Drag Queen Spotlight: Faith Michaels Talks Music, Shoes, and Supportive Audiences

May 20, 2023
JORDAN JAYRO

Hello, beautiful angels! It is once again time for another Drag Queen Spotlight!! This week we are getting to know Florida’s own Faith Michaels! She’s a legendary queen based in Key West and seeing her shows is a must for any trip to the Keys! Faith is a recording artist with a fierce catalog! (Stream her music on Spotify!) Faith also has her own shoe business! She makes the cutest custom shoes, so check out her Etsy shop! This is such a fun interview! So check out Faith’s answers below, and follow her on Instagram!

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How did you get your drag name, Faith Michaels?

So once upon a time, there was a store in a mall. A mall was a huge building with a lot of little stores in it and this mall had a Musicland... Filled with music, tapes, records... I discovered a singer by the name of Faith Evans... On her first album, she has an intro called "Faith"... I thought it was so beautiful the way she wrote out her name. The meaning behind the word faith. I had to have it… At my first show, they told me I needed a last name. One syllable does not work over the microphone when people are talking. They will miss it... So I went with Michaels because George Michael sang about faith.

How long have you been doing drag?

This October will be my 26-year anniversary.

When is your birthday? How old are you?

I'm in August... I'm a Leo and I'll be 49 this year.

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Relationship status?

I've been with my boyfriend for 17 years.

What was your first time in drag like?

My first time in drag was just completely awkward... Of course, you do it on Halloween because it's easier to get away with... But getting used to the boobs, driving with platform heels, getting the seat belt around my chest my hair without getting wrapped up... So all in all... I LOVED IT!!!!

What made you want to start drag?

I grew up with Wonder Woman, Charlie's Angels, and Bionic Woman. So I was feeling all these women’s energy within my heart and bringing it to life. I've always enjoyed performing and I even went with an agency to New York and walked away with five awards for photo runway acting... But when that went nowhere I remember watching a little show called Entertainment Tonight and seeing a brand new queen making her way into the world by the name of RuPaul and thinking that's exactly what I want to do! I went to my first drag show and then realize I could make this happen. Of course, it was not easy. Queens can be very mean and cruel when someone's trying to learn and doesn’t really want to help. Maybe you really don't want to listen. It makes the journey a lot longer.

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Who inspires Faith Michaels drag (celebrities, other queens, etc.)?

Other women who inspire my drag range from Stevie Nicks, Pat Benatar, and Kate Moss. I take bits and pieces of what I like... And put it all in a pot and let it stew. I really enjoy impersonating Reba McEntire... Celine Dion for sure because she's so out there and it's a lot of fun and Cher. Reba's sister just recently watched a video of me performing her sister and was blown away. Cher was shown a video of me performing as her and she said she does me really well... Holy $#it!!

Favorite song/artist to lip sync to?

When it comes to songs I love fun sing-along songs…"Summer Loving," "Love Shack," "Man I Feel Like A Woman," "Sweet Caroline"... I love to relax the crowd because so many of our audience members are straight and they just know the song, relax, and have a great time.

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Have you ever hooked up in drag?

I hooked up In drag once with this gorgeous college guy back in the day and I hated it! I was worried about my hair, my lashes, my lips. He didn't care, which turned me off so much... Hurry up and finish so you can leave. That's when I realize I'm a straight stage performer.

What’s your favorite thing about drag?

Oh let me tell you, I love the costumes, the shoes, the hair... I love that I could go out in all leather one number then come out as an impersonator another number then come out wearing and over the top costume the next... it's the best!!!! All these little bits and pieces that live inside of me, the supermodel, the rocker, the impersonator...they all get a voice. And stage time.

What are your hobbies outside of drag?

So when I'm not on stage I like to take shoes and re-imagine them. I've opened my own Etsy shop. I will take a pair of basic shoes and re-imagine them. I've taken a pair of shoes and turned them into the Grinch and his dog Max. I took a pair of heels and did the most famous parts of the movie A Christmas Story. I like to make little monsters out of shoes. It really lets my creativity just go wild and I have so much fun doing it.

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What’s the craziest thing you’ve witnessed in a dressing room?

Once, I saw a queen not put on lashes, then another queen did not put a new line on top of her lash line... that was a crazy night.

Biggest pet peeve about working with other drag queens?

I am not a fan of a whiner... Maybe because when I was younger, I was such a bad whiner. Now when I see other people do it, I'm just embarrassed and die a little bit inside for them.

Biggest pet peeve about audiences in nightclubs?

Some nights are not the best and some nights are over the top, but we can't have it all. Just go with the flow... With everything going on right now, when people come in to watch a show and support, take that with open arms because a lot of people are trying to break us down right now. With their love and support, we will not let it happen. Now the other side of that coin is when you're there to watch a show…then watch the show! If you want to talk and have your own little party, don't do it right next to the stage. We know it's your night out but remember we are working trying to make our money.

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Any advice for someone wanting to start drag?

Starting drag now is so much easier than when I was younger when I started. We had no YouTube. We couldn't watch tutorials. All I can say is think about what you love doing on stage. It may take some time to find that part of you, so start with that. What is your favorite song that brings energy to you when you're listening to it in your living room or bedroom? Take that energy and bring it to the stage. Listen to the audience and learn how to read your audience. I do everything from country to rock to Taylor Swift... The seventies, eighties, comedy. Simply because you'll probably have a little bit of everybody in your audience, give it to them... Don't just be one type of queen be all of it.