Music & Concerts
‘Drag Race’ favorite Nina West readies Capital Pride set
Season 11 Miss Congeniality winner dishes on her castmates
Nina West
Capital Pride Concert
Sunday, June 9
Capitol Concert Stage
3rd and Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Free admission
Meet-and-greet tickets: $75
Nina’s slot is between 7-9 p.m.
Nina West, real name Andrew Levitt, knows the meaning of “Everything happens in the right time.” The Ohio native has been performing for 20 years and auditioned nine times for “RuPaul’s Drag Race” before earning a spot on season 11.
He finished the season in sixth place after the “Drag Family Values Challenge,” where West coordinated a look that incorporated the colors of the rainbow pride flag and transgender pride flag, Although she was eliminated, West found herself with some famous fans including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who posted about West on her Instagram stories, and Rihanna, who sent West a DM.
West chatted with the Washington Blade over the phone about her season 11 reflections, her charity work and dished about her fellow contestants. She headlines at the Capital Pride concert around 7 p.m. Sunday.
WASHINGTON BLADE: Congratulations on making the top six on “Drag Race.” It took you nine auditions to make it on the show. How did you stay positive throughout years of auditioning?
NINA WEST: I think I really stayed focused on the end goal which was walking in the Werk Room and wanting to prove to myself and the producers that I could do it. I just couldn’t give up. The road less traveled is always a little more difficult but I had something to prove to myself. I really couldn’t let it go. It was a dream of mine and I just couldn’t let it go.
BLADE: You were one of the most experienced queens on the season. How was that an advantage?
WEST: My experience extended far from the stage. I’ve got experience dealing with audience members and the professional side of the business. I think it’s also why I veered away from the drama. I was much more in the competition and not involved in the nonsense and the noise because I’ve been around for so long.
BLADE: One of your memorable moments on the show was during “Snatch Game” when you portrayed Harvey Fierstein and Jo Anne Worley. What was the thought process behind that?
WEST: The reason I wanted to do two characters is because I really wanted to show off my ability and Harvey and Jo Anne are two very different characters. Harvey is a very low register and Joanne is really high. So it showed off my acting chops. I really also couldn’t decide. I was like, “Oh God, what’s going to be stronger?” So I took them both. I think that played in my favor. I think I did really well in my “Snatch Game.” I thought I was really close to the win but unfortunately I didn’t grab it.
BLADE: The “Snatch Game’ episode was also memorable for Brook Lynne Heights’ and Yvie Oddly’s lip-sync. What was it like watching that in person?
WEST: Watching the lip-syncs from behind is so very different from watching it on TV. You’re only seeing really the back of them. But watching that lip-sync was truly amazing. It’s probably the best lip-sync that’s ever happened on the show’s history. That was really incredible. I’ve known Brook Lynne for years so I knew she was capable of it. I met Yvie in the process of the show so I didn’t know exactly what she was capable of so it was pretty remarkable to watch it.
BLADE: During the “L.A.D.P.” episode, Brook Lynne was your partner. You wanted to be the sunbather in that skit but you gave it to Brook Lynne. Do you regret not putting yourself first?
WEST: Yeah. I think one of the lessons I learned is separating what is real life versus what is a reality competition. I was so committed to help him that I forgot to put myself first. If I had put myself first, I would have been able to be much more confident and secure in my ability. Then again, I don’t know if I regret that. Because it’s also a demonstration of who I am. I wanted him to succeed just as much as I wanted to succeed. I was fully aware of my ability. I got insecure and in my head because as it turns out we weren’t judged as teams but as individuals.
BLADE: Brook Lynne had a flirtmance going with Miss Vanjie. Was that a distraction for you? Or did you think it would be distracting for them in the competition?
WEST: I don’t know. It had nothing to do with me. I wasn’t in the relationship.
BLADE: Some people thought Silky Ganache was playing it up for the cameras. Did you think that was true?
WEST: No, I think that’s who she is. She is an incredible entertainer and she’s a big personality. Because she’s an entertainer, when she walks into a room she commands attention. I think for a lot of girls they were insecure about that and didn’t know how to handle that. I think that’s part of learning how to deal with people in the world. People who are different than you, quiet, loud. I don’t think Silky was putting it on for TV at all.
BLADE: Yvie was always getting into fights with the other girls for critiquing them. Were they critiques or digs?
WEST: I think she was definitely trying to help people. She was helping people by being direct with people. That is a very admirable quality. Telling people to their face instead of talking behind their back. In this kind of situation, the stakes are raised. Everything is down to the minute. Everything is important. But seemingly, the big picture, the last thing you want to hear is from another queen telling you that you did something wrong. How you’re not changing your silhouette or how you’re not evolving. I think that she was just being honest. But there’s a time and place. She probably also didn’t have the skills fully developed. She would probably say it has to do with people who are confrontational and not confrontational but I think it just shows a little bit of youth and age. I think this is a great place for her to learn that her opinion is valid, it’s just sometimes not everybody wants to hear.
BLADE: Another person who had some drama was Plastique Tiara. There was confusion about her background. Did you find her story to be genuine?
