GLYN FUSSELL & RILEASA SLAVES
Sink The Pink and Mighty Hoopla impresario Glyn Fussell, 39, and Rihanna’s drag sister Rileasa Slaves, 28, are firm believers in the power of dressing up
What’s your mission statement?
G: I think I’m challenging the status quo, queering the norm, asking questions. I’m politically charged but with a jazz hand. I’m quite punk in spirit, and everything I’ve done has started as a reaction to something that wasn’t happening. How did you meet?
R: It was last year, when Glyn was doing an event for MNEK and needed some queens of colour, and he knew my drag mother, Frieda Slaves. It was one of my first bigger gigs because I’ve only been doing drag since 2017.
G: I’m an eternal drag wrangler, I’m always on the hunt for great drag queens, drag queens who are doing lovely things and are great human beings. But I’m very competitive, and I thought: “If I’m going to
be kissing a drag queen, they need to be the hottest drag queen in all of London.” But Frieda [ Slaves] was out of town so Rileasa stepped in [ laughs]. What does Pride mean to you?
G: I’m a very proud person, and I am quite vocal with it. That’s what our scene constantly needs. I wasn’t always like this. We were all that bullied kid, that weird kid who felt they were on the fringe of society. But I’ve gone through that journey, and I’ve come out the other side. I have to be as visible as I can with Pride. It’s as necessary as breathing.
R: When I first knew of Pride, there was something in me that was envious of people who could stand at the top of the mountain and fly the flag and be proud.
I had to fight my fear to be able to do that. Now, I’ve blossomed and embraced my colours. No matter how you identify, Pride is about owning oneself and your identity. What advice would you give to your younger self?
G: Stop masturbating. I’m joking. I would say: find your people sooner. I’ve come out several times in life: as gay when I was 19, then as weird, next as a drag queen, and finally as queer. I learned that if you’re scared of something, run headfirst into it.
R: Take everything with a pinch of salt.
The obstacles we come across just season our journey. I’d just tell myself: “You’ll become a butterfly one day.” Melanie C & Sink The Pink will be performing at Prides around the world this summer. Visit melaniec. net for dates. @ glynfussell
@ rileasaslaves