SPOILER ALERT: If you have yet to see the shocking grand finale of RuPaul's Drag Race season 10, first of all, your loss, you are about to discover that it was 21-year-old Aquaria who rightfully sashayed away with the crown, scepter and title of America's Next Drag Superstar following a fierce lip-sync battle against both Eureka O'Hara and Kameron Michaels.
Along with a $100,000 prize check and a lifetime supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics, the New York City queen has already used her new found fame and notoriety to follow in the footsteps of many of her fellow reality star queens: she released a debut single.
"Burn Rubber" is a strange, electro-influenced ode to fashion, attitude and beauty, cranked up to high intensity with the first few notes and refusing to dial down the energy until the very end. Said to be inspired by the work of Madonna, Lady Gaga, and Daft Punk, the Jesse Saint John-penned club track features a vocally disguised Aquaria fastening her seat belt, prepared to conquer the competition and cross the finish line first at any cost.
The songwriting, seemingly inspired by the queen's time on Drag Race, blends her overall polished, couture, creative aesthetic and sense of cockiness and privilege (supported by talent and receipts, of course) for an anthem that will certainly get a listener's blood charged. "Start up the engine, I got revenge in the back of my blue eyes, don't see my rival, I got the title, this competition's mine," she asserts on the opening verse, before the hypnotic hook rolls around.
After her standout verse on "American: The RuMix" helped cement her finale crowning, many were curious if Aquaria would make her mark on the recording industry. Check. While the delivery and lyrical content on "Burn Rubber" is sharp, the finished product does leave room for improvement. The queen allows her vocals to be overshadowed by frenzied production. Not terrible, the track is still a joyful ride, however, after securing a win on the most-watched finale ever, why allow yourself to be forced into the background on your debut music project?
Fellow S10 queens such as Dusty Ray Bottoms ("Neva Lavd Ya!"), Monet X Change ("Soak It Up") and Eureka O'Hara ("The Big Girl") have also released impressive, diverse anthems of their own. However, it's southern belle Blair St. Clair who deserves the most attention and praise for her dance-tinged debut album Call My Life, released last week.
First, the charming queen took control of her own destiny on vocally-delicious, dance banger "Now or Never" (seriously, one of the better Drag Race releases ever), forcing many to direct eyes toward a fierce artist who was eliminated too early due to a supposed lack of personality. The release of her first, full-length, seven-track project rights that wrong and features many gems tailored for mainstream domination, and not just rotation at the nearest gay bar.
Case in point, the title track and project's second official single. "Call My Life" shares some similarities in terms of inspiration and subject matter with its predecessor, finding the artist dealing with an identity crisis. While "Now or Never" featured a tougher, more secure queen taking the reins, the follow up highlights a crossroads decision: is it best to pursue a glamorous life in the lights, or a more grounded, happy life?
The choice doesn't appear too easy. St. Clair is forced to ignore the smaller moments that bring her joy in order to keep up with a hectic business life. "And you're never gonna see, every part of me, but I'll make you believe, that I can make you mine, but I'm sick of this game, put it on vibrate, gonna do it my way this time, baby," she declares on the hook, making the case for the idea of fame to come from within, not to be defined by society standards.
"Call My Life" is an equally impressive next step for St. Clair, setting the tone and standard for its parent album. Paired with other standouts such as the sensual "Irresistible", inspirational "One Day at a Time" and comedic, Alaska Thunderfuck-featuring "America's Sweetheart", the queen has already made a positive, commendable impact on the Drag Race music scene, producing end results that back up the claim and proving that she's just getting started.
First, the charming queen took control of her own destiny on vocally-delicious, dance banger "Now or Never" (seriously, one of the better Drag Race releases ever), forcing many to direct eyes toward a fierce artist who was eliminated too early due to a supposed lack of personality. The release of her first, full-length, seven-track project rights that wrong and features many gems tailored for mainstream domination, and not just rotation at the nearest gay bar.
Case in point, the title track and project's second official single. "Call My Life" shares some similarities in terms of inspiration and subject matter with its predecessor, finding the artist dealing with an identity crisis. While "Now or Never" featured a tougher, more secure queen taking the reins, the follow up highlights a crossroads decision: is it best to pursue a glamorous life in the lights, or a more grounded, happy life?
The choice doesn't appear too easy. St. Clair is forced to ignore the smaller moments that bring her joy in order to keep up with a hectic business life. "And you're never gonna see, every part of me, but I'll make you believe, that I can make you mine, but I'm sick of this game, put it on vibrate, gonna do it my way this time, baby," she declares on the hook, making the case for the idea of fame to come from within, not to be defined by society standards.
"Call My Life" is an equally impressive next step for St. Clair, setting the tone and standard for its parent album. Paired with other standouts such as the sensual "Irresistible", inspirational "One Day at a Time" and comedic, Alaska Thunderfuck-featuring "America's Sweetheart", the queen has already made a positive, commendable impact on the Drag Race music scene, producing end results that back up the claim and proving that she's just getting started.
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