While Lea Black may have been the “Queen of Miami” on “The Real Housewives of Miami”, Tiffany T. Fantasia just may be the real royalty in South Florida. Holding court over The Palace in South Beach, Ms. Fantasia can be seen on the stage, the sidewalk, and even in the street, turning out performance after performance, and introducing the Palace patrons to some pretty amazing talent. I sat down with Tiffany to chat about how what her high energy performances entail, what keeps everyone coming back to The Palace, and in 2017, what the LGBT community needs to do to stay strong in the face of adversity.
For those that have never seen Tiffany Fantasia on stage, how would you describe your performance style and “drag” as a whole? A big ole' ball of energy!! I'm a high energy performer with a twist of comedy. My drag takes a little bit from all aspects of entertainment, with a big influence from the disco era. I pick my outfits for a particular song and go from there. I move a lot so the costumes can't be so over-the-top that I can't function, but if I have a major event and no show, you'll get the big stuff.
You are known to perform some pretty high energy moves on stage. How do you decide on your numbers and craft your performance style? Pretty easy, if I like it, I perform it. Most songs that I perform have touched me in some way shape or form, so my performances are very authentic. I stay true to who I am and my style is developed from there.
How did Tiffany Fantasia get her start in the extremely competitive South Florida drag scene? (Laughs) I started with a group of friends that were doing drag at the same time. We performed at a local bar named Twist. It was just for fun when we started, but as broke college kid the extra money was very welcome, so I continued to perform.
It’s so hard to stand out both in Miami and in drag; how have you carved out your own niche? Yes and no; there are a lot of drag queens in Miami. There's not enough variety though, so if you're talented you can beat a face, and you’re willing to make it happen, you can stand out. For me, it’s both being professional and talented. Professionalism is how I was able to get my foot into many doors, and my talent is what kept me there and has opened other doors
What are some of your career highlights so far? Wow....let's see if I can remember!! Performing in Mykonos for DSquared, shooting at television pilot for HBO, MC’ing Miami beach Gay Pride for the last five years, and hosting Gay Pride in Curacao for the last five years. That’s just to name a few!
The Palace is the centerpiece of South Beach to see fantastic drag performances. What do you think is the key that keeps everyone coming back? Part of it has to definitely be that you ladies strut right into the streets and make the performances a true part of the culture in Miami. We have the most diverse cast, each of them with different strengths, but all of them are very talented. There is something for everyone. Also, who wouldn't want to have drinks in front of one of the hottest beaches in the world!!
What famous faces have come through the Palace to check out your performances? Any great stories? Wanda Sykes, Dennis Rodman, The Kardashians, Pam Ann, DSquared(Dennis & Dean), NeNe Leakes, Porsha Williams, Phaedra Parks, Kathy Wakile, Wilson Cruz, and Reza Farahan. And of course, Andy Cohen just to name a few! I would tell you (some stories) but I'm not getting into any trouble (laughs)!
What is left that you want to achieve as Tiffany Fantasia ? Any aspirations to be on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” perhaps? I want make an album, do television, film, and Broadway would be great; the sky is the limit for me! Yes, I have tried out for “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. That would be a dream come true, I would wear them hoes out!!
Speaking of “Drag Race”several Florida girls have competed on the show and have been very successful, Latrice Royale particularly. How do you think the show as a whole has been for the drag community? Like anything in life, it has it's good and bad. The good is, it has exposed the world to an art form that was dormant to mainstream, Everyone wants a drag queen because of the show, so there are more opportunities in our field. The bad part is that everyone thinks they have a PHD in drag from watching it! Everyone wants to be a drag queen, and this is not a career for everyone. We all go through blood sweat and tears to get where we are, so don't think you're going to come into the scene and start making big bucks dressed like a girl that shops at the Rainbow clearance rack!
What does your male alter ego do when Tiffany Fantasia is not on stage? Most people don't believe it, but I'm very laid back. I love to watch my television shows, and go the beach.
The gay community had a very trying 2016. What do you think are the biggest issues facing our community and what do you see as your part in helping to address them? Any message for the President-elect? There are several issues facing us right now. I think the biggest one that faces us is the fight for our transgendered family and our youth. We need to make sure that we know the people that we are electing on a local/state level, and make sure they support us. We also need to be as active in government as we are in the club. If people used the same amount of effort to go to a bar as they do to go vote and go to these public meetings, we could get things done much faster. My message for the President?-You chose a position where you can't satisfy everyone; So don't act surprised by the criticism you will receive. If you truly are for gays, you better show and prove, because we will be on you like white on rice the first bad move that you or any member of your administration, house, our congress try to pull!!
You’ve recently entered into music with your track “My Pussy Wet” with Josh Riptide. Tell me about the track. How’d that come together? The song came from a contest I used to host. I was messing with a contestant and as an impromptu, I started singing the chorus. Everyone said I should make a song out of it. So one day, Josh Riptide approached me about making music and we banged it out in a day!!
What does “pride” mean to you? Pride means standing up for yourself, even when no none else will. It means accepting who you are as a person, even though the mainstream says it's not okay.
Most importantly’-where can people see you perform?! You can always catch me at the Palace three days a week, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. And if you're lucky I may be in your town!!
Twitter: @TiffanyFantasia palacesouthbeach.com
(Pic 1 courtesy of The Palace SOBE)
Pic 2 & 3 courtesy of Tiffany T Fantasia)