Upcoming Drag Queen: Tayris Mongardi
- @blurmag
- Feb 4, 2020
- 3 min read
Tyler 'Tayris Mongardi' Chambers is a 23-year old drag queen from Eastbourne, East Sussex currently focusing on his career in the Brighton drag scene. After making a name for himself in the Leeds and Brighton night-life, and picking up many hosting and performance gigs in a variety of popular clubs and events we were GAGGING to interview him.
Photos by Tayris via her Instagram @tayrismongardi, interviewed by Rae.
Photos by Tayris via her Instagram @tayrismongardi.
How did you know you wanted to be a drag queen?
"I was an avid Musical Theatre child in my early teen years, so I guess in that sense it wasn’t too far from the narrative of what I was doing with myself anyhow. I’d performed in drag a couple of times for shows and whatnot, but admittedly I started watching RuPaul’s Drag Race during Season 8 (about 3 and a half years ago), and thought to myself “You know what? I could do that!”, and the rest is history."
What has been your most defining moment of influence in your journey to find your personal aesthetic?
"I think it’s been within the last year when I began to celebrate my own identity as a person of colour more. Growing up in Eastbourne which is a very Caucasian town I was never around a lot of people of colour, so my drag has been a vital way for me to connect to that part of my heritage, so it definitely began to inform my art, whether it be through music choices (such as Soca), or outfits, as African wax print is just such a beautiful fabric!"
What one performance has been your personal favourite to date?
"On September 3rd 2018, I launched my own night entitled ‘The Chocolate Box’, which is a cabaret with a rotating cast who are entirely POC performers. It’s the first of its kind in Brighton, and so it had such weight and importance to me and although I’ve learnt a lot since the first one, and my skills have greatly improved, I’m still enamoured by the memories of the first one."
What has been your biggest struggle to date in your journey in industry?
"Tokenisation in any industry can be difficult. I often feel that as a performer of colour I am under the scrutiny of the white gaze, so to speak. It’s a blessing and a curse; I’m lucky in the sense that I’m often booked for things I’m Brighton due to the lack of racial diversity in the drag scene, so I’m booked as the promoters are making a conscious effort to feature POC artists. Conversely, it does also mean that at times I feel artistically constricted, balancing what I want to do creatively with what I know an audience of white ‘twinks’ or whatnot would want from me, which is essentially Beyonce, Lizzo etc."
Who do you have hoped to have worked with, in the next 5 years?
"I’ve had the pleasure of working with a couple of RuGirls in my time, but I’d like to work with Shea Coulee and Monet X Change spherically. I’d also like to extend my network to more designers, I’ve only recently been getting custom looks but it’s improving my drag immensely. Also, Tayris Mongardi for Drag Race U.K. Season 4 anyone?"
Tyler has already worked with some very high profile drag acts, despite him only starting drag 3 and a half years ago. He used to sew his own costumes, self-teach the art of makeup, idolise the queens featured on RuPaul's Drag Race, and aspire to be on the show when it expanded to it's UK market; fast forward to today, and Tyler has successfully hosted several drag shows, competitions and even opened for famous queens from Brighton to London and Leeds. This queen is about to hit the UK hard and show Ru what the American's are missing...will Tayris be our next The Vivienne?
Keep up with Tayris by following her Instagram (@tayrismongardi) and Facebook events to see what she gets up to next.
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