French Fashionista Nicky Doll Says Au Revoir To Drag Race: 'It Was Good TV'

By Christopher Rudolph


Nicky Doll Made Drag Race herstory before even stepping foot in Werkroom: because the initial French queen to compete for the crown, she regularly looked as if she’d just stepped off a Parisian runway, serving fierce style looks for Ru and the judges. Yet couture didn’t cut it, and the panel wanted Nicky to show a little bit more quirky je ne sais quois.


In her final catwalk turn she donned a caped chrome bodysuit inspired by two French icons, Joan of Arc and French designer Thierry Muger. Yet behind stomping the mainstage in some sickening silhouettes, Nicky rapped for Nicki Minaj and played a rude baby throughout the “Gay’s Anatomy” acting challenge while in her short tenure on Season 12. Nicky shocked the judges once, soon after being asked which queen should go residence, she nominated herself, and she lip-synced for her life twice before finally saying au revoir.


MTV News discussed with Nicky Doll, who explained why she picked herself to sashay away and what other French drag queens she would love to be able to see on Season 13.


 


MTV News: You’re a Season 12 queen, and also you've got to be too-booked-to-be-bothered now, although everything is canceled. How are you holding up?


Nicky Doll: Well, you know, I began out very frustrated because certainly, you go through such an intense competition, and at the end of the day we're all drag queens — we just wish to meet the fans, and we aspire to perform and we desire to spread happiness along with be paid. So any time once you learn that this isn't really going to happen anytime soon, you begin to really feel frustrated, yet then you identify that you're still this entertainer and you're still this beacon of light for the people, and right now more than ever they require you, even if it's through a Instagram live. And thus I very rapidly figured out how to still be that person for my fans. The astonishing technology that we have in 2020!


MTV News: And you're going to be piece of Digital Drag Fest, right?


Nicky Doll: Yes. I'll be performing on April 3 at 7 p.M. PST.


MTV News: And do you suggest you're going to do other digital performances up until things go back to normal?


Nicky Doll: Well, I  created my own episode [of Drag Race] for my Instagram live. It's wonderful because right now I'm my own channel. I am doing this make a theme challenge where I invite women from my season and other artists that I love. We give each other themes, and we just challenge ourselves to do the perfect makeup possible. So I do that three times a week on my Instagram.


MTV News: Let’s talk about this week’s episode. You were saying how you felt there was more pressure on you because you were a French queen against all these American females on a American show. Do you still feel that way? Did that ever change?


Nicky Doll: Well, I think that the pressure that I was talking about I was putting on myself, and yes it took me a month of therapy and me watching myself on TV to identify that I was actually the one putting a large quantity of pressure on myself. Right now, once it comes to style, certainly being French we have this sense of being the capital of the world. So I wanted to prepare ensure that I'm really bringing my own take on style, my own take on drag style along with bringing my French touch to American culture. I'm really delighted of the looks.


MTV News: Yes, you did. And the judges mentioned they wanted to be able to see more of your quirky side. Is that something you've been conscious of since you left the show, to bring out your quirky side more?


Nicky Doll: No. You know, that's why I was frustrated every time on the runway. I am quirky, and some days I am also quirky for people to take it. I'm just a goofball, you know? And thus it was very frustrating because generally that's one of the initial things that you visualize of me. And thus being on that main stage and having the judges really struggling to be able to see this or misinterpreting me being shy as me not being quirky was the most frustrating thing I have experienced on the show — and probably ever, because you feel like you're just hitting a wall.


MTV News: Did you take a break from drag soon after you left the show? 


Nicky Doll: Yes, I really needed several weeks to process everything. The competition really sucks all the creativity out of you because you're really putting everything out there. So I required some time to just figure out what the hell happened. And immediately after a couple of weeks I was just willing to get back inside drag. I was inspired again, and I had work to do and charges to pay.


MTV News: whenever you were up on the main stage and RuPaul asked each person who they thought should go house, it was surprising once you mentioned yourself. Why did you mention that? And do you have any regrets, saying that?


Nicky Doll: It’s hard as soon as other contestants mention your name in a row. I think that's probably one of the toughest positions you could ever be in on Drag Race, aside from losing, obviously. Having people mention my name and realizing that I was clearly not able to have the judges visualize the whole extent of who I am, both as a performer and as a person, I almost gave up. It was just also hard for me. The pressure was just also intense. I was really struggling with the language and I was really going through it. So I don't regret it because I kept my integrity and I stayed authentic for the viewers, and for myself, and for the judges. Along with, having to process the fact that I mentioned my own name really put the light under my ass to actually work twice as hard and just be ready for another round, if there really is another round. In the event you put me back there, right now I've managed to realize what went wrong, and I can certainly fix that. And the style is already sick. So I can just give attention to that, now.


MTV News: And this seemed like the initial episode of Untucked this season where things got really heated. What was going through your mind as soon as the ladies went in on Aiden backstage?


Nicky Doll: Well, I jumped in also. Back then it felt like Aiden was not really working as hard as we were. And thus, it's like a big family member of sisters and there's someone that feels like is the preference, and you also want your mom to love each person. TWe were just jealous of the fact that Aiden was being understood by the judges as an alternative opposed to me or Brita. It's piece of the show as well. We're drag queens, we have big egos, big personalities. It was good TV, I think.


MTV News: Who are some other French drag queens that fans should check out?


Nicky Doll: there is lots of other drag queens from France that are very talented, like Mika Holly White who is from Nice, in the South of France. She is fantastic performer, she is a DJ. And Cookie Kunty, who is also amazing.


MTV News: What was most surprising to you about being on Drag Race, once you were filming it? 


Nicky Doll: The pressure and why hard it is to do those shifts, because you're really in drag for almost 12 hours a day. In our everyday life any time once you work that hard, you’ve already built your whole career. You know your performances, and also you could turn off your brain and still be good. On the show, none of that is possible. You must be totally aware nonstop and give it all and you must have a big bank of content to give because they're going to suck the life out of you. And that's what makes the show so good.


MTV News: Since everything is canceled, what's the perfect way that fans can assist you right now?





Nicky Doll: I think the perfect way to aid me is really to purchase my merch. Never Venmo me. And follow me on Instagram, too.