Santa Fe Pride aims high with elite entertainment
Well-known artists are in the lineup
Unlike years prior, Santa Fe Pride 2017 will include nationally and internationally known artists as part of its Pride Festival, which takes place Saturday at the Santa Fe University of Art and Design campus.
Organizer Richard BrethourBell said he collected suggestions for entertainers for the festival from Pride event organizers across the country.
One of those performers now coming to Santa Fe is drag singer Latrice Royale, a Season 4 finalist on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and a contestant on “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars.” She’s staged two solo shows, including this year’s “Life Goes On,” in New York and tours internationally, with a mix of classic soul and pop tunes, as well as original songs.
Also on Saturday’s bill is Lillie McCloud, known for being a finalist on Season 3 of “The X Factor.” She’s leaving an overseas tour in Eastern Europe to make it to the Santa Fe festival.
In an interview with the Journal, McCloud, 57, said she’s a frequent performer at Pride festivals, and has been a part of those in El Paso, Miami and Boston. Her 1997 hit “One Good Reason” has become an anthem in gay nightclubs, she said, and she does one or two festivals a year.
Though she received mainstream success before her 2013 stint on “The X Factor,” she went on the show to try to break away from Top 40 pop and find success as a Christian rock singer. In the end, the mainstream music world didn’t understand her interest in gospel music and the Christian community didn’t think she could make the transition, said McCloud.
She said she loves performing at gay pride events because of the fun and love-filled energy. She’s excited to see if Santa Fe’s festival is as upbeat and “crazy” as those in other cities where she’s performed.
“It’s a love relationship,” said McCloud. “The fans are so excited. They want to dance, sing, and we just have a great marriage between what they’re giving me and me giving them.”
And Pride audiences still want her soulful, gospel-tinged music. At nearly every show, she’s asked to start with “Alabaster Box,” a gospel ballad she sang during her 2013 X-Factor audition and which has garnered more than 22 million YouTube views.
“They pull that out of me, they actually want that,” she said.
The rest of her show consists of a mix of original and soul/ R&B classics, most of which she referred to as “I am woman, hear me roar” songs. She covers tunes from Adele, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick and other powerful divas.
Others on the Saturday schedule are local performers Coco Caliente, Bella Gigante, Marie Antoinette Du Barry, New Mexico’s Gay Men’s Chorus, Burlesque Company Zircus Erotique and about 10 others. See the full list at santafepride.org.