Exclusive: Yvie Oddly Debuts 'Drag Trap' Video and Talks Vegas Drama

Yvie Oddly has released her new music video of "Drag Trap" exclusively with PRIDE.

In the following interview, the season 11 winner of RuPaul's Drag Race discussed the track featuring Neurotika Killz and the inspiration behind creating her new album of the same name, which is forthcoming this October.

Additionally, Oddly discussed her appearance on RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue, which premieres today, performing in a time of social distancing, and the importance of voting. See the chat (and the "Drag Trap" music video) below.

PRIDE: Your All Stars lip-sync assassin performance stole the show. What was the best part of that experience?
YVIE: The best part of being invited to All Stars as an assassin was really just being asked in the first place. When we filmed I was fresh off of my win so it was very humbling that Ru, the producers, and even the All Stars queens were so supportive of my experience there. Plus I love lip syncing so it was awesome that that was my only task when returning. 

Drag Race: Vegas Revue also premieres today. What will Yvie fans see that they haven’t seen before?
If you watched me on Drag Race then you probably got to know my competitive, combative side (all too well), so I’m excited for all the Oddballs to see me in a totally different setting. ... Over six episodes, fans will be able to see who I am hard at work, behind the scenes, chilling with the girls, and of course, fighting! 

You were the Drag Race champion when COVID hit. How did the pandemic impact your business opportunities?
The pandemic for me was strangely kind of like rehab. Performing in front of a live audience brings me so much joy that during my reigning year I found myself sacrificing almost everything else to just keep performing. When lockdown was put into effect, I was finally forced to confront my long-term goals. While COVID has kept me from performing live (for the most part) it's allowed me to branch out into other ventures—artistic and business-wise that I’ve always dreamt of pursuing anyways. 

Any advice for Jaida and the season 12 queens on making it work when the traditional venues are shuttered?
Don’t be discouraged, even though I can only imagine how strange and frustrating it must feel. Just know that the work you did on the show and the work you’ve continued to do thereafter has brought so many people a spark of joy in times of darkness. And when the world is ready they will embrace/celebrate on all their stages all the same. 

Why did you want to become a music artist?
Music has always played an important role in both my life and my art. It’s been this sort of diving board to jump into my creative process and work through my feelings, so I wanted to see what I could contribute to the world in creating my own. 

What inspired the new album?
My inspiration for Drag Trap comes from all sorts of places. When season 11 aired and my life changed drastically I began writing raps to help me navigate my emotions. So the songs range from the pressures of fame, to my health, sex, and being a queer Black American ... and just everything I needed to get off my chest. 

What’s it like creating music in the current state of the world?
It’s definitely been challenging working on this album through this pandemic, especially with it being my first, but it’s also been exhilarating. I’ve had to keep in constant communication with the producers to really get the sounds I’m looking for so I’m up early every day writing, recording, and tweaking new things until the sun goes down. 

I think you may be creating a new genre with Drag Trap. How would you describe this style, and why is it needed in the world?
I’m far from being the first openly queer person to rap, but I’m trying to do my part to bridge the gap between these two parts of my identity that have always been in constant tension. There is a lot of homophobia and transphobia in Black culture (namely hip hop), and equally as much rampant racism in the queer community so I’ve always had to code-switch in order to survive. Drag Trap is my way of breaking down that wall and fortifying a space for queer hip hop so that there are fewer people who have to feel alone amongst their own people. 

Tell us your writing process.
I’ve got this note full of puns, bars, and punchlines that I add to whenever they come to mind. Usually, when I’m writing a new song I just go back to one those and continue writing rhymes for it in a stream of consciousness until I get a better idea of what I’m talking about. Then it’s onto a lot of talk with a producer about the sounds I’m hearing in my head and the feeling I want the song to have. Finally, I hop in my hot little closet and record as many takes as it takes to hear exactly what I want. 

The election is coming up. Drag Race has been heavily involved in encouraging voter registration. As a queer influencer, how will you be using your own platform to talk about the election and the issues?
While I don’t want to tell anyone outright what I believe they should believe I do implore people to stay political, keep up the dialogue, and most important of all, vote. I think it’s our responsibility to look at our lives and the lives of those around us going into this election season. Who is struggling? Who needs help in what ways? And how does each candidate support/oppress those people? I encourage everyone to do thorough research, talk with different people, and vote for the future they want to see for their loved ones.