Crystal Tee Electra: The Interview

I recently had a chance to interview Crystal Tee Electra, who considers herself the "Switzerland" of drag queens, about how she truly feels about the current state of drag in Philadelphia coming off of her win as Ms Bob and Barbara's!  A current member of The Drag Mafia, Crystal, has worked with just about everyone you can think of in the city and doesn't plan on stopping.  She is a true professional and has become a queen I love to watch perform.  If you have never had a chance to see her perform P!NK at Bob and Barbara's then you are missing out!  She was also one of my favs at last year's Outfest!  On top of that she serves up a mean cocktail at Tavern on Camac every weekend! But how does Crystal really feel about being a part of the Drag Mafia?  What was her journey to get the crown at Bob and Barbara's? And what is her advice for new drag queens in the city?  FIND OUT NOW!




PD: When did you start doing drag?
CTE: I started doing drag about eight years ago completely on a whim! Drag was something I never thought I would do in my life.

PD: Everyone has a story behind how they started in the "biz", What's yours?
CTE: I was asked by Feresa The Electric Woman (my other drag mother) to be a back up dancer in one of her shows (as a boy) then about two weeks later, I was asked to perform at the Venture Inn for their anniversary show and that's how Crystal Tee Electra was born.


PD: You have another very famous drag mother in Philly- Salotta Tee- How does she inspire you and how did she help you on your drag journey?
CTE: Salotta has been in the drag community for many years and she along with my other drag mother Feresa taught me to never be afraid to try new things. They have completely different styles of drag so I've just pulled their best qualities and combined them. Salotta has always been incredibly supportive of me.


PD: How did you feel that first night?
CTE: I was terrified! At one point I looked into the audience and saw all of my friends sitting there and I thought "what did I get myself into??" but once the music started and I hit the stage all the nerves went away.

PD: Who inspires Crystal Tee Electra?
CTE: So many people!! My Mother is probably my biggest inspiration she has always supported me 100% in everything I've ever done and she always told me to shoot for the stars. Another big inspiration for me over the years has been my dear friend Joe Black. He took me under his wing and helped show me the ropes and really pushed me to be who I am today. I wouldn't be who and where I am today if it wasn't for him!

PD: Who is your favorite artist to perform and why?
CTE: Pink without a doubt!! I've always been a huge fan of her music even before drag. She's not afraid to push the envelope and step outside of the box. Drag is all about that.

PD: What genres of music if any do you stick to?
CTE: I tend to stick to the rock/pop genre because that's what appeals to me the most. I've also been known to rock out a powerhouse ballad! It's all about the mood and the vibe of the audience.

PD: You are now a featured part of Brittany Lynn's Drag Mafia- Tell me about what that means to you
CTE: It means the world to me!!! Before I started doing drag, I used to sit in the audience of Brittany's shows in complete awe of what she did and how she captivated the audience.  I've been performing and traveling all over with her for the past 4 years now and she has opened so many doors for me and has become one of my very best friends. It was Brittany Lynn that put me on the Outfest stage for the first time and she got me my first booking at Bob and Barbara's. I'll be forever grateful to her for giving me these and many other opportunities and am proud to consider her a part of my family!

PD: You call yourself the Switzerland of drag queens but.. How do you really feel about the unspoken rivalry between the Drag Mafia and the Dollstars?
CTE: You're absolutely right I do consider myself the Switzerland of drag queens. I try to get along with everyone and I've worked with all of the dollstars in the past. I don't really think there's a rivalry it's just that we're all so different. Each and every one of us have a different style of performing and I truly believe that we are all extremely talented!! There are so many strong personalities between us that sometimes people clash. But drag will always be a common bond for us.

PD: How does being in the public eye at Tavern On Camac as a bartender/manager affect you doing drag?
CTE: If anything it's helped me doing drag. Because I'm constantly talking with patrons it gives me the opportunity to promote all my events. And the owner, management, and staff are incredibly supportive of me.

PD: Where is your favorite place to perform and why?
CTE: If I had to narrow it down I'd have to say Outfest with the Drag Mafia. The energy on that stage is so intense and electrifying that there's just no way to explain it. It's just an amazing feeling! And of course I love every performance at Bob and Barbara's and Tavern too lol

PD: You were recently crowned Miss Bob and Barbara's tell me how that experience was?
CTE: It was amazing!! I had a great support team there with me and I just listened to all the advice they had to offer and gave it my all that night. It just goes to show everyone that if you want something and work hard enough for it you can get it.

PD: What did you do to prepare for the competition? What was going through your head when they placed the crown on it?
CTE: I was prepping for months for the competition. I had countless meetings with Alexis Cartier who made everything I wore that night. I rehearsed my talent number for tow weeks leading up to the pageant. I also had lots of heart to heart talks with Brittany Lynn, and Joe Black and Diana Dharling. Those talks really gave me the confidence to be myself and do what I love to do. As Lady Marissa was placing the crown on my head all I could think was "oh my God I have so many people to thank for this moment I hope i don't forget anyone." As I looked around the room and saw so many of my best friends and all of my drag mothers smiling at me from ear to ear I knew this would become one of my fondest memories!

PD: How do you feel about the current state of drag in Philly compared to recent years?
CTE: I truly feel that there's a lot more options now compared to recent years. When I first came onto the scene there were very few weekly shows around for the queens to do. It's nice that there's more of us around now

PD: There are a lot of new up and coming queens in the city... Any advice?
CTE: Just be yourself and do what you love to do! Also never be afraid to ask for advice or help from the more experienced queens. We were all new once and wouldn't be here today if it weren't for the help of others

PD: What is one thing your fans don't know about you that may shock them?
CTE: I still get really nervous before every performance!! Until i hit the stage that is.

PD: Any parting words for your fans or soon to be fans?
CTE: First and foremost I would like to say thank you!! Without all of you I couldn't continue to entertain and do what I love. I'm also excited to say that I have a lot of exciting projects coming up and in the works.
 Stay tuned kids!! xoxoxo

I learned so much from this interview, like I didn't know Feresa was her other drag mother, but looking at her drag name it all makes sense now!  Also Alexis Cartier made all of her gowns for the Ms B&B pageant!  That was pretty damn impressive!  They were gorgeous!!  So Miss Electra remains "Switzerland" during this interview but that's what we love about her!!  So be on the look out for this amazing performer!  She is a regular at Bob and Barbara's, performing there sometimes a couple times a month, and performs with Brittany Lynn every first Sunday of the month at Tavern on Camac for "Show Us Your Tunes"!  You will not want to miss her next show!

So who is the next interview???  Find out soon!!  PUT YOUR PUMPS UP my little drag hags!!