RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars 5 winner Shea Couleé said her drag represents the power of Black women, whom she has a deep connection to.
“In my mind, when I look at Black women, I see God,” she said to Entertainment Weekly in an interview about her highly celebrated win. “They’re so powerful, beautiful, glamorous, vulnerable, strong, and wonderful. They’ve contributed to so much of American pop culture that it only makes sense that I humbly dedicate myself to building them up and giving them glory, because it’s what they deserve.”
Couleé said she wanted her win to showcase her humanity to the larger public.
“I’m the product of generations of hard-working individuals,” she said. “My grandmother worked as a maid. Her parents picked cotton in Mississippi. They worked hard to ensure I would, as one of their descendants, live up to my potential and achieve the American Dream. I want to serve as an example that you can come from humble beginnings to become royalty.”
RuPaul himself called Couleé’s representation of drag “next-level,” showcasing art’s “higher consciousness.”
“Shea’s All-Stars victory is yet another shining example of drag excellence,” he said to Entertainment Weekly. “I am grateful to all our courageous queens for inspiring the sweet, sensitive, creative souls that watch our show. And I am humbled by the unwavering support of my partners at World of Wonder and VH1 as we continue to provide a global platform that celebrates all the colors of the rainbow.”
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Photo credit: VH1
