Our lives are about to get a whole lot less fun, as RuPaul's Drag Race UK is about to finish its second season. This year's series has been an absolute must watch. The talent on show, combined with our desperate need for escapism, means that we have never been so in need of the programme's blend of camp fun and true artistry. Whoever wins, they have all delivered. But if there's one contestant who seems born for stardom its Tayce. The 26-year-old queen is elegant, eloquent and glamorous, and while she has lip-synched for her life more than any queen this season, she has proven herself as deserving of her place, both in the final and in the nation's bejewelled hearts. Here's what she had to say about her Drag Race journey in a quick chat with Grazia...
What have you learned about yourself from competing on the show?
That I'm not perfect at everything, but that's absolutely fine. I'm not a cocky, up-my-ass, 'I think I'm the best shit since sliced bread' kind of person – whatever people might think of me. I like to look my best and I'm very passionate about what I do, so I get that sometimes people have this impression of me that I'm stuck-up or intimidating. I've been on the scene for a couple of years and I'm used to people responding positively to what I do, so I was really shook when I ended up in the bottom two in week two. I thought I'd smash the Rats: The Rusical challenge because it was all about performing, which is what I do, so it was definitely humbling when it didn't go so well and I had to lip-sync.
What did you think of UK Hun when you first heard it?
I honestly thought it was horrible! I was like, 'What the hell is this nursery rhyme song?' I didn't really vocalise that on the show because I was so focused on the challenge. But when the episode aired and it started climbing the charts, I was just so happy and totally got it. And I was fuming when I saw people on Instagram dancing to it in nightclubs [in Australia]. But believe me, come June 21st, I’m gonna be out shaking my shit to our song too!
Has competing against your friend and housemate, A'Whora, been more of a curse or a blessing?
Oh, a blessing, especially during the [Covid] break. I think living with a creative really pushes you to be on top of your game. In our house [in Streatham], there's three of us who do drag, plus a musician and a hairdresser, so we've all got our own thing going on. When you have a day where you're not feeling so motivated, seeing someone like A'Whora doing their thing makes you think: 'Right, buck up your ideas and get your shit together.' It was just really good to have someone to bounce off and be inspired by.
What are your career goals after the final?
I'd love to build myself into a bit of a mogul, but for now, because I love to perform, it makes sense for me to make my own music. I'm already working on a song inspired by TLC and Janet Jackson's Scream. I want to make music that when you close your eyes, it makes you think of chrome and spaceships.
READ MORE: Lawrence Chaney: 'I've Always Thought Of Myself As Weird Looking'
READ MORE: Ellie Diamond: '99.9% Of What Brought To Drag Race, I Made For Myself'