Drag queen Karna Ford says Sydney needs more drag competitions and has revealed how she intends to spend the $10,000 prize money she won after taking home the crown at Wednesday night’s Slay 2 Stay contest.
After 12 gruelling weeks of the competition, Ford told GSN she believed it was her consistency in the competition that got her over the line.
“I was pretty consistent during the whole competition but I never snagged a win,” she said, referring to her never being announced as one of the weekly winners by the judges.
“By the time we got to the finals it could have been any of the finalists’ win to be honest, but in the end it just came down to the show [we put on] and I would have been so happy with the outcome of any of us winning.”
It’s well known that drag can be an expensive career.
Many RuPaul performers, for example, often spend more than $10,000 on their looks to get ready for the competition.
But Karna, who co-hosts Bingo Babes at Potts Point Hotel with Logan The Drag Queen, said she was able to keep her Slay 2 Stay costs to just $2000.
“I was lucky enough for them [the judges] to not notice that through the comp I was cycling through only 3 pairs of stockings and a few pairs of earrings too,” she said. “But for when I had to pay for something, no expense was spared.”
Ford said she “definitely wants to see more” Oxford Street drag competitions exist after the axing of Lip Sync Heroes at The Imperial Hotel in Erskineville, Drag 4 Dollars at ARQ, and Tuck 4 a Buck at the Burdekin Hotel.
“It was such a great starting point for me to immerse myself into the community. It’s obviously sad that the [other] events closed due to lack of numbers,” she said.
All three previously mentioned events were regular weekly comps with cash prizes that Ford had participated in.
A regular at Poof Doof and Universal, Ford has been performing in drag for four years but only recently made the jump into doing it full-time.
“It’s a long constant struggle trying to get work but being professional, showing up on time, networking and just being a nice person go a long way and are really good skills that helped me,” she said.
As for what she’ll do with the prize money? “Well it’s right before Christmas, so I’m definitely going to treat myself ,” Ford said.
“But most definitely … [it will go towards] a reinvestment in my drag,” she said.
Hosted by Carmen Geddit and Charisma Belle, this year’s Slay 2 Stay comp had 31 performers apply, which was whittled down to 24 competitors after picking names from a box.
Ford’s $10,000 win courtesy of Fireball and Hard Fizz was decided by both the audience voting on drink receipts, as well as by the judges. The judges and the audience both had a 50 per cent say in who would win, Belle told GSN.
All the finalists were amazing and should be so proud of their achievements, she said.
“I think Karna had the right mix last night. A show that was fun, punchy and well-choreographed. Even with 4 dancers, she was still the star of the show,” Belle said.
It was also one of the strongest competitions she and co-host Geddit had had the pleasure of creating with a strong cast of rising stars, she said.
“We had everything – talent, drama, laughs and lots of growth from the contestants. It was magic.”
One of the judges for the final was RuPaul Drag Race Down Under star Hannah Conda, who said competitions were the perfect place for young queens to foster their skills and craft.
“You get to perform in front of industry leaders so they can see you and book you as well as start fostering your support base with the incredible crowds of Sydney. It’s an amazing opportunity,” Conda said, adding that all the performers showcased themselves in their truest form.
“Karna just provided a show that was so slick and polished that it pushed her over the edge. It was refined and ready for any stage here in Sydney, around Australia or even the world stage,” she said.
GSN has listed on the next slide drag competitions and open-mic nights that remain in Sydney’s inner city.Universal’s Slay 4 Pay on Wednesdays, which includes $350 in cash prizes; Universal’s Sunday Shenanigans (no prizes); Showgirl Sundays at Stonewall Hotel (no prizes); Trans Glamore at Stonewall on the 1st Thursday of the month (no prizes); GAWJ at Ching-a-Lings on Thursdays (no prizes); Grove Bar in King’s Cross will also allow performances on Fridays if you ask (no prizes); That’s Entertainment on Wednesdays at Newtown Hotel, which comes with the chance to win $100 and every entrant gets a $40 bar voucher; Trans Talent Night at Newtown Hotel, held on the 3rd Thursday of the month, which includes $500 in prizes; Transcendent Thursdays at Newtown Hotel (no prizes), held every other Thursday.
We’re also told Birdcage at The Bank Hotel on Wednesdays is open to giving baby drag performers a chance to get on stage if they get in touch.
Meanwhile, The Bank Hotel in Newtown held its first Woodys Talent Time competition earlier this year, which was won by drag queen Vendetta, who made it into this year’s Slay 2 Stay top four.
This brings us to Slay 2 Stay, which is typically held once a year at Universal Sydney on Wednesday nights and replaces Slay 4 Pay for 12 weeks.
Gay Sydney News editor