I want people to know that there’s still life.'
“Well, it was red all over.
And, uh, sheloves nails.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 13 winner Symone struts her crown and scepter at the finale.World of Wonder
“I love Black culture and Black women, and the strength that comes from us.
Me auditioning was a beautiful accident, because I almost wasn’t going to do it.
I almost didn’t finish the tape, but the stars aligned for me to be here.
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 13 winner Symone flaunts a black and white runway look at the finale.World of Wonder/VH1
[I thought] what would [my presence] mean to people when this aired?”
“Do I feel a responsibility?
But that’s just who I am.
Symone performs at the ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 13 finale lip sync against Kandy Muse.World of Wonder/VH1
“I want to break some ceilings, molds, and boundaries.
I want to be theNaomi Campbellof drag.
I want to be theRihannaof the world.
Symone wears a Black Lives Matter dress for ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ season 13’s Fascinating Fascinators runway.World of Wonder
I want to be a business.
I want to go out into the world and say, yes, I can do these things.
I’m a drag queen, so what?
I want to rule the world, in the simplest way possible!
I want to spread the hope, the dream, and the love.”
If this is what society looks like under Queen Symone, we bow down in perpetuity.
Read on for our full coronation interview with the reigningRuPaul’s Drag Raceseason 13 winner.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Miss Symone!
SYMONE:Oh my God!
My baby!Canyou believe?
Of course I can!
How are you feeling!?
[Sighs] I’m so happy.
I’m in a different world.
Listen, let me tell you something: There probably ain’t no bricks left.
How’s the blood sugar?
Is it low, is it high, what are the levels?
Mmm, usually it’s low, but right now it’s just right!
It’s all the levels put together, baby!
What ran through your mind the moment you heard RuPaul say your name?
I literally fell to the ground.
I lost all sense of balance.
I won the competition I’ve been watching since season 1.
Imagine feeling like everything you’ve ever wanted came true in a matter of five seconds.
Who was the first person you called, and what did you say?
I called my mom!
I was like, “Mom, your boy did it!
Your baby boy did it!
I told you I was going to do it, and I f—ing did it!”
I called, she answered, and then we were both just screaming at each other.
We have to get her that production deal.
I’m on here right now to let everyone know that you and I are in collaboration with this.
Mother needs her show.
Arkansas on the come-up!
[Laughs] No one from the furry communityfirst, but, maybe a little bit later!
That’s for after-hours.
In all seriousness, you dominated the season in ways we haven’t seen many queens do before.
Is that how you live life?
I knew I always had something, but I wouldn’t say Ibelievedit when I came in.
Going through the competition, I believed it.
By the end I was like, yeah, I’m here.
This is my time.
I told myself that I deserve it.
Through the finale, it was just me living and being relaxed, totally being in the moment.
I’ve been asked a lot about what I regret, but I regret nothing.
My mindset is so much healthier than when I walked into the Werk Room.
Y’all didn’t know I liked nails that much.
You didn’t know!
It was actually really easy.
I’m just in nails.
So, I’ve got nails on my feet.
It ain’t nothing, it’s fine.
Like you move your hands, you move your feet!
They somehow CGI’d it out [on the show].
I don’t know what kind of voodoo magic they’ve got going on in production.
But that’s been me the whole time and y’all are just new.
[Laughs] You done told my secret!
F— you, Joey!
Where did this idea come from!?
Well, it was red all over.
And I love nails.
So, it was like, how do I make a statement like this?
We did my hands and my hair.
And, I love nails.
Who said I can’t have a dress made of nails?
And then your black and white look is so consistent with what you’ve done all season.
It looks like you were reclaiming southern belle gowns.
Why was this design so important to you to wear at the finale, at this cultural moment?
I wanted to play with silhouettes.
On the show, I didn’t do anything that grand.
I poked fun at it and reclaimed that narrative.
We’re taught certain things, and I wanted to mess around and tweak.
What do you mean when you say we’re taught certain things?
We’re taught American history, and I wanted to do an “F-U” to it.
I wanted to put my foot in it!
Speaking of putting feet into things, the Timberland boots look?
Ma’am, who the hell gave you permission!?
That’s one of my favorite things ever!
It was me, the whole time!
[Laughs]
kindly tell me how many boots you had to cut up.
I willnevertell how many boots I had to massacre to make that!
So, I was like, Timerlands!
The designer is Cierra Boyd.
She made a leotard that I was so inspired by, and I wanted it to be my moment.
I’ve seen a few theories about how you approached that lip-sync.
Was that the vibe?
That’s always me!
I know my strengths.
I’m not that pop in of girl when it comes to lip-syncing.
I’m an emoter!
I like to feel things.
How can I twist it and turn it and shake it and bake it and make it me!
That was my way of doing that….
I want to always look like me, no matter the situation.
What do you want people to take away from your victory, especially right now?
I want people to know that there’s hope.
I want people to know that there’s still life.
There’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.
That’s what my crowning represents.
But, there’s a way.
That’s what my induction into this beautiful hall of glamour is!
It’s just hope.
Almost all of your runway looks are, in some way, celebrating Black women and Black culture.
Did you come on the season feeling a responsibility or a duty to do that?
I wouldn’t say necessarily a responsibility or a duty, because that’s just me!
Everything aligned for me to be on the show at the time.
That’s always what I’ve aspired to be and what I loved.
I love Black culture and Black women, and the strength that comes from us.
Me auditioning was a beautiful accident, because I almost wasn’t going to do it.
It’s just who I am…. Do I feel a responsibility?
But that’s just who I am.
Why did you almost not finish your tape?
It was the internal struggle.
It was me thinking I wasn’t worthy and that I couldn’t do it.
They pushed me to do it.
I’m grateful that they did that.
Now that you have the title, how do you want the reign under Queen Symone to go?
I want to break some ceilings, molds, and boundaries.
I want to be the Naomi Campbell of drag.
I want to be the Rihanna of the world.
I want to be a business.
I want to go out into the world and say, yes, I can do these things.
I’m a drag queen, so what?
I want to rule the world, in the simplest way possible!
I want to spread the hope, the dream, and the love.
I think about the person that I needed when I was young, that was such a driving force.
It can be done, and I’m going to do it.
