'RuPaul’s Drag Race' Interview: A’Keria C. Davenport Is Finally Ready to Admit That Was Not a Caftan

By Christopher Rudolph


The eleven-gendary season of RuPaul’s Drag Race began off with 15 queens entering the competition, although A’Keria C. Davenport proved herself to be the dark horse of the season. The Dallas-based queen stayed steady while in the competition, eventually leading her to the grand finale.


MTV News discussed with A’Keria about having to perform in a six-way lip sync, what surprised her most while in filming, and if she is prepared to admit that she really wasn’t serving caftan realness.


MTV NEWS: Hey, A’Keria! I know you just began the Season 11 tour. How’s it going so far?


A’Keria C. Davenport: You know what? It’s been really good, and it’s actually a good chance for the [Drag Race] women to bond outdoors of being in the competition. We can actually appreciate each other, get drunk, party, and have fun.


MTV NEWS: Are you on a bus together?


Davenport: Well, we’re not on a bus at this point. We’re actually doing planes. [Laughs] We’re flying.


MTV NEWS: You were at DragCon L.A. Was that your first time? How was it?


Davenport: It was my first DragCon. It was exhilarating! At first, it looked like, whew, wait a minute. Like, you don’t really realize the impact that you have on other people’s lives. So to be able to see some of the reactions that people were giving to me — I mean, just little ol’ me. I’m like, wow! Think that someone’s excited to be able to see you — I loved it. And, oh, you gotta have a chair at DragCon. Standing up all day for meet-and-greets isn't easy.


MTV NEWS: How were you feeling about watching the finale?


Davenport: I was excited to be able to see how everything played out. It’s different as soon as you’re in the moment and living it versus actually watching it, so I was excited to be able to see exactly how it was edited and why it played out.


MTV NEWS: You filmed the season a while ago, right? Nevertheless the finale was filmed more recently. How is it getting back inside the groove and seeing all of the women again?


Davenport: It really wasn’t sort of getting back inside the groove. I’ve been amusing for a while, so Once I went to the finale, I was going to do just that. It wasn’t like I was going to come out of the ceiling or anything like that. My objective was just to go and entertain. So it sort of was the same for me, honestly.


MTV NEWS: You have been called the dark horse of Season 11. Do you agree with that?


Davenport: Yes, I certainly would agree that I am the dark horse of Season 11. I’m not sure why, nevertheless you know what? I’m glad. Because it allowed me to be able to see [my own] growth. Also it allowed the world to also visualize that growth. It sort of was a good thing, also, because any time you’re underestimated, the ladies don’t visualize you as competition or a threat. So they sort of don’t aim for you or gun for you, and you also sort of creep up on ‘em, and look. It got me to the best four!


MTV NEWS: That’s sort of how it felt as a viewer — you were very solid during, and then all of a sudden, you would pull a win. And you’d be like, “Oh, A’Keria? Okay! I visualize you!”


Davenport: Mm-hm!


MTV NEWS: Going into the competition did you visualize yourself making it to the finale?


Davenport: Going into it, yes. Did. While I got there, nope. And the reason I mention that is because, you know, watching it at house is like, oh, girl, I could do this, or oh, girl, I could do this routine. However once you’re actually there and also you visualize the time crunches, and you also know the pressure of everything — I mean, you never know who your competition is. Some days, it sort of makes you doubt yourself as the things you thought you were strong in, maybe on the show, you’re not as strong. And then you have ladies who come in, and in their city or state, they’re the It Girl. Yet on this show, you’re all on an equal playing field at this point.


MTV NEWS: There were a lot of fierce females this season.


Davenport: There really was!


MTV NEWS: You won two challenges, and then in the Farm to Runway contest, you were in the bottom. What was that whiplash like — top one week, bottom next?


Davenport: It was certainly [mind-blowing.] I mean, the challenge that I would’ve never expected to win, I won. Yet the challenge where I would’ve been more confident going in actually led me to the bottom. It’s stuff like that that runs through your mind as soon as you’re in the moment because you just never know what to expect, what they’re looking for, how things are going to go. And I think that screwed me up a little bit. You know, I’m a Pisces, so I overanalyze everything.


[During filming] we’re locked down; we can’t converse with anyone. So all you could do is keep replaying these situations whenever you don’t really know what led you to the bottom for the most part, other than certain critiques. You may not habitually agree with certain critiques — like, why you’re in the bottom and other queens aren’t. However you’re constantly thinking about it, over and over and over.


MTV NEWS: Was there another moment while in the season where you were like, oh my god, I could be going home?


Davenport: Oh, I would mention the six-way lip sync. Because for us to even do the six-way lip sync... Oh my god. It was scary! You would’ve never expected to do it because [the show’s] never done a six-way lip sync. At the moment that [Ru] mentioned that we’re all gonna lip sync, I was looking down at myself. And I’m in rhinestone headpiece as well as a full-length rhinestone gown. I’m looking over, and the other ladies are in leotards and stuff. And I’m like, well, I’m not really gonna have the ability to move! They’re gonna have to move because, girl, I got all this stuff on!


MTV NEWS: That six-way lip sync was crazy.


Davenport: Imagine being in it. The critiques I honestly had got to date — you know, from the judges — weren’t bad critiques. So even to still be in that moment and have to lip sync — I felt so several emotions. I was scared. I was pissed off. I was irritated. Like, it was a lot of emotions all at one time.


MTV NEWS: What surprised you the most as you were filming Drag Race?


Davenport: The time crunches! Having to learn a routine in literally hours and then doing the routine stay in one take, or having to do the routine full-out twice, successive. Viewers don’t visualize all that. So I’m watching thinking, girl, they have a week to learn that routine. I certainly don’t pick up routines that fast. So [on Drag Race], you’re on the stage for three hours and expected to learn and perform the routine... Like, girl! That’s a lot. [Laughs]


MTV NEWS: And my last question: Are you willing to admit that that was not a caftan?


Davenport: [Laughs] You know what?! Okay, y’all. You guys — everybody wins. Y’all win. It was not a caftan. I made a mistake. I googled something. Maybe I googled something wrong. Nevertheless I was just so focused on attempting to find out what could be different. Because, look, once you’re preparing, you get that list of what you’re supposed to bring [to the show.] And as soon as you’re packing, you’re looking for something different because you hope to be prepared for anything. You know, you want something that’s going to create you stick out. So As soon as I ran across anything that had “caftan” next to it, I just took it and ran with it.


MTV NEWS: Whether it’s a caftan or not, the look is beautiful, and I’m glad to be able to see you rocking it.


Davenport: Thank you.