Who are you/ what’s your project?
Kallum Király
What’s your art?
Kallum is an all singing all flirting drag king. Can normally be found dossing around in the basement of the glory, but currently in lockdown and dossing about in his friends sitting room.
How does your queerness influence your art ( if it does)?
Drag to me is a conversation between character and gender. Kinging to me has been performance medium to explore than conversation – not only with my own gender identity, but what masculinity means to someone assigned female at birth, and then how bisexuality ties in with this, Kallum is an excuse and extension to play with these concepts and stretch and mould them in a safe space. Or I’m just wearing a snapback and singing about fingering people, you decide.
How has lockdown/ quarantine influenced your artistic creation?
It’s been tough. I lost a lot of my income at the start of the pandemic, and otherwise work as a support and care worker – so a huge amount of headspace was taken up by this. However, we all adapt! I’ve been slowly doing more online performances, doing audio description for cabarets… it’s starting to feel fun again.
How would you describe what your art is about or what the purpose of it is ( if there is a particular one)?
Being a king is more than a performance – it’s a community, and a kind and supportive one at that. I love getting on stage and gently entertaining people. All those things I was bullied for when younger – being masc, looking like a ‘boy’, etc, are now something people cheer me on for. I just want to make people chuckle to be honest. I sing songs about never knowing if you’re on a date or not as a queer, and being a ninth wheel in polyam set ups. there isn’t a deep meaning to it!
Interested in more queer performance? How about Burlesque? Check out this interview.
