Surprise lip-sync assassin Lydia B Kollins met her match with a pair of scissors as she battled against Lana Ja’Rae for the chance to stay in the competition of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17.

When speaking to Blavity’s Shadow and Act, Kollins said that the experience was a lot to take in.

“It’s very bittersweet to have this experience, especially considering that last lip sync, considering Lana,” said Kollins. “It’s very difficult. Drag Race is very difficult, and at a certain point, like towards a certain lip sync, you get a fire like that sort of lights [you up] and it pushes you further. But then, you know, there’s that twinge, there’s that moment when you’re called to be in the bottom two, and you’re like, ‘You know what? This could be, this could be it, actually.’ So I think you have to have an overconfident, delusional level of dexterity to make it on Drag Race. So it’s difficult, but I had a great time.”

An unexpected romance in the werkroom with Kori King

Part of that great time included the surprise relationship that formed between her and Kori King. The relationship was one of the biggest storylines of the season, and Kollins was surprised by finding a romantic spark as much as anyone else.

“Yeah, it’s for sure a surprise. I did not expect it. I was not searching for it. But when Kori King comes knocking, you can’t keep the door closed, I guess,” she said.

“I wasn’t really focused on that. It’s just something that sort of happened naturally, and we just happened to be in a competition setting,” she continued. “It’s just very cool. I feel very lucky to not only be on Drag Race, but also to have met so many great sisters and, amongst those people, to have also met a partner. So it’s been, it’s, it’s really cool.”

Lydia B Kollins’ signature style: Spooky and spectacular

One of the hallmarks of Kollins’ time on Drag Race includes her offbeat and creative style. She talked about how she’s been influenced by spooky creators for her whole life.

“I think that it’s just like all I’ve known. It’s all I’ve been interested in—Halloween and Tim Burton and David Lynch and the creepier filmmakers of the time,” she said. “They’ve always made me feel a lot safer and a lot happier than anything else, really. So I’ve not really known anything else but creepy and scary. When I heard that there was a black-and-white [runway] theme, I was super excited that it happened—that Mars Attacks!, Tim Burton-esque style.”

Cheyenne Jackson, Lydia B Kollins and Sam Star on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17 — Photo: MTV

Celebrating unconventional drag on ‘Drag Race’

Off-kilter was another theme this season, with several of the contestants pushing the drag envelope with their unique style. Kollins said she loves that she’s a part of a cast that focused on individuality.

“I think there’s a couple of us [left-of-center drag queens] this season. There’s Lucky Starzzz, Arrietty as well, and Suzie Toot—that bitch is crazy, she’s a wackadoo,” she joked.

“I am honored and super excited to be a part of the left-of-center girls. I think that that’s sort of the beauty of Drag Race in itself—the fact that there’s so many different types of drag all thrown into one room and mixed up and blown to a national level,” she continued. “So I think it’s really cool to, to get to sort of show the girls what I do while they do what they do. It’s cool. It’s cool to see it all juxtaposed.”

From ‘Drag Race’ to the big screen?

Throughout the competition, Kollins showed that she’s not just there for fashionable expression. The recent roast episode showed us how funny and biting Kollins can be.

“I may be biased. I did love the roast just because of the outcome,” she said when talking about her favorite challenges. “But in terms of the challenge that I enjoyed doing, all of the design challenges were so much fun. I feel like I just got to let my creativity run wild. And I was most, the most relaxed during the design challenges. So that was a lot of fun for me.”

Kollins’ acting experiences on Drag Race have geared her towards wanting to do more on screen.

“There’s so many things on the horizon of Lydia B Kollins, but I have my sights set on doing more film work,” she said. “I would love to be in a horror movie, honey. So, you know, directors out there, listen up!”

RuPaul’s Drag Race airs Fridays at 8/7c on MTV.

Lydia B. Collins

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