You may have seen the diva that is ADAM, as she has graced the stage with her extraordinary performances, as the resident host at Gauteng’s premier gay nightclub – Babylon.
However, ADAM’s place in queer nightlife royalty does not stop here; it is expected to surpass every young aspiring drag queen’s dream and break the boundaries of what it means to be a Drag Queen in the South African space.
ADAM is a Drag Queen representing the Johannesburg Drag scene in its full glory. An entertainer before anything-else – the bliss point that has her booked and busy lies between her priority for live performance, a giggle or few in her comedy, coupled with the glitz and glam of hair, make-up and don’t forget the outfits – tying everything together perfectly, to make the perfect drag deliciousness that is ADAM.
Drawing inspiration from queens like Bianca Del Rio, Bob The Drag Queen, and RuPaul herself – ADAM is also highly inspired by the artists she pays tribute to in her shows like Jennifer Hudson, Whitney Houston and, of course, Beyoncé.
Since appearing in the 2019 production of ‘Rock Of Ages’ at the Teatro ADAM, has hosted a number of RuPaul’s Drag Race Alum at Babylon – including Detox, Alaska 5000, Trinity the Tuck, and Brooke Lynn Hytes. ADAM has also become the creative director for DragCon SA and has managed the back-end staging of these illustrious tours.
ADAM has brought the Johannesburg Drag Scene with her into the spotlight, going on to start a new wave of popularity for the next generation of South African drag, going so far as to be the first Drag Queen on 7de Laan, paving a new way forward through the glass ceiling of South African media.
Johannesburg’s Queen of Nightlife has also collaborated on major queer events such as Vogue Nights Jozi, Night Embassy, and much more and as PRIDE approaches, lookout for ADAM as she is hosting and performing at a number of Pride afterparties this October (South Africa’s Pride Month). She is also a resident entertainer at A Streetbar Named Desire, where the first Drag Brunches started.
ADAM is a force to be reckoned with in the South African drag scene, but all of this is only the beginning as she is currently finalizing dates for her annual One Woman Show.
ADAM is blessed to explore a vast amount of entertainment avenues as she is a one-stop show-stopper in one glamourous human form, when you have ADAM, you need nothing-else. Their powerful vocals and years of vocal training allow her the opportunity to sing live, she is an illustrious host, a fanciful dancer who can choreograph her own performances, she writes her shows and directs her lighting. Beyond all this extraordinaire, she prides herself on being business minded and actively works to bring her community to the forefront of entertainment. ADAM has a passion for creating spaces for her community and she humbly state: “I think my peers will recognize me as someone who pushes boundaries for where drag can be.”
Above all this, ADAM first and foremost has a passion for where she believes South Africa can be on the global scale, in terms of drag. She expresses: “South Africa has a very limited view on Drag and with the rising popularity of RuPaul’s Drag Race, we have been able to start a community with a fire underneath it like I have never seen… it is our goal to bring drag into the mainstream. There is no other art form that encompasses as many avenues – makeup, hair, design, singing, dancing, acting, and more – as drag does.”
ADAM’s mission is to give the drag community a way into the spotlight by means of example. The drag and queer community have always been a family and ADAM wants her drag family to be where they deserve to be in this world – on top of their game.
“I do what I do because I’ve always been drawn to it. That’s why I started – but I continue to do this job, despite its MANY obstacles and prejudices because we DESERVE to feel appreciated and loved for our talent. Our community has been in the dark for so long that I don’t even think the South African drag scene knows what it feels like to be out of it. That’s why I do this – because I know that we can actually give ourselves a chance in the spotlight if we just keep pushing.” – ADAM gets sentimental and passionate as she shares why she does what she does for the Drag space, despite all its struggles and obstacles.
