Universal Sydney drag competition Slay 4 Pay, the brainchild of drag queens Charisma Belle and Carmen Geddit, has been axed after six years.
In a joint announcement on Instagram on Thursday, Slay hosts Belle and Geddit, along with Universal Sydney’s management, said that next Wednesday’s March 26 Slay 4 Pay at 10pm would be the last.
“After many discussions, with consideration to the ever changing landscape of our fabulous community, Team Universal, Carmen & Charisma have made the decision that the Slay brand will be taking a hiatus,” it said.
“We thank everyone for their love and support and want to assure you all that we have some very exciting things to announce in the coming week!
“Please be sure to join us this coming Wednesday as we SLAY a final time together.”
Slay 4 Pay has set the stage for some of Sydney’s most exciting up-and-coming drag talent to compete week in and week out to win prizes, showcase their art, and be part of the Slay performer community. If they won cash, many drag artists often joked that they used it to pay their rent.
“A devoted crowd showed up every week, passionate about Sydney drag and performance, ready to see what these incredible performers would turn out,” the joint statement continued.
Slay 4 Pay has had multiple spin off brands such as Slay Live, its COVID lockdown iteration, and Slay 2 Stay, which has seen many top drag names come through the Slay ranks.
“To say that the Slay brand is one of our proudest achievements doesn’t begin to touch on our gratitude for all of the love and dedication put in by all of the entertainers that make this happen,” the statement said.
Despite Slay winding up, Universal, Belle and Geddit encouraged up-and-coming drag artists to continue to attend the nightclub’s Sunday Shenanigans event, its open drag night every Sunday night, because “we still believe strongly in investing and nurturing up and coming drag talent”.
The announcement comes amid an uncertain future for Oxford Street, with Stonewall closed Mondays and Tuesdays and Arq shutting its doors this weekend with the intention of handing its keys over to Dave Auld, the co-founder of straight nightclub Noir, to relaunch it as Aura. Poof Doof will host its last party there on Saturday.
Ben Grubb is the founder and editor of Gay Sydney News, an independent publication covering LGBTQIA+ news. A journalist with more than 15 years' experience, he has reported and edited for The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, WAToday, Brisbane Times, The Australian Financial Review, News.com.au, ZDNet, TelecomTimes and iTnews, primarily on the topic of technology. He previously hosted The Informer, a queer current affairs program on Melbourne’s JOY 94.9 radio station, and contributes to LGBTQIA+ media including Stun Magazine. Ben has also appeared as a technology commentator on Channel Ten's The Project, ABC RN’s Download This Show and commercial radio stations 2UE, 2GB and 6PR. Contact Ben: ben.grubb@gaysydneynews.com.au
