The drag star opens up about her journey, what she actually achieved in the casting process for The Little Mermaid, and how she was accepted by the country music community.

Ginger Minj is busy these days.

She is riding high from "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 6", in which she placed second. The drag star also recently released a new album for country, and has secret projects underway. There are also two holiday tours planned.

It's not too bad for someone who was "rein love" with drag just a few years back.

Ginger, Joshua Allen Eads' drag alter-ego, made her debut in the seventh season of Drag Race, finishing as the runner up. After she lost on "All Stars 2," Ginger turned around and competed again, but this time she won. She then got her big Ru-demption earlier in the year on "All Stars 6." Although she may not technically win the crown, she's happy with where she's at.

Minj shared her busy fall with TooFab, saying that she was "just so excited to get out of my home." "I needed some time to regroup and fall back in love again with drag, but that was okay. I'm most excited to be out talking to people and hugging them safely."

Minj explained why drag and she were both on the outside for a while. She said that the job can become repetitive, "doing the exact same thing night after night" at gigs where the fans want to see her perform routines she is well-known for. It takes the spontaneity and creativity out of drag, Minj said. It doesn't matter if it's old, it doesn't mean that they don't want to see it anymore," she stated, adding that she sometimes falls into a rut and can't be as creative as she wants to be.

Minj felt like she received a "very polarizing reaction" from fans, as Minj experienced the same feeling after her appearances on All Stars 2 and Season 7. She said that viewers either love or hate her Season 7 appearance. "That's great for TV, but it's not good news for me or for my mental health."

"I had to just sit back and really look at it. My grandmother used to say that you don't see yourself unless you see it through someone else's eyes. "Drag Race" allowed me to watch my reality through the eyes of someone else, and that was what it did for me," she said. "And I discovered a lot about myself that I thought I knew, but had never come to terms with. It was simply that I was unhappy. It seems that all those insecurity and unhappinesses you feel inside can be projected outwardly into the world.

Ginger was not able to take the time to reflect before she jumped into All Stars 2.

Minj, who was third eliminated from that season, said that there was much more that felt like it was being piled on top of me in real-life.

According to the queen, even though it was a terrible pandemic, it also gave her a lot of inspiration when it came time to drag. Many queens decided that they would perform virtual shows from their homes, reviving their creativity and pushing them out of their comfort zones as clubs around the globe were closing down.

She explained that if it wasn't for quarantine, I probably wouldn't have gone back to Drag Race." She also revealed that she was asked to return "a few years ago" but declined. "But this, it was the moment I felt that I had something to offer. Finally, I felt like I had found the joy in my drag and wanted to share it with the rest of the world. They called me at the right moment and I said yes.

"I feel like me now, and I've always stated that it was a difficult lesson to learn, but if one can unapologetically express who you are, people will be able to connect with that," she said. People want authenticity and this is what I felt was the difference. I was authentically me, good and bad, and people saw some of myself in that.

Ginger was one of the front-runners for All Stars 6. This season featured queens such as Eureka and Ra'Jah Olaf, Jan, and Kylie Sonique Love. The latter went on to win the entire thing. Ginger doesn't seem to be too bothered by coming in second again -- she stated that the cast knew they would all be happy and disappointed no matter who wins.

She said, "It will be difficult to top this experience because All Stars 6 had been so positive from the beginning to the end and it was our first time getting to the Top Four. We looked around and were like, who cares who wins?" It doesn't matter if we're happy or disappointed, it's fun. You could sit there and try to think of big words, but fun is the only thing you need.

She said, "I think the entire world was pretty much like this: 'I do not have a favorite, but if one of them wins I'm totally cool.'" It was a pleasure to be part of that because it all comes down to the week before the finale, when #Team This and #Team That are released. People get so savage, like "F--- that bitch!" F--- that little bitch! She is the one who deserves it. It wasn't for this season.

Ginger said that she doesn't want to "knock down fans" who support her, but she also stated that they sometimes need to remind their supporters to show their support "without tearing everyone down." She said that they didn't have the need to do this because it felt like everyone was rooting for them.

Ginger stated that her storyline on "All Stars 6” felt "diminished" towards the end. She also felt that some of her best moments were lost on the cutting room floor. Minj shared with TooFab the details of her last interview with RuPaul, Michelle Visage and she was asked for more information.

