SNIX // fashion, beauty, and sex.. — ARTIST TO LOOK OUT FOR

The term “drag” has been adopted by those who play with and dare to redefine stereotypical gender themes. For many, RuPaul’s Drag Race was their first introduction into the world of drag. But drag goes further back than the early 2000s. It can be seen throughout history when men acted in women’s roles in Ancient Greece, Shakespearean plays, and even Japanese Kabuki theatre. Though the origin of the term is debated—its history is complex to say the least—the earliest recorded use was in the 19th century. Today, drag is more visible than ever, rising in popularity and mainstream culture thanks to the queens before who paved the way.

But let’s take a moment to talk about what drag is not.

It’s not some niche phenomenon curated solely for our entertainment. It’s not just shady reads that, if done correctly, are devastating to the soul. It’s not just big wigs, high heels, snatched waists, and faces beat to the gawds.

Drag is art. Full stop. And it is time we collectively recognize it as such.

Charisma, uniqueness, nerve, talent. Today children, we are serving C.U.N.T. And it is brought to you by yours truly and our #artist2lookout4, the effervescent beauty, SNIX.

Alexander Shin (Alex), better known as Snix, is a drag performer & artist based in Brooklyn, NY.

Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised between Georgetown, Kentucky and Southern California, Snix moved to New York in 2014 after graduating high school to attend the Fashion Institute of Technology (2014-2018). “I’ve always loved clothes. I’ve always loved style. I’ve always loved just fashion in general. The amount of craftsmanship that goes into garments, the amount of attention to detail, that’s something my drag has always stood for.”

Because they grew up in a very strict Korean household, Snix didn’t really explore drag culture until they were based in the city. “I first went out in drag in New York in 2015. I was a Halloween baby. I come from a really conservative Asian family and I thought that was the safest way for me to start. [At the time], I was still figuring out who I was. This was also when Alex was not non-binary. I was already kind of living that life— just a gay boy who was running around New York, wearing heels, slapping on wigs.”

It wasn’t until March 2019, however, that Snix first performed in drag. Their first booking was for a nonprofit fundraiser, and a lot of their events since have been centered on philanthropic efforts. In fact, their first year performing they received no proceeds at all. They expressed how tough, how financially difficult that time was, but helping others and dedicating themselves to giving back is far more rewarding. In their words, “I’m good at performing and I’m good at raising money for a good cause, why not do it?”

While charity will always be one of their core values, Snix has learned in their tenure that there is a difference between being generous and having someone walk all over you. Drag performers put in countless hours, energy, and even their own money to create unique experiences for all to enjoy. Brands, companies, and promoters who hire drag queens and don’t pay them their worth is not only disgraceful but performative af. On this our queen says, “I think in this industry you tend to kind of just get shut down or looked over. I also think when you're creative people tend to use you. So you have to really learn how to put your foot down.”

It’s no surprise that Snix loves collaborating with queens that are also community oriented. Their inspiration: Asian queens who also rep their heritage and are unapologetically themselves. Queens like Kim Chi, Jujubee, Priyanka, Kylie Mooncakes, and Miss Shu Mai (to name a few). That said, inspiration comes in many forms, and our artist is taking time to tap into their own—focusing now more than ever on their creativity, work, and executions.

With so many exciting hopes and plans they’re juggling for both Alex and Snix, they speak on the importance of balancing their relationship with both worlds. “I like to say I have the yin and yang in me. Where there’s a positive there’s a negative and where there’s a negative there’s a positive. There’s Snix and then there's Alex, always harmoniously living together, but they're both separate.”

We talk about the differences between Alex and Snix, their relationship with fashion and how it plays into their drag, and the value of having a solid team.

Talk about Snix’s birth. When did you start performing?

I first went out in drag in New York in 2015. I was a Halloween baby. I come from a really conservative Asian family and I thought that was the safest way for me to start. [At the time], I was still figuring out who I was. This was also when Alex was not non-binary. I was already kind of living that life— just a gay boy who was running around New York, wearing heels, slapping on wigs. So yea, it was on Halloween 2015, but my first performance was actually in March 2019. My first drag name was Alexandra McQueen and I think I just chose it because, I don’t know, it was just so funny. In March 2019 I was basically homeless and jobless. I was taking gigs here and there, and I was couchsurfing for like a couple months. My friend was like, ‘hey, we're going to Miami for my birthday’. I told them I didn’t have any money, but they said ‘we got you, it's fine’, so I ended up going with them. To be honest, I thought if I'm not gonna have fun money wise, why can’t I have fun dressing up and being crazy? So when I went to Miami 2019, I brought all my drag and who I acted like in Miami was insane. Everyone said I was truly unhinged, there were no rules that applied to me. This is still when everyone was calling me Alexandra, but I just knew that that name wasn't for me. My true emotions came out because I was really hitting rock bottom. This is why I always say Miami birthed Snix. When we came back to New York, I’m sitting at a bar with all my friends, and they were just talking and I just kept being in my head and I looked at them and I go, guys, what if my drag name was Snix? They all were speechless and I followed with ‘Don't ever call me Alexandra McQueen again.’

What were some challenges you faced coming into the drag scene? Has your perception changed?

Personally, going into this industry I knew exactly what obstacles I was going to face. When it comes to communication, brands, and companies, my take was just being authentically yourself. It just comes so much more naturally when you put yourself out there. But I do think my thought process has changed a little bit. I do have to be a little bit stricter, especially when it comes to getting paid. Like, you’re the ones that reached out to hire me right? This is my rate. I think in this industry you tend to kind of just get shut down or looked over. I also think when you're creative, people tend to use you. So you have to really learn how to put your foot down. It’s tough, but I’m dedicating my creativity and that takes a lot of mental and emotional work to be in that space. So yea, I'm physically there, but [whoever I work with] you need to mentally pay me for the time that I was there, emotionally pay me. Recognize the fact that I'm not just this drag queen. This is the narrative that’s important for me to define.

