Drag queen of charts
Single aims to lift spirits and benefit charity
A SCOTS drag queen left homeless by the corornavirus pandemic has released a single to help rough sleepers and those battling mental health issues.
Gee Ritchie was gearing up for his “busiest year yet” under the guise of drag act, Gina Gee, before Covid-19 put Scotland’s entertainment industry on ice. The popular performer’s 2020 calendar had been full of bookings across the UK and Spain.
But struggling to find work, the 31-year-old from Glasgow was forced to give up his city centre pad, apply for universal credit and move into emergency accommodation in May. Just a few weeks ago, Gee secured a flat and got back into music by writing, recording and releasing a song about his emotional struggles amid the pandemic.
His heartfelt ballad, Broken, has since gone viral, edging its way closer to the iTunes chart. All proceeds from its downloads will go to charity.
Gee, who lives with his chihuahua Harley, told the Record: “I’ve worked all my days, so it was a real knock to my pride applying for universal credit.
But I wasn’t eligible for grants that were available as I’ve been selfemployed for less than three years. “Finding work has been really hard. “The money I’d earn from one gig was all I was getting in a month.
“I was really scared about ending up on the streets, I couldn’t imagine it before all of this. I wanted to write something that was about my experience that might also help others going through similar issues.
“It encourages people to keep pushing on and keep their chin up.”
You can download Broken on platforms including Amazon Music.