Since her extremely questionable edit in the finale of Drag Race All Stars S7, Monét X Change has not stopped. Whether it be recording her essential podcast, Sibling Rivalry, or selling out tickets for her hilarious one-woman show, Life Be Lifin’, before taking it out on the road next year, Monét is giving a masterclass in how to work that endless charisma, uniqueness, nerve & talent.

Today the classically trained vocalist releases her first EP in five years. Entitled Grey Rainbow Vol. 1. it sees Monét tackle ideas of breaking up, making up and gurl, waking up! If first single, ‘Body‘ hinted at Monét entering her sexxxy era, then the new video for ‘Rotation‘ is the visual receipt.

Loverboy catches up with Monét in the back of her car, zipping across New York City to discuss Chipotle, stalking exes on Facebook and RuPaul’s…funeral.  

Monét, hello. I know it’s been Press Day for you. How has the mainstream Press circuit changed for you?
I think that from the beginning of my career to where things are now, there are definitely more opportunities. Having someone like me come on MTV Fresh Out Live then doing a segment on NBC News? For such a big news station to have me on as a guest to promote my music is major. More mainstream coverage of drag is happening and I’m a big fan of it.

How do you handle jumping from discussing political topics to your music in such a short period of time? To me it would feel kind of jarring!
You know I always infuse humour into what I am talking about, even in serious issues. That’s how I cope, how I choose to handle it. It makes it easier for me to discuss everything than if it was just doom and gloom and I carried that into every interview. I don’t think my spirit could handle that. That’s not how I talk about it. I talk about it how Monét would talk about it, the way Kevin talks about it. It’s all good.

Do you prefer pushing into new mainstream press areas or coming into the queer media and giving up shady opinions?
You know life is not all just black and white situations! Life really lives in a grey space, kind of like my album! You may know it, Grey Rainbow Vol. 1?! But with the press I like doing the mainstream stuff like NBC but then doing things like Loverboy that are queer-centred and queer-focused, obviously that is where I feel most comfortable.

So in other words it’s not a binary situation.
Never!

And here we are talking about Grey Rainbow Vol I. Was there a specific event that kick started this into motion?
I think one of the events was a break up which happened, what, six years ago now. That was kind of why I wrote Song 1, ‘Grey Rainbow’. It was after my break up. I found myself being so obsessed and upset that I was obsessed. Just wanting to know about everything he was doing and being so embarrassed about saying that out loud to myself and even writing it into music. Now experiencing that again having other people hear me being a fiend facebook-stalking this person. It’s embarrassing but I think it’s something that a lot of people do in a break-up. You’re in this space of not knowing what to do and you’re trying to find out who you are. Can you ever be happy again? Will you ever be happy again? All those feelings come up and I’m no different for having those.

There’s nothing worse than pressing Like accidentally when you’re doing that stalking…
Guuuuuurrrrrl, how I just fully deleted my account and started a new one because I’m like, ‘Oh you’re not going to trace that back to me honey. You’re not going to trace that Like back to me!’

Exactly! The EP is so beautiful there’s this real Minnie Riperton sexy springtime vibe to it. What were you looking to for inspirations on this first volume of Grey Rainbow?
Everything was just kind of spontaneous. With a lot of things I do, whether it be comedy, my one-woman show, or this music, it just all happens really authentically. I’m not trying to mimic anyone else, I think a lot of these influences just run in me and the music I listen to all the time. So they are going to shine through. I’m not intentionally going, ‘Oh I want to recreate this thing.’ This kind of music is at the core of who I am, it’s where my soul vibrates. It’s just going to authentically come out and it made this beautiful through-line throughout the entire project, which I’m very happy about.

I really love ‘Body’ but I have to say I loved that tease of ‘Too Bad’. Will we be getting a full length version?
You know a Deluxe is alwaaaays on the way so you want to keep them guessing.

Very that. Do you have a favourite track on it at the moment?
That’s so hard to say. I think my favourite, just because I’ve just dropped the video to it, is ‘Rotation.’ I am so happy with how slutty and disgusting and sexy and beautiful the ‘Rotation’ video ended up being. I’ve spent so much time questioning my body, being embarrassed of it and stressing about a stretch mark here or how my body looks there. But then I was like, ‘Whatever. This is my body. This is how it is right now.’ I need to embrace it now because I might look back in twenty years and be like ‘Remember when…?’ Well now there is video proof of it. I looked hot.