**“If there are three**
**things that make up Snix, it’s fashion, beauty, and sex.”**

**— SNIX**

What’s your relationship with fashion and how does it play into your drag?

If there are three things that make up Snix, it’s fashion, beauty, and sex. Fashion is such a big element to Snix because I’ve gotten to live through clothes. I’ve always loved clothes. I’ve always loved style. I’ve always loved just fashion in general. The amount of craftsmanship that goes into garments, the amount of attention to detail, that’s something my drag has always stood for. I always think of myself as that doll that I get to dress up. When I was younger, I would always play with my cousin’s Bratz and Barbie dolls. I wasn’t allowed to play with them, but I would play in secret. What I was really doing though was embodying what I would have worn on that doll, and now I get to do that in real life. Also, I love editorial. You know, I’ll be drinking my matcha latte or whatever and I’ll just be flipping through magazines to see what’s going on, what’s current, what’s being photographed, and just kind of keeping my brain sharp. I know this industry very, very well. I think after working, studying, and living in New York, I realized that this industry is just a lot of smoke and mirrors and you can make your dreams come true… in a sense. Fashion is like unobtainable worlds of fantasy that people literally want to kill themselves over, which is really sad. There are obstacles in this industry—if you’re not white and privileged, if you don’t come from a lot of money, it’s really hard to climb up the ladder. You know, COVID has really made me ask myself, ‘What the fuck am I doing with my life?’, ‘What am I not pursuing that I should be pursuing?’. I feel like my biggest competition is the clock. That’s why I decided to quit working in the fashion industry and place all my bets on Snix. It’s time I gave her all the energy she honestly deserves.

In your opinion, what’s drag’s role in fashion?

It’s such a big role that has been underplayed. A lot of style references come from the world of drag. You know, we’re looked at as a spectacle, under this magnifying glass where we should be the most over the top, accessorized superhero. But in all honesty, the whole point of fashion is to have this movement within yourself, this artistic type of apparel that you are putting on your body and embodying. I have always said make sure you're wearing the clothes, not the clothes wearing you. I think there's a difference between being a model and then being someone that appreciates clothes a little more. I feel like drag queens, we are so creative we literally harbor this type of energy. There are a lot of drag queens who make duplicates from off the runway and it all looks so great. It’s like the same amount of attention we put into makeup is the same amount of attention we put into clothes. And I feel like the world is just now kind of giving the drag world credit.

What’s the difference between Alex and Snix?

There are many parts of me, but when Snix is out…you know Snix is out. Snix is like this uncaged beast, like The Incredible Hulk, that I get to let out every now and again. Like whoa, you know—have your free time, have your play time. But Alex has done a lot of the foundation work for Snix to be elevated and up to the place that she wants to be. That was really important for me because I was always kind of just focusing on Alex. I used to like to keep the worlds separate because it helped me focus more, but as I get into what I want for Snix, I do have to just make sure that Snix is always in the forefront of all my ideas. Thinking like that has been tough and it’s definitely different. I am trying to find a career for Alex because I do believe that drag has a shelf life. Alex's connections are different from Snix’s connections and that's why their followers are very different. The audience loves Snix, they feel empowered and they love seeing a performer. But I think people love Alex because Alex is like a hard worker who knows how to dedicate their view to such a different world when it comes to fashion because I did work in the industry. So, I think there's a tug of war with those two. I like to say I have the yin and yang in me. Where there’s a positive there’s a negative and where there’s a negative there’s a positive. There’s Snix and then there's Alex, always harmoniously living together, but they're both separate. There’s these deposits of who I am in each, but typically when I get into Snix’s headspace it is completely different from what I think of Alex. I'm not the same person, which is scary, but it’s an alter ego that I get to revisit in this world. These past couple of years, I have a lot that I’m putting on my plate and juggling that has nothing to do with Snix. I think that's why having a team is really important.

Who’s on your team? In what ways do they support you?

As of now, my core group is all here in New York. It’s my best friend & stylist Teddy. He’s been there from the beginning when I first slapped on my wig. Then there’s Fran, my producer, who I met when we used to work at COS together, and that's how I met Roger and CK. Roger helps with social media and capturing bts, and CK is my nail artist and also helps me creatively direct a lot of my current shoots. It takes a village, you know, and the best thing that I can say is that I did it all with my team. I am nothing without my team. If my team is not happy with one shot, I’m not happy with that shot. That’s just how it goes with me. Yes, this is my face, this is my brand, but at the end of the day I’m still a reflection of everyone that I get to work with. I want to be able to be the breadwinner for not only my family, but also my team. That's why I want to work so hard because I want to be able to take care of the people that are taking care of me on this journey. My team knows their roles, but I never want them to feel like they’re working for me. The people I trust to carry out my dreams trust me to carry out their dreams as well. They also have personal goals that they want to strive for. And if I can help them in any way to get to that level I will do that for them.

What are some tangible actions people can take to support you right now?

Unfortunately due to COVID, not many people are going out anymore and I don't know if we'll ever get back to that place anytime soon. Obviously social media, even though I literally feel like social media is fake. But, you know, social media and word of mouth is always great. Also, uplifting artists and sending positive comments. I love leaving something cute and just fun. Social media is really heavy, you know, it can make someone’s day if you comment ‘hey, you look gorgeous’. There’s a lot of things you could do to support that you don't have to physically be there for. I think just uplifting and learning about our community. Take the time to do your own research on the type of drag and queens you like. Do that type of work because we're doing the work for you. We're showing up. I need you to be checked in too.

—

Interview by Rahel Tekle