Cardiff drag queen Marmalade heads to Drag Race final

Stephen Price

Welsh drag queen, Marmalade, has celebrated making it to the coveted RuPaul's Drag Race Final at Spillers in Cardiff - the world's oldest record store.

Following a roast that held no punches and left many a jaw on the floor, Marmalade proved her comedy chops by being outgunned only by La Voix, Marmalade's greatest rival for the crown, Marmalade impressed the panel of judges with a self-made outfit on the theme of vinyl - a gramophone inspired dress which RuPaul described as 'exquisite'

 

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25-year-old Marmalade is fast building a reputation as one of Wales' leading drag queens, impressing judges with her sewing skills and looks which have consistently impressed Ru Paul and fellow judge, Michelle Visage.

She's also not the only Welsh performer to slay the competition, with Wales-born, Scouse-adopted The Vivienne taking home the first UK crown, who along with Newport's Tayce has become a familiar face on television screens ever since.

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Welsh queens

For the first time ever, perhaps following complaints about lack of Welsh representation last year, this year saw two Welsh queens compete together, with Bala's Actavia representing the north, and proudly using the Welsh language at every given opportunity.

Marmalade, recently told Behnaz Akhgar on BBC Radio Wales that Ru has a long time love for Wales, sharing: “I discovered about Ru – she visits Barry fairly often,”

“She’s got a friend in Barry and she visits every year. Maybe she visits for the log flume – I have no idea. But she visits Wales… I was surprised at least. I didn’t expect it.”

Of her fellow Welsh season six co-star, she added: “Before I went, I was like ‘I better be the only Welsh queen. It can only be me, it better only be me.”

“I remember turning and seeing Actavia and just thinking, like, they could not have picked a more perfect Welsh cohort to share this with me. Truly, I was so glad she was there. I’ll say it now – she’s easily my best friend from the season.”

“I was excited in general as well because it’s the first time Drag Race has had two Welsh queens, so for it to be Marmalade, I was just buzzing.”

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Glamour

Marmalade told the BBC Media centre: "I would describe my drag as Hollywood glamour, all wrapped up in a gorgeous Welsh sense of stupidity. When I was sixteen, I saw the most fabulous photo of the Hollywood starlet, Lana Turner in the film The Prodigal and that was it!

"All I wanted from then was to become that image. My favourite leading ladies are Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Faye Dunaway, Barbara Streisand. Also, two of my all-time favourites are Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn in Death Becomes Her. I like to think that I give vintage aesthetic with a modern twist!"

Representing Wales has been very important to her. She shared: "I am so excited to represent my hometown of Cardiff, and my home country. There's so much talent in our small but mighty nation and you're going to see it right here!"

Spillers

Spillers was an inspired choice for Marmalade's heading-to-the-final celebrations following her success in the runway and its vinyl theme.

The iconic Cardiff store was founded in 1894 by Henry Spiller at its original location in Queens Arcade, where the shop specialised in the sale of phonographs, wax phonograph cylinders and shellac phonograph discs and also sold and repaired musical instruments.

In the early 1920s, Spiller's son Edward took over the running of the business and, with the aid of the popular accordionist and bandleader Joe Gregory, sold musical instruments alongside the pre-recorded music. In the late 1940s the shop moved around the corner to a larger premises on The Hayes.

 

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In 2006, the shop's future was made uncertain when the site rent was increased by Spillers' landlords, who stated that they were keen for the shop to survive.

A local campaign to save the shop was initiated, including a petition initiated by Owen John Thomas (then the Assembly Member for South Wales Central) and supported by members of the Welsh Assembly, Manic Street Preachers and Columbia Records.

In 2010 Spillers moved to the nearby Morgan Arcade where it continues to flourish and play a pivotal role in the music scene for both listeners and performers across Wales.

All episodes of the new series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. The highly anticipated final will air at 8pm on BBC iPlayer and 9pm on BBC Three on Thursday 28 November.