I was screaming watching the video. You look incredible. How was filming it?
Thank you so much. I had been trying to think of all these different concepts of ‘Rotation’ and at one point we thought about doing it in a laundromat with something about the washing rotating again. But then I was obsessed with P Valley at the time. It is such a good show. So I was like, ‘You know what? I want a kind of stripper situation, going round and round on those poles. I want to live my sexiest life right now.’

And then on the video for ‘Body’ you stayed completely covered up! Defying those expectations, Monét! The camp of it all…
It’s like I told you, you’ve got to keep them guessing!

I wanted to ask you also if you had read Ru’s book, The House of Hidden Meanings?
I have not but I didn’t listen to him on a podcast, I think it was ‘Call Her Daddy’, and I need to read it because it sounds so exhilarating. He’s talking about his sexual awakening, getting sober, meeting his partner.

I’ve started it and I’m not quite living the fantasy yet, but then it is the section about his childhood…
Right. But also with these books, especially these audiobooks where the celebrity is reading their book, I really enjoy it. I read Mariah Carey’s book and listened to the audiobook simultaneously and it was incredible. Hearing her read the part where she was literally crying on the recording. It was like, ‘Wow.’ Maybe hearing Ru reading it would be a lot different for you.

Monét, there is one thing I have always wanted to ask you….
Yes, I’m gay.

Ahaha…it’s that in your original season, you said that English people originally spoke like Americans. Now come on, were you flat out lying to everyone then? I cannot believe this.
No, I was serious! My Grade Teacher, Miss Sabatino, did a whole thing on Britain, America, the Revolution. In there we had a whole two days about how the American accent is how the British people spoke, which is kind of what you hear in the South, in Appalachia. That is a fact, that is very true!

Ahem. OK.
See that ‘OK’ was very shady but this is your publication so I’ll let it slide.

If I was to present RuPaul’s Best Friend Race to WOW+ with teams of you & Bob, Dela & Jinkx, Trixie & Katya…who else would you like to see?
I think definitely Gottmik & Violet Chachki. I could see Kim Chi & Naomi and to round it out, just because I love watching them lose, would be Manila & Latrice Royale.

And would you do it?!!
You know what, after All Stars 7 I said I would never go back to Drag Race unless it was for RuPaul’s funeral. Everyone is like, ‘Oh my God.’ But he’s not a vampire, he’s going to die eventually, y’all. The real gag is that he’s probably going to outlive all of us. But would I return for RuPaul’s Best Friend Race? I don’t know. There would have to be a crazy charity component to it or a ridiculous amount of money. We’re talking generational wealth here. Then maybe I would go back.

Who is your money on for All Stars 9?
I have three because the girls are fierce. I’m a huge Roxxxy Andrews fan. Love Roxxxy Andrews. Great queen. Great friend. Then Plastique Tiara is my homegirl. Judging from that promo look and what we’ve seen so far she’s going to kill it. Gottmik too. She did so well on her previous season. She was so funny. Great fashion. I think she’s going to do well again this season.

What is your favourite International season and why is it the Philippines?
Haha, you know, being honest, I have not watched an international season of Drag Race in a very long time. The last one I watched was UK Season 2.

What?!
There is just so much. I can’t keep up. I will say that judging from clips though, that it looks like Drag Race France really turns it out. Keiona’s stuff looked absolutely incredible. Nicky Doll is also killing it. She was carrying the Olympic torch the other day! Nicky Doll is the RuPaul of France and we do not talk about it enough.

Running with the Olympic torch was major for a drag queen. Like queens are breaking through everywhere now. Where would you like to see one?
At a Chipotle! Right now. I’m hungry! However for a serious answer, I really do think it’s only a matter of time until we see drag queens at the Oscars, winning Oscars! And also at the Grammys! Hello, Grey Rainbow Vol. 1, Monét X Change! Thank you!

Lastly we are named after the biggest-selling single of 2001 and always ask what is your favourite Mariah song?
It has to be ‘Vision of Love.’ The first ever TV performance of her singing that song is a masterclass in beautiful, perfect singing.

Grey Rainbow Vol. 1 is out now
All photos by Greg Endries