A punk rock drag queen from St. Petersburg is heading to compete on the 18th season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
Discord Addams, a regular performer at COCKtail St. Pete, is one of 14 drag queens vying for a $200,000 prize on the upcoming reality competition.
A press release from Paramount described Addams as “a high-fashion punk rock maximalist, serving looks packed with safety pins, studs, and unapologetic attitude.”
Addams’s look was inspired by her time growing up in the punk scene.
“It’s all very DIY. So you’re making your jackets, making your clothes,” Addams said in a reveal video posted Tuesday. “You can see a lot of the music that I listened to in my drag style: the Dead Kennedys, Rancid, the Sex Pistols, a little bit of classic rock like Aerosmith. I channel a mixture between, like, Lady Gaga and Mick Jagger.”
Addams also expressed interest in activism.
“I just want to be an advocate for the underdog, and an advocate for people who are getting treated poorly in this country,” Addams said. “We need drag queens who are going to say more about what’s happening instead of saying less.”
Addams is one of five Florida-based queens that will appear on the upcoming season, from West Palm Beach’s Mia Starr to Miami queens Athena Dion and Juicy Love Dion. Orlando’s Myki Meeks even opened for Chappell Roan.
David Fischer, owner of COCKtail St. Pete and outdoor pool bar The Wet Spot, said Addams is known for fierce looks and high-energy lip synching.
“First and foremost, she is wildly creative with costuming, and so you’re going to see some pretty amazing stuff,” Fischer said.
Jewels Sparkles, a Florida queen who went far on season 17, hosted watch parties at the Wet Spot earlier this year and offered “behind-the-scenes tea during commercial breaks,” according to Fischer. Addams willhost the season 18 premiere watch party on Jan. 2.
“CONGRATULATIONS DISCORD ADDAMS from your Cocktail St. Pete family!” the bar posted on Instagram. “We could not be more proud to be the home bar of this incredible individual and we’re so excited to see her on the big screen.”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” returns to MTV on Jan. 2. Episodes will air Fridays at 8 p.m., with after show “RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked” following at 9:30 p.m.
Discord Addams will host a premiere watch party at 8 p.m. Jan. 2 at the Wet Spot, 2355 Central Avenue in St. Petersburg.