Couture Queen Gigi Goode On Her Drag Race Exit And Coming Out As Genderfluid

By Christopher Rudolph


Gigi Goode isn't just good, she’s wonderful. Or as she would mention, “I’m not just good, I’m incredible.”


The Los Angeles queen kept the judges and viewers gagging during Season 12 of RuPaul’s Drag Race with her candy-colored couture high-fashion runway ensembles, like her orange button extravaganza and ice cream queen looks, however also with her comedy chops. Those combined talents earned her a stellar track record; not once did the 22-year-old performer fall in the bottom two while in the competition.


Gigi was a fierce force to be reckoned with, winning Snatch Game, the Madonna Rusical, and the Ball Ball Challenge. She seemed to be all company, keeping her eye on the crown, however she also showed her surprisingly funny side with her portrayal of Sophia the Robot on Snatch Game, and playing a flight attendant on a hellbound flight for her one-queen show.


She made it all of the way to the best three, where her lip-sync of “Survivor” featured a Wizard of Oz-inspired costume reveal, nevertheless in the end Jaida snatched the crown. Gigi talked with MTV News about her time on Drag Race, coming out as genderfluid, her dream cosmetics line, and fangirling over Due Lipa’s newest album.


MTV News: How have you been passing the time in quarantine?


Gigi Goode: I am sort of treating this situation like I am a 10-year-old residence sick from school. Of course we all have our responsibilities that we need to attend to, yet I have been lucky enough to be quarantined with my companions from Residence of Avalon and we've been able to prepare some really astonishing things in general.


MTV News: What was the hardest part about filming a virtual, socially distant finale?


Gigi: The hardest part about filming was knowing that I wasn't going to have that live audience support, which is really one of my preferred characteristic of drag. I love human interaction, a personalized connection with a crowd member. And there's a moment where you're able to lock eyes with a group member that I just cherish so much. And that was the only aspect that I was not prepared for.


MTV News: We only got to be able to see you lip-sync once on the show, nevertheless I have mention my main go to lip-sync of yours was any time you performed “Levitating” by Dua Lipa on Werq the World.


Gigi: Oh, thank you.


MTV News: It was so good. Are you a Future Nostalgia fan?


Gigi: Yes. Oh my God. Future Nostalgia is pop music now. Listen, you could mention what you want about whoever you want — be it Gaga, Ariana, whichever — nevertheless Dua Lipa, she owns pop music right now.


MTV News: You were habitually strong during the competition,  however what was the hardest challenge for you personally?


Gigi: The hardest challenge for me was the one-woman show. That point in the competition was quite the emotional boiling point for me. And on top of having to perform for Whoopi Goldberg, there was a lot of pressure. It was also one of the last challenges and it's not an easy challenge. So I was like, "If I get sent residence now, I'll never forgive myself."


MTV News: Your looks were so astonishing, and I think my personalized preference was your Daphne from Scooby-Doo. Where do the inspirations for your looks come from?


Gigi: Well, all of the inspirations for my looks come from things that aren't really real. I love referencing cartoons. Things that are very intangible. And any time Whenever I noticed out that there was going to be a purple runway, I was just thinking about who's a really iconic figure that wears purple. I knew that nobody else could be doing purple and lime green, and I love wearing red hair. So I just knew that Daphne Blake was the way to go.


MTV News: and you also create these looks with your mom. What has the process been like lately? 


Gigi: Yeah, she is still in Illinois. It's funny enough, the process for creating things with her really hasn't changed very much except that shipping takes a little longer. There's no way to explain how talented she is and why our relationship works so beautifully. It's just clockwork at this point. And it's just something that I know almost every time will turn out impeccably.


MTV News: What was the reaction from fans while you came out as genderfluid?


Gigi: In the moment, speaking about that, I really had no idea how this was going to go, which direction it was going to take. And I'm still happy to mention that there really are people who really, really identified with that. There really are people who took that as a means of permission, in a sense, to speak to family member members, their companions, and come out and be who they authentically are. It's a sort of a responsibility that holds a lot of pressure, however also I really cherish that. It's really astonishing that I can have that sort of effect on anyone.


MTV News: You have so several followers on social media and you're so popular with the fans. It must be nice, nevertheless there must also be a lot of pressure.


Gigi: Yeah, routinely. And that's something that I've certainly prepared myself for. I know that not 100 percent of everybody is going to like me or be a fan and that's totally okay. I'm very good at focusing on the positive rather than the negatives.


MTV News: And as soon as you first moved to L.A. You were doing makeup. Do you suggest you'll be like Trixie Mattel and release your own line of cosmetics? 


Gigi: I'm not sure. I've routinely been interested in makeup. I think it could be a lot of fun to work and create my own formulas for things. I think if I were to do that, I'm not sure if I would have my very own brand; it could be like a partnership or something like that.


MTV News: And I know that you are obsessed with the ‘80s. Are you still feeling that vibe right now? 


Gigi: Absolutely. I mean, the ‘80s are really where my mind sits most of the time. It's been morphing slowly into the ‘70s and ‘60s, nevertheless I'm routinely keeping an element of the ‘80s with me. I'm enjoying my little time travel.


MTV News: I know you began doing drag any time once you were a teenager. What was the initial drag show you ever went to, or the initial drag queen you ever saw?


Gigi: Honestly, the opening drag queen I ever saw, I think was my friend Kirby who'd done drag for a little bit mini-talent show for the thespian troupe at my high school. Prior to that, my uncle had shown me RuPaul at a very young age. However I never really connected the dots that was a drag queen. I just thought it was a stunning, gorgeous woman.


MTV News: How did the competition change your drag?


Gigi: I think that the largest challenge I noticed in myself, and in my drag, going via competition was that I was finally able to ask for help, which is something that I never really wanted to do before. As the only other person that really had any influence on my drag is my mom. Yet being there and having to let my guard down and mention, "Okay, this is something that I'm not super comfortable with. I can ask for help." Plus it has worked out in my favor.


MTV News: Generally you would go out on tour soon following the finale. So what do you have coming up that fans can look forward to?


Gigi: Well, I certainly have some secret assignments in the works, which are very, very fun. And naturally who is aware as soon as we'll have the ability to go back out and perform again. Yet another thing about this whole situation is that it's been interesting to be able to see who is making the most of it and who is thinking creatively about how they can continue to entertain and why they can continue to display their platforms. So I'm eager to display to you just how I can do all of that.