"Neva Eva Eva is the song I wanted to write but couldn’t," admits Faith Michaels from her home in Key West. "While the lyrics for Fetish flowed easily from my heart to the paper, I had a really tough time finding my voice for the second single. I was literally paralyzed by the success of Fetish; fearful I couldn’t top it and that I might forever be thought of as a one trick pony."
Luckily, the Miami-based Rhythm Rehab boys came to her rescue. They approached Michaels after her weekly performance at Key West’s Aqua Night Club, and presented her with Neva Eva Eva.
"I knew right away that the song was the answer to my prayers," says Michaels. Its tantalizing club beats would allow her to wear extravagant costumes, a must for the over-the-top performer. "We are all drag artists," she says. "Some of us are pretending to be people we are not. Others are hyper-glamorizing their outer selves to match the fabulousness they feel inside. As long as we are queens, celebrating our personal greatness, and not drags, sucking joy from those around us, it’s all good," she laughs.
You said in a previous interview that Neva Eva Eva is a song that reminds fans to not take your kindness as weakness. What did you mean by that? When I released my first single, people would come up to me and congratulate me on my work. Someone asked me, in a rather snotty way: ‘why do you always say thank you and you’re welcome?’ I thought, ‘Why do you think you’re so above thank you and you’re welcome?’ Of course, I didn’t say it. I have manners.
Does today’s tough world demand that we be bold?
We should always be bold and stand up for what we believe in, but it's a fine line between being bold and acting like a bitch.
What is the main message in Neva Eva Eva?
We shouldn’t worry about what the neighbors think. You only get one life – live it!
Would you say that you embody that message?
Well, I've got my tucker on, pads in, boobs in. I'm a man in a dress. What do you think?
How do you define yourself – are you a female impersonator, tranny, or drag queen?
Female impersonator is the PC way of saying drag queen. I was doing a radio interview once and mentioned I was a drag queen. The interviewer said, ‘what, drag queen?! I thought you were a tranny!’ It's important that people know the difference because that defines us on how we live our everyday life. I live my life as a boy and work as a girl. I am a drag queen.
With the popularity of shows like RuPaul’s
Drag Race, do you struggle with people trying to put you in a box?
The world says I should be more like a boy. I've struggled my whole life with people trying to put me in a box. ‘You should do this; you shouldn't do that.’ Guess what? It's my life. If I wasn't living my life, my way, I wouldn't be lucky enough sitting here being interviewed by you right now.
Is the success of shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race good or bad for the tran community?
I don't know the role it plays in the tranny community, but in the drag community, I feel it helps by leaps and bounds. It helps people understand what we do and why we do it. It's a show with wigs, costumes, music, comedy, and impersonations. We are performers and you don't have to be gay to love it. Straight people love the show and thank God for them. It takes two of them to
make one of us.
How do you distinguish yourself from the ladies featured on the reality TV?
Well, I'm not on TV and I can't sew. I suppose that's how I distinguish myself from them.
Is Florida a safe place for the tran community?
Our motto in Key West is ‘One Human Family’. We accept people for who they are. Everyone with an open mind and heart are
welcomed.
Do you think the state will ever allow gay marriage?
I would like to think sooner or later it will happen. The state recently overturned the LGBT adoption ban. That’s progress, isn’t it?
What got the ban overturned?
Someone woke up and realized gay parents can raise a childjust as well as straight parents. Watch Judge Judy, more than half of those people should not be having kids.
As a community, is it important that we fight for change to happen?
We should always fight for what is fair and what we believe in. If we don’t stand up for ourselves, no one else will.
What’s your message to people who try to steal our freedom and joy?
Miss thing, I suggest you try living your own life, cause mine is nice and nothing you do will change it!
www.faithmichaels.com
Luckily, the Miami-based Rhythm Rehab boys came to her rescue. They approached Michaels after her weekly performance at Key West’s Aqua Night Club, and presented her with Neva Eva Eva.
"I knew right away that the song was the answer to my prayers," says Michaels. Its tantalizing club beats would allow her to wear extravagant costumes, a must for the over-the-top performer. "We are all drag artists," she says. "Some of us are pretending to be people we are not. Others are hyper-glamorizing their outer selves to match the fabulousness they feel inside. As long as we are queens, celebrating our personal greatness, and not drags, sucking joy from those around us, it’s all good," she laughs.
You said in a previous interview that Neva Eva Eva is a song that reminds fans to not take your kindness as weakness. What did you mean by that? When I released my first single, people would come up to me and congratulate me on my work. Someone asked me, in a rather snotty way: ‘why do you always say thank you and you’re welcome?’ I thought, ‘Why do you think you’re so above thank you and you’re welcome?’ Of course, I didn’t say it. I have manners.
Does today’s tough world demand that we be bold?
We should always be bold and stand up for what we believe in, but it's a fine line between being bold and acting like a bitch.
What is the main message in Neva Eva Eva?
We shouldn’t worry about what the neighbors think. You only get one life – live it!
Would you say that you embody that message?
Well, I've got my tucker on, pads in, boobs in. I'm a man in a dress. What do you think?
How do you define yourself – are you a female impersonator, tranny, or drag queen?
Female impersonator is the PC way of saying drag queen. I was doing a radio interview once and mentioned I was a drag queen. The interviewer said, ‘what, drag queen?! I thought you were a tranny!’ It's important that people know the difference because that defines us on how we live our everyday life. I live my life as a boy and work as a girl. I am a drag queen.
With the popularity of shows like RuPaul’s
Drag Race, do you struggle with people trying to put you in a box?
The world says I should be more like a boy. I've struggled my whole life with people trying to put me in a box. ‘You should do this; you shouldn't do that.’ Guess what? It's my life. If I wasn't living my life, my way, I wouldn't be lucky enough sitting here being interviewed by you right now.
Is the success of shows like RuPaul’s Drag Race good or bad for the tran community?
I don't know the role it plays in the tranny community, but in the drag community, I feel it helps by leaps and bounds. It helps people understand what we do and why we do it. It's a show with wigs, costumes, music, comedy, and impersonations. We are performers and you don't have to be gay to love it. Straight people love the show and thank God for them. It takes two of them to
make one of us.
How do you distinguish yourself from the ladies featured on the reality TV?
Well, I'm not on TV and I can't sew. I suppose that's how I distinguish myself from them.
Is Florida a safe place for the tran community?
Our motto in Key West is ‘One Human Family’. We accept people for who they are. Everyone with an open mind and heart are
welcomed.
Do you think the state will ever allow gay marriage?
I would like to think sooner or later it will happen. The state recently overturned the LGBT adoption ban. That’s progress, isn’t it?
What got the ban overturned?
Someone woke up and realized gay parents can raise a childjust as well as straight parents. Watch Judge Judy, more than half of those people should not be having kids.
As a community, is it important that we fight for change to happen?
We should always fight for what is fair and what we believe in. If we don’t stand up for ourselves, no one else will.
What’s your message to people who try to steal our freedom and joy?
Miss thing, I suggest you try living your own life, cause mine is nice and nothing you do will change it!
www.faithmichaels.com
Written by Contributing Writer, Mark Gray. As featured in Connextions Magazine, Issue 6.
Be sure not to miss future issues of Connextions Magazine! CLICK HERE to subscribe to the digital edition, FREE; order your print subscription; or purchase a copy of this issue.
To find the latest issue of Connextions Magazine in stores nationwide: Click here
Be sure not to miss future issues of Connextions Magazine! CLICK HERE to subscribe to the digital edition, FREE; order your print subscription; or purchase a copy of this issue.
To find the latest issue of Connextions Magazine in stores nationwide: Click here
RSS Feed
