Olivia Dreams from RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under shares the unexpected contrast between Australian and New Zealand drag queens
RuPaul Drag Race’s eliminated star Olivia Dreams has revealed the unlikely difference between Australian and New Zealand drag queens.
Olivia, 26, has risen to fame as the first Wellington queen to appear on the Down Under edition of RuPaul’s Drag Race, which is currently streaming on Stan.
Olivia, who was described as a young, passionate and high performer, was eliminated from the competition after losing out in the famous lip sync battle.
As she made her exit, Olivia spoke exclusively to Daily Mail Australia about her time on the show and reveals what really goes on behind the scenes.
However, she admitted the biggest shock came upon learning the difference between Kiwi and Aussie queens, which became apparent in the iconic ‘werk room’.
‘The biggest difference I notice is how loud Australian drag artists are,’ she shared.
‘We consider ourselves quite loud down here, but they take it to the next level and I think I got a little bit of shell shock entering the werk room on episode one and just listening to the absolute vibration that was [fellow contestant] Vybe, just shrieking.’
Having said this, Olivia said that Kiwi and Aussie drag is ultimately not that different as they both have a very similar core ethos.
‘I think Australasian drag has the core ethos at heart, we grew up with Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, that sort of inspiration,’ she said.
Olivia, who has been doing drag for three years, said her time on the show has boosted her confidence as well as her make-up skills.
‘My makeup has gotten really, really good, or much better than it was on the show,’ she shared.
‘I think, looking back, that’s the one thing I really wish I had the opportunity to change.
‘But on the other hand, I think it’s a really good thing for me because it shows growth and it shows that I’m constantly trying to better myself.’
Olivia was knocked out of the competition this week after the ‘two Sandies’ challenge.
The queens competed in a girl group task inspired by the character of Sandy in hit musical Grease, played by Olivia Newton-John in the 1978 film version.
One team was dressed as Good Sandy, while the other was Bad Sandy, echoing how the character goes from a straight-laced student to a leather-clad girl in the musical.
Despite a glamorous Cher-inspired look on the runway, the judges felt Olivia shrunk into the background of the dance challenge.
Her performance landed her in the bottom with fellow New Zealand queen Lucina Innocence, who defeated her in the lip sync.
The brand new season of the eight-part Stan original series is currently playing on the streaming service.
Comedian Rhys Nicholson has returned to the main judging panel alongside rotating Down Under drag royalty.
Meanwhile, Drag Race veteran Michelle Visage, 56, has taken on the role as host for the first time in the 15-year history of the franchise.
The American singer was revealed to be the new host earlier this year and replaced RuPaul, who has been the face of the franchise since its inception in 2009.
Michelle has long been a recognisable face on the competition, first serving as a judge after joining the American version of the series in 2011.
Drag Race Down Under’s fourth season and is available to stream now only on Stan.