WEST: I thought it was genuine. We were together for a very short period of time in the contest. I wasn’t there to question somebody’s credibility about their personal life. That would just be really insecure and stupid.
BLADE: You went home on the “Drag Family Values Challenge” with Suga Cain as your partner. You made a statement wearing the rainbow pride and transgender pride outfits, but it wasn’t enough. What would you have done differently about the challenge?
WEST: Nothing at all, honestly. That statement was who I am and what my drag family values are. The challenge is drag family values, not a twin challenge. Everyone interpreted it as a twin challenge. I interpreted it in a completely different way. As a result, the fans fell in love with me even harder. My story is changing and being written as we speak. The world has opened up to me because I stayed true to myself and was authentic. It’s not always about winning a competition on a show. I learned that too.
BLADE: You got the attention of some famous people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rihanna. How does it feel to get such high praise on your drag after doing it for so long?
WEST: Praise from AOC specifically and having her give a viral reaction felt like I won the lottery. I mean I wasn’t great on that challenge but it was still so me and if I hadn’t had that opportunity I don’t know if AOC would have reacted the way she did. Or Leslie Jones or Bobby Moynihan or Rihanna. Rihanna is very notoriously private and the fact that she reached out to me is amazing. What she said is amazing. Again, it has to do with my authenticity and who I am as a person and what I represent. I feel really lucky to have this kind of attention. It’s another person who is incredibly good at their craft telling me I’m incredibly good at my craft. Whether it’s music, politics, art or comedy, it’s amazing.
BLADE: What have you been up to since filming the show?
WEST: Since filming the show, I’ve released two EPs. One is a children’s music EP and one is a comedy album. There’s a video out for a song called “Hucks” which is a parody about Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The video for my single “Drag is Magic “is out. We just wrapped the finale reunion. Busy filling my calendar with special things that will be coming out very soon.
BLADE: Tell me about the Nina West Foundation.
WEST: The Nina West Foundation was founded in 2015. I’ve raised two and a half million dollars. Our focus is LGBTQIA. So whether it be Kaleidoscope Youth Center, which is a youth drop-in service and organization which helps connect you with a space to feel safe, or the Human Rights Campaign or the Ronald McDonald House in central Ohio. My goal in establishing the fund was to use my platform, because I initially didn’t have any money. I started asking my audiences at the end of every show to donate. Here we are 20 years later. We just have the first LGBTQIA endowment to an organization in the state of Ohio. We’re getting ready to announce a scholarship. We gave to the Matthew Shepard Foundation during the season when my story came out about the bullying. I’m just trying to put my money and my mouth to work to do what I set out to do.
BLADE: You’ve done some drag queen story times for children. How do you feel about the backlash that these story times are getting?
WEST: It’s people who are so insecure with their own lives that they’re staying in other people’s business. I think drag queens have the potential to change the world. I think they already have. I think there’s something to be said for children who respond to a big, bright character and that’s what drag queens are. Some people put drag queens in the context of nightlife or sexualizing drag and they’re not really looking at drag for what it can do and what it can be. That’s on them.
BLADE: You shared on the show about your Republican roots. Why did you decide to be open about that?
WEST: While I’m not a Republican, my family is. They are registered Republicans and work for different people in the Republican party in the state of Ohio. I didn’t tell my story for fans or viewership. I told my story because I think it’s relatable. I don’t think I’m the only gay man who grew up in conservative family who didn’t get along with his family or being kicked out. That was the reality for some period of time. That’s my story so that’s why I shared it.
Music & Concerts
Underdog glorious: a personal remembrance of Jill Sobule
Talented singer, songwriter died in house fire on May 1
I’ve always prided myself on being the kind of music consumer who purchased music on impulse. When I stumbled across “Things Here Are Different,” Jill Sobule’s 1990 MCA Records debut album on vinyl in a favorite Chicago record store, I bought it without knowing anything about her. This was at a time when we didn’t have our phones in our pockets to search for information about the artist on the internet. The LP stayed in my collection until, as vinyl was falling out of fashion, I replaced it with a CD a few years later.
Early in my career as an entertainment journalist, I received a promo copy of Jill’s eponymous 1995 Atlantic Records album. That year, Atlantic Records was one of the labels at the forefront of signing and heavily promoting queer artists, including Melissa Ferrick and Extra Fancy, and its roster included the self-titled album by Jill. It was a smart move, as the single “I Kissed A Girl” became a hit on radio and its accompanying video (featuring Fabio!) was in heavy rotation on MTV (when they still played videos).
Unfortunately for Jill, she was a victim of record label missteps. When 1997’s wonderful “Happy Town” failed to repeat the success, Atlantic dumped her. That was Atlantic’s loss, because her next album, the superb “Pink Pearl” contained “Heroes” and “Mexican Wrestler,” two of her most beloved songs. Sadly, Beyond Music, the label that released that album ceased to exist after just a few years. To her credit, the savvy Jill had also started independently releasing music (2004’s “The Folk Years”). That was a smart move because her next major-label release, the brilliant “Underdog Victorious” on Artemis Records, met a similar fate when that label folded.
