Bimini on Being Politically Active, British Glamour and Their New Podcast, The Pieces
Words: Gina Tonic | Photographer: Danika Magdelena | Makeup: Byron London | Hair: Lauren Bell | Styling: Rebecca O’Dwyer | Photographer Assistant: Jem Rigby
It’s been long understood that being a star due to RuPaul’s Drag Race doesn’t come only from winning the show or one of its many worldwide franchises. In many cases, the most successful queens to find global success from the reality competition haven’t even made it to the finale. It’s been nine years since RuPaul alluded to this herself in the season finale of the seventh iteration of the American series, calling contestant Katya Zamolodchikova - fifth runner up of the show - onto the stage during the finale episode to do a fake out of her winning the crown. The point of RuPaul’s joke rang clear: you don’t even have to rank highly in Drag Race to succeed on the back of it.
Six years later, Bimini Bon Boulash would tread similar ground to her blonde predecessor. Her performances, outfits and cutaways of casual charisma on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK would be considered cult classics seconds after they aired on the BBC. In the three years since, the singer, model, performer and podcaster would use the platform granted to them by the British iteration of the competition show to drop the Bon Boulash and take the media - social, digital and otherwise - by storm.
Their most recent venture, a podcast series titled The Pieces and featuring a wide range of guests from Joe Lycett to Jeremy Corbyn, takes a peek under the covers of what makes us all tick - a more introspective lens than the Bimini we know and love usually undertakes, but still a masterclass in finding meaningful connection across all kinds of character. We sat down with Bimini to dig into their new show, their recent music releases and how taking a stance has defined them as a star.
Tell me about the podcast!
Bimini: I studied journalism, and I think everything I do in the creative world is informed by that background. The experiences I've gained have been valuable tools for me. I’ve always been intrigued by social groups and subcultures, which I find fascinating. The reason for the podcast is that I want to highlight all the different elements — the unique tools and puzzle pieces — that make a person who they are. We are all unique, and it’s important to remember that. There’s so much herd mentality around how we should feel about things, but we should feel how we truly feel.
The podcast is about exploring identity — what it is and what shapes a person. We all have different experiences and stories, and we need to celebrate that. The good and the bad have all contributed to who we are. I think the term "identity" has become a bit stigmatised, especially regarding queerness. Yes, queer people have their unique identities, but everyone has aspects that contribute to their identity. For example, one of my guests will be Sadiq Khan. He’s a Muslim man from a working-class background whose family isn’t originally from London, but he was born there. I want to explore how his experiences shaped him into becoming the Mayor of London. Everyone has beautiful stories, and I can’t wait to talk to people about them!
I want to talk to everyone — fame isn’t a requirement for me. Of course, having well-known guests is appealing, but I want the podcast to be so intriguing that listeners would be happy to hear me chat with someone from the fetish scene who identifies as a pup, for example. I find the psychology behind these experiences fascinating. I feel like this is the right time for me to embark on this journey. Having studied journalism, I plan to be vocal about my identity and create a comfortable space for others. I want guests to feel at ease but also be willing to get vulnerable. I’m eager to dive into the nitty-gritty of their stories. Joe is a fantastic guest. One interesting thing about him is that he’s a comedian first and foremost. I noticed that when he felt a bit uncomfortable, he would often turn the questions back on me. This dynamic is fascinating because I’ve been in his position, sitting there being asked questions, and now I’m on the other side, which I absolutely love. It’s all about managing that exchange, and I’m excited to keep evolving and growing in this role. Coming from Drag Race, I definitely had a political edge, and I was taking up space in some unconventional places. Now, I feel like I’m doing something meaningful, and I’ve had the opportunity to speak with a range of guests, from Joe to Jeremy Corbyn. I’m really proud of that mix! I want to keep people on their toes and bring fresh perspectives to the table.
CONTROL just came out, what’s the reaction to the track been like?
Bimini: It's been good, and I feel like the song has this Euro-dancing vibe. But what's even more exciting is that I’m back in control of what I want to release. Over the years, I’ve been making music for over four years now, but I’ve barely scratched the surface of what I’ve put out. There were always a lot of conversations with people around me about what I should sound like. And honestly, I hate being told what to do—it messes with my creativity, my energy, and who I am. Recently, I’ve shifted back to doing what I want, and I finally feel in control.
My song, "If You Get It, You Get It," came out six or seven weeks ago, and it’s laying the foundation for the sound and world I want to create more of. It’s dance music with a pop edge, and dance has always been my genre. I’ve loved it since I was young, listening to trance music on Radio One when I was eight, dreaming about going to Ibiza and taking pills. Ibiza has always seemed like this hedonistic, magical place, even though it’s probably changed from the version I romanticised. But yeah, I’m excited about the music I have coming out. There’s another song dropping in November, and I’m basically releasing new music every six weeks, along with remixes and other projects. It’s an exciting time.
Beyonce recently went on the record saying she thinks that visuals can sometimes distract from the music and I was interested in your opinion on that as a very visual person?
Bimini: It really depends on the song. I haven’t been putting out visuals for my music lately because I want the people who are on this musical journey with me to focus on the music itself and build with it naturally. I’m just putting the music out and seeing where it takes us. But it does depend on where you are as an artist. Someone like Beyoncé, for example—she’s top tier, and we all love her. Over the years, she’s done the visuals, like with Lemonade, which was a whole visual album. I don’t think that detracted from the music at all; it actually complemented it.
But when you look at the landscape of visuals in music now, she’s probably right in a way. Attention spans are shorter, and fewer people are going on YouTube to watch music videos like we used to. I remember when a new music video would have a countdown, and everyone would sit and watch it live. There were record-breaking moments, like when Nicki Minaj’s "Anaconda" broke Vevo records in 24 hours. You don’t see that as much anymore
I wouldn’t say visuals take away from the music; I feel like they bring it all together. It just depends on the artist and the moment. But I don’t imagine Beyoncé is losing sleep over whether she’s making a video for every song anymore. She’s already proven she can do both at the highest level.
Speaking about creativity, I’ve really loved how you’ve embodied a specific Britishness in your aesthetic across the board. What is it about British glamour specifically that you are drawn to?
Bimini: I think that's just me. I think if I were to do anything else, it would be a character I was creating. We've been influenced by other things that aren't British, but when I put a look together with my team and we come up with a concept, it's always a character. That's just how it is. So, I think the Britishness is just innate to me. I don't think I can get rid of that. I've got the gap tooth, you know, the one we have, and I think the recent shoot we did was so much fun. One of the references was Courtney Love, and we love her rawness. But I feel like it was a very British take on Courtney Love if you know what I mean. That Britishness is always going to be a part of what I do.
You’ve been very politically active this year and pretty much every year since entering the public eye. How do you think the Labour party are doing?
Bimini: Right now, it seems like both left and right wings are just focused on swaying public opinion, lacking integrity. Jeremy Corbyn was someone who truly had integrity, but he was ridiculed for it. The pendulum keeps swinging, and they just try to sugarcoat things or appease without actually standing for anything. I really hope they can turn things around, but with Keir Starmer saying things like “release the sausages,” it doesn’t look promising.
For the first time, I didn’t vote Labour; I actually voted for the Green Party. It's ridiculous. But I’ll always stand up for what I believe in, and my whole drag is political. I think drag inherently has a political aspect. So, as long as I have these opportunities, I’ll always be vocal about my beliefs.
