the werk room for RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2014, before hitting the floor in one of the franchise’s most memorable death drops.
Although Laganja didn’t have the *cough* smoothest run in Bianca Del Rio’s victory season, including some now eye-watering challenge performances and even more memorable meltdowns, she became an instant fan-favourite.
That’s what makes it all the more shocking that, eight seasons of All Stars and an ongoing transition later, she’s not returned for a second go.
But, speaking to PinkNews about her newly released single, “HAWT”, Laganja shares that her perfect Werk Room return wouldn’t feature the queen as a competitor.
“The dream scenario is that I get to go back as a choreographer, and that I get to leave my mark on the franchise that way,” she says. “That’s ultimately what would really make me happy, comfortable and also be more authentic and true to myself.”
If she were to present herself to the judges once more as a contender for a crown, though, Ms. Laganja Estranja explains exactly what would have to fall into place for the dreams of so many Drag Race fans to become a reality.
“In order for me to compete, the stars that would have to align would be financial stability,” Laganja says in a nod to the hundreds of thousands of dollars being spent by the girls on runway packages in recent seasons.
“I would have to be happier with my body and further along in my physical transition,” she adds, before conceding that while a non-elimination season, such as All Stars 7 or 9, means you “get to show all your looks”, it’s also “not as fun”.
She continues by saying: “Ultimately, what would need to align for me is my spirit. I think my spirit is too back and forth. And I don’t think that going into that show with a back-and-forth spirit is the way to move forward.
“You have to go in knowing you’re the best, and that you have a chance [of] winning. And if you don’t really feel that way, then you’re probably not going to perform that way.”
To round off her answer with a defiant glimmer of hope of an All Stars return for fans, Laganja says: “There is something in me that does want to go back and show people. I just don’t know when that will be, and if the stars will align in that way.”
“HAWT” by Laganja Estranja is available exclusively on Gala Music.