With her 2009 album “California Years,” Jill launched her own indie label, Pinko Records, on which she would release two more outstanding full-length discs, 2014’s “Dottie’s Charms” (on which she collaborated with some of her favorite writers, including David Hadju, Rick Moody, Mary Jo Salter, and Jonathan Lethem), and 2018’s stunning “Nostalgia Kills.” Jill’s cover of the late Warren Zevon’s “Don’t Let Us Get Sick” on “Nostalgia Kills” was particularly poignant as she had toured with him as an opening act.
Jill was a road warrior, constantly on tour, and her live shows were something to behold. My first interview with Jill took place at the Double Door in Chicago in early August of 1995, when she was the opening act for legendary punk band X. She had thrown her back out the previous day and was diagnosed with a herniated disc. To be comfortable, she was lying down on a fabulous-‘50s sofa. “I feel like I’m at my shrink’s,” she said to me, “Do you want me to talk about my mother?”
That sense of humor, which permeated and enriched her music, was one of many reasons to love Jill. I was privileged to interview her for seven of her albums. Everything you would want to know about her was right there in her honest lyrics, in which she balanced her distinctive brand of humor with serious subject matter. Drawing on her life experiences in songs such as “Bitter,” “Underachiever,” “One of These Days,” “Freshman,” “Jetpack,” “Nothing To Prove,” “Forbidden Thoughts of Youth,” “Island of Lost Things,” “Where Do I Begin,” “Almost Great,” and “Big Shoes,” made her songs as personal as they were universal, elicited genuine affection and concern from her devoted fans.
While she was a consummate songwriter, Jill also felt equally comfortable covering songs made famous by others, including “Just A Little Lovin’” (on the 2000 Dusty Springfield tribute album “Forever Dusty”) and “Stoned Soul Picnic” (from the 1997 Laura Nyro tribute album “Time and Love”). Jill also didn’t shy away from political subject matter in her music with “Resistance Song,” “Soldiers of Christ,” “Attic,” “Heroes,” “Under the Disco Ball,” and the incredible “America Back” as prime examples.
Here’s something else worth mentioning about Jill. She was known for collaboration skills. As a songwriter, she maintained a multi-year creative partnership with Robin Eaton (“I Kissed A Girl” and many others), as well as Richard Barone, the gay frontman of the renowned band The Bongos. Jill’s history with Barone includes performing together at a queer Octoberfest event in Chicago in 1996. Writer and comedian Julie Sweeney, of “SNL” and “Work in Progress” fame was another Chicago collaborator with Sobule (Sweeney lives in a Chicago suburb), where they frequently performed their delightful “The Jill and Julia Show.” John Doe, of the aforementioned band X, also collaborated with Jill in the studio (“Tomorrow Is Breaking” from “Nostalgia Kills”), as well as in live performances.
On a very personal note, in 2019, when I was in the process of arranging a reading at the fabulous NYC gay bookstore Bureau of General Services – Queer Division, I reached out to Jill and asked her if she would like to be on the bill with me. We alternated performing; I would read a couple of poems, and Jill would sing a couple of songs. She even set one of my poems to music, on the spot.
Jill had an abundance of talent, and when she turned her attention to musical theater, it paid off in a big way. Her stage musical “F*ck 7th Grade,” a theatrical piece that seemed like the next logical step in her career, had its premiere at Pittsburgh’s City Theatre in the fall of 2020, during the height of the pandemic. The unique staging (an outdoor drive-in stage at which audience members watched from their cars) was truly inspired. “F*ck 7th Grade” went on to become a New York Times Critic’s pick, as well as earning a Drama Desk nomination.
In honor of the 30th anniversary of Jill’s eponymous 1995 album, reissue label Rhino Records is re-releasing it on red vinyl. Jill and I had been emailing each other to arrange a time for an interview. We even had a date on the books for the third week of May.
When she died in a house fire in Minnesota on May 1 at age 66, Jill received mentions on network and cable news shows. She was showered with attention from major news outlets, including obits in the New York Times and Rolling Stone (but not Pitchfork, who couldn’t be bothered to review her music when she was alive). Is it wrong to think that if she’d gotten this much attention when she was alive she could have been as big as Taylor Swift? I don’t think so.
Music & Concerts
Tom Goss returns with ‘Bear Friends Furever Tour’
Out singer/songwriter to perform at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Singer Tom Goss will bring his “Bear Friends Furever Tour” to D.C. on Sunday, June 8 at 8 p.m. at Red Bear Brewing Co.
Among the songs he will perform will be “Bear Soup,” the fourth installment in his beloved bear song anthology series. Following fan favorites like “Bears,” “Round in All the Right Places,” and “Nerdy Bear,” this high-energy, bass-thumping banger celebrates body positivity, joyful indulgence, and the vibrant spirit of the bear subculture.
For more details, visit Tom Goss’s website.
Aussie pop icon Kylie Minogue brings her acclaimed “Tension” world tour to D.C. next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Capital One Arena. Tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.
The show features songs spanning her long career, from 1987 debut single, “The Loco-Motion,” to “Padam, Padam” from her album, “Tension.”
Adams Morgan queer bar broken into and vandalized
‘Things Like This’ embraces formula and plus-size visibility
Calendar: May 23-29
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