'RuPaul’s Drag Race' Interview: Yvie Oddly: 'My Win Is a Win for Putting Humanity Back in Drag'

By Christopher Rudolph


On last night’s grand finale of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Yvie Oddly slayed the competition, and was crowned the winner of Season 11.


MTV News discussed with Yvie about her journey to the crowning, her epic “Sorry Not Sorry” lip sync, and how she thinks her win is “a win for putting humanity back in drag.”


MTV News: Hey Yvie! Condragulations! How are you feeling today?


Yvie Oddly: Super good. I’m just still attempting to identify what it means to be America’s Next Drag Superstar. [Laughs] I can’t believe it’s real!


MTV News: What was that like, watching the finale?


Oddly: I actually didn’t get nervous up until literally that last second, as soon as we were just sitting there and Brooke and I were about to find out which one of us took it. However until that, for the rest of the night, I was just excited to be able to see how beautifully this journey closed and why wonderfully this chapter ended. I’m really, really pumped for the future knowing that, either way, we’ve done some astonishing things and been set up for success.


MTV News: You’re on the Season 11 tour right now, right? How’s that going?


Oddly: It just began, nevertheless it’s so fun! It reminds me of being back in the the-a-ter again. I’m really enjoying taking this show on the road, and I’m really glad that each person gets to be able to see what not only me, nevertheless also my sisters, are capable of.


MTV News: Your “Sorry Not Sorry” lip sync has become one of my preferred lip syncs ever on the show. Did you realize while in that lip sync that you were absolutely killing it?


Oddly: I mean, I certainly knew I was killing it, that’s for sure! However that’s also because I had to. I knew that with Brooke being in the bottom with me, there was, like, a really intense chance that I was going to go house if I wasn’t able to pull everything out. So I literally let every trick I had out of the bag. I played with my comedy. I just made sure I was having fun the full way, because if you’re enjoying something that’s hard, it’s hard for other people not to appreciate it, too.


MTV News: you're a unique individual — I mean, it’s in your name. Did you really visualize yourself going all of the way to the finale whenever you entered the competition?


Oddly: I actually did. That’s the thing. Maybe it’s just my drag queen delusion taking over, nevertheless As soon as I stepped into the workroom and saw my competition, I was nervous for 1/2 a second, ‘cause they were all way sparklier than I might ever dream of. And then I realized that that’s exactly what I wanted. That’s what I came to resemble in the competition — that one missing piece. That other. So I felt really confident from then on, and I thought I was gonna make it all of the way. That certainly changed while doing so. There were some bumps along the road where I was like, well, that’s the end of my journey. But… [Laughs]


MTV News: Aside from once you were in the bottom, were there any other scary moments whenever you thought this may be the end of the road for you?


Oddly: I have to mention, immediately after I injured myself throughout the Draglympics challenge, that’s as a lot of my mindset started to change. Unfortunately, I let my inner saboteur get the better of me because as an alternative opposed to focusing on, like, what I get the possibility to do and am excited have the ability to do, I felt like I was really fighting against myself. And tackling every challenge, like, what I’m forced to do, what I have to pull off so I can stay here, and that’s just — I mean, that’s not what drag is about. [Laughs]


MTV News: Have you heard from any other past winners?


Oddly: The fact that I haven’t even looked at any of my social media aside from creating a couple of quick posts — I just looked, posted some things, and then I got off, ‘cause I’m a little bit overwhelmed — I mean, I assume so? I think I saw Sasha Velour message me.


MTV News: Did you sleep in your crown last night?


Oddly: No, unfortunately not, because I didn’t aspire to ruin it with my dirty, gross ways and break it. Have to turn it into a whole new outfit… [Laughs]


MTV News: That last lip sync outfit with the mirrored headset — where did the idea for that come from?!


Oddly: Well, I was thinking about the finale overall and why immediately after Sasha Velour’s reveal of the roses, it just sort of turned into this reveal-gate of who can do the most reveals in the least quantity of time, turn out the most tricks without really connecting to a song. And thus As soon as I was thinking about what I was going to wear, I wanted something that wasn’t going to rely on any of these gimmicks, per se, nevertheless yet still have an element of theatricality. And literally get to show people a new side of me.


MTV News: I feel like your win is critical for Drag Race because you’re different. Maybe a whole different crop of queens will feel empowered to audition for the show.


Oddly: I think why I was really hoping to win — and what I’m hoping my win really stands for — is a win for putting humanity back in drag. For reminding people that as nice as it could be if queens could come onto the show with, like, millions of dollars worth of designer pieces and all of connections and all of the polish … the drag queens who are actually out there working to evolve [this art form] are the people who are on the streets, who can’t afford all the nice things. They’re the gritty queens working for drink tickets and, like, a half-ass hand job. [Laughs]


MTV News: I also wanted to ask about “Dolla Store.” It’s a bop!


Oddly: Yaaas! I’m so happy.


MTV News: Is there more music coming? What else is being planned?


Oddly: You know, I have some other assignments in the works. Nothing also official as of nevertheless, ‘cause I really do aspire to take this year to go out and meet the people. Yet I wanted to prepare at least one, shitty RuGirl song because, like, I sort of think you've got to. [Laughs] I habitually wanted to play around with music, yet I’ve habitually told myself that I wasn’t good enough. Like, you either are place on Earth with this talent, or you aren’t. And, like, getting to shoot that and make that song showed me that I don’t really care whether or not I’m talented. I just aspire to create some fun music.


MTV News: Right now that you’re a winner, baby, what suggestions do you have for future queens applying for the competition?


Oddly: Um, it’s this really detailed, delicate balance. That’s what I have to supply for opinions. You have got to remain true to yourself, naturally. You really do have to let yourself be yourself and go through these true moments. Although, I feel like in my suggestion, you also should push the limitations of exploring what it means to be yourself. Don’t be the kind of person who would mention, “Oh, I would never do this.” Mention, “What does it look like If I do this? What is it like once I’m this person — as soon as I’m an old lady? Whenever I’m singing?” Try and find ways to put yourself into everything you’re doing.