Meet Becky X | Dancer & Drag Queen

We had the good fortune of connecting with Becky X and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Becky, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
I’m from a religious family raised in Tampa, FL. My father was in the military most of my childhood and my mother was a high school teacher. I did gymnastics, martial arts, dance and took art classes as a young kid and knew I wanted to be famous when I grew up. I loved singing in the choir and performing in talent shows but a career in entertainment wasn’t encouraged by my parents even though i have a knack for it. As an adult i try to live the life my child- self would dream of. I was always a colorful soul and knew i was queer my entire life but I couldn’t really live my truth while in my parent’s household because it goes against their religious beliefs. I had an official name and gender change 2 yrs ago, i perform regularly as drag queen and pole dancer, and I live in LA surrounded by and working with people I grew up admiring as a child. I grew up feeling like no one understood me and that my talents would never be recognized so now every time i perform i give my all because i realize I’m living part of my childhood dreams.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’m a performance artist. I do whatever feels good. Right now i mostly work as a drag performer and pole dancer. I got into entertainment when I did season 2 of the hbomax reality competition show Legendary. After my short stint on the show I knew i didn’t want to go Back to a regular job and that i had to figure out a way to get back on tv again. I started dancing professionally and the first few gigs I did post filming Legendary would put me in drag which inspired me to explore that arena more. I entered a couple drag queen competitions which opened the door to some regular bookings. I also got into pole dancing consistently and started getting gigs after posting some videos on social media. It didn’t take much time for people to take me seriously because I’m passionate and driven and I show up and show out every time i hit the stage. Throughout this journey I’ve learned to stay focused. It’s easy to get distracted by the world around me but I’ve been through too much and have come so far in a little time to not see my goals and dreams through to the end. I want the world to know that I KNOW I matter and I’m going to get everything I want in this life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Sunday we’d probably start with a drag brunch at the Abbey in Weho or Precinct in dtla. Whether I’m performing or not it’s guaranteed to be an an amazing show with some good food and strong drinks. Monday I’d probably take them to hike at Escondido falls because it’s just gorgeous and usually not too crowded with tourist early during the weekdays. Tuesday hit up Wi Spa to decompress and relax and then turn up in Weho and throw money at the dancers at Polemasters Playhouse later that night. Wednesday go to Reach LA for the weekly free vogue class they have at night. Thursday go to my favorite kbbq spot Hae Jang Chon and pig out. Friday night turn up at Evita. Saturday hit El Gato night market to stuff our bellies with some fab Mexican food.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My best friend Ray came into my life at a point where i felt helpless and very uninspired. I‘d been living in LA for years prior to meeting them and never even saw a stage or even considered a career in entertainment as an adult. Ray saw something in me from our first encounter and encouraged me daily and showered me with so much love that fueled my ambitions to pursue a career as a performance artist.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theyarebecky/

Image Credits
Dan Monick, James Kelly