Ginger said that there was a whole section on not loving yourself and learning to love oneself. She also stated that you are never going to be happy if you don’t learn to love yourself. It was a deep conversation between Ru and Michelle. I felt like: "If you unabashedly tell your truth, open your heart, and share it with the world, it could help somebody and it can even change the world."

She continued, "I felt like it was one of those moments where if there were anybody out there like me, that felt the same way and needed that to hear that, that would have changed the course their lives forever." "This is something I wish I could have seen on TV. It was someone that truly represented me and told me that there are things you can do to make your life better and happier. That was the only thing that disappointed me.

Minj believes that Ru's conversation was a little shallower because Minj cut the part. Minj said that edits are normal and clarified that she doesn't mind them. She just wishes the clip had been made available online for fans to see.

She also lost the title of Ursula, but it has a positive spin. This is Disney's live-action remake "The Little Mermaid." The "Drag Race” fandom expressed their desire to see her play the role of the sea witch when the movie was revealed. This was due to the fact that the original cartoon was inspired drag queen Divine. Ginger confirmed that she was in discussions to play the role, and she will be performing it in a forthcoming drag tour.

"I'm going on the Disney Villains tour. I'm very excited about it. There was a petition that had a lot of support online for me to play Ursula, but I didn't get it," she stated. She also said that she "made it farther than most people think" in the casting process.

TooFab pointed out that Gottmik was also called by "Hellraiser' producers following her Cenobite-inspired finale, Ginger stated that it is clear that Hollywood is paying attention to the show.

Ginger said that Drag is at its peak and it's great because people realize we are true artists and we all have our own talents. Ginger added, "Drag is at the height of popularity and I think this is great." "I was devastated when I wasn't cast. I didn’t expect to be cast. But I was sad that I didn’t get cast because I thought, oh well, here goes my chance. I've had many offers to play Ursula from all over the world than I would have if this wasn't a thing.

Ginger's talent has been noticed by many others, including Disney. Her new country music career has been a huge success with her fans and a few top-notch country singers. After her debut single, "Walk Tall", she released "Double Wide Diva" in September. She has been overwhelmed by the responses to her album.

Ginger teased that she had received a lot of calls from country stars and wouldn't reveal their identities yet. "I've been down the country route, so we're in talks to do some things together." I'm embracing my country side. They're helping us with some projects, so it's fun to have people you admire and want to work alongside.

Minj stated, "I wanted to do country music since that's what my family grew up on." Drag is not for you if you are a country music lover. Country music is not for you if drag is your favorite genre. So I had to find a way to balance both of these sides. I was also concerned about the difficulty of breaking into something new, especially if it isn't set up for success.

It's gaining a lot of traction in the country space. It's being shared all over the place, I've done interviews with CMT, and it's just getting a lot of attention," Ginger said. She even asked a country reporter why she thought she "did right", so she can continue doing it. They said that the message was universal. Everyone has felt this way at one time or another, especially about 'Walk Tall'. They're like, this song is a kind of an anthem to the everyday person. You can make yourself feel amazing and get as tall as possible no matter what the world throws at you. This was the easiest one to write.

Minj stated that Dolly Parton and Minj would make a great duet, but she acknowledged that it wouldn't be possible because of her busy schedule. Ginger pointed out that the pair have been in touch many times over the years. However, Dolly Parton not only knows her name but has also "screamed" for her across a room to take a photograph.

Ginger said, "It was one of those surreal moments when, yes, you have met her and you are familiar with her, but you wouldn't expect someone who is such an idol to A, remember your name and B, call me over by my name." It was surreal but she was wonderful and has been the most supportive person I have ever met.

Ginger plans to release an album and tour for Halloween, and she also has a book called "Southern Friend Sass," that she describes as a mix of memoir and cook book. Don't be surprised if she doesn't get a "Drag Race" title.

"Hey, listen, you can't talk me into it. She said that she would compete again if the timing was right, adding, "because every experience is unique to me."

You can keep up to date with all things Ginger Minj by visiting her website.

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Title: Ginger Minj Reflects on 'Drag Race: All Stars 6' and the One Thing She Wishes Made Air (Exclusive)
Sourced From: toofab.com/2021/10/14/ginger-minj-drag-race-all-stars/
Published Date: Thu, 14 Oct 2021 19:51:15 +0000

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