From busking in Stafford St to the global stage of RuPaul, Bailey Dunnage’s journey is seeing him take his drag queen persona Aubrey Haive on to season two of RuPaul’s Drag Race: Down Under.
Locals may remember Mr Dunnage fundraising and busking in Timaru to be able to attend Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in Perth.
He has since completed his degree and now resides in Melbourne. He works as adrag queen full›time as his drag persona Aubrey Haive.
‘‘It’s a dream come true to be able to do drag full time. It is pretty cool. The drag scene is awesome and cool.
‘‘It’s such a lovely little community and I feel very welcomed there.’’
This was his first time auditioning for the show and he had only been doing drag for not quite two years.
‘‘Crazy to believe it is time. It took a while to set in and I still don’t believe it. Felt like a fever dream. I did not think I would get on. I worked really hard on my audition tape.
He said that being a part of the drama league and what he was taught from it also helped Aubrey during her competition.
‘‘I was lucky to have that opportunity and if you had told me back then that I was going to be on RuPaul’s Drag Race I wouldn’t have believed you.’’
Mr Dunnage started perfecting the craft and character of Aubrey Haive during the Melbourne lockdown.
‘‘A lot was done online due to the lockdown, lots of tutorials, and makeup is a good place to start to figure out what techniques to use for your face shape. It takes time but you will get there.’’ Before becoming Aubrey Haive, the actor used another drag name but found that Aubrey Haive was better suited for the character.
Mr Dunnage and his partner had been talking about how many drag names they could come up with when the name Aubrey was mentioned.
Figuring out her makeup and exactly who Aubrey Haive is was really important and the rest is now history.
‘‘I always enjoyed the campy opening sequences of the Austin Powers films. I was always in awe of the music and the stupid dance moves.
‘‘That is what is always in Aubrey’s head. I walk around like I have a band following me.’’
Mr Dunnage said he remembered how hard it was and what it was like in Timaru to have little to no representation.
‘‘You have to believe in yourself and hang in there, find other people and friends who accept you for who you are. They are there, they may just be hard to find.
‘‘If there is anyone who is feeling lost, I am always here to talk, just flick me a DM [direct message], I try to read everything.’’
This had particularly hit home during the filming of the show.
‘‘That there may be some young person like me watching the show in Timaru and may have the representation that they need which isso cool.’’
Many would remember him as a short›haired, skinny, white kid and not the diva that he transitions into.
‘‘That is my favourite part. You shouldn’t be able torecognise Bailey in drag, I would say my transition into a diva is shocking.’’
Mr Dunnage says he was always a crafty little kid and continued to make weird things for drag which was fulfilling.
Although he mentions he did make some ‘‘stupid’’ op shop purchases that he thought he could turn into something and instead have stayed in his closet.
‘‘Drag is a heightened form of self. Drag is a way to express yourself and be free, show the parts of you that you might hide away. Drag is whatever you want it to be, so long as you feel empowered and feel good in drag.’’
Mr Dunnage hopes to take over the rest of the world as Aubrey Haive and work on blending drag and singing talent.
He said he was still figuring it out with his family as most of them had been supportive and he had received messages of encouragement from them.
‘‘It wasn’t really until I got on the show that they saw this was working for me. I can’t complain; it’s nice and most of them have been supportive.’’
Even though Mr Dunnage was a part of the drama league he said that as Aubrey Haive, she had to practise her performance as it was different from anything she had done before.
‘‘I had to get in touch with my feminine side and watching some of my earlier performances I could still see myself being reserved but now I have broken down those walls and become more comfortable.’’
Mr Dunnage said that the hardest part of drag was seeing his bank account after making one outfit as drag was expensive but also good fun.
‘‘It may be odd to some but if you give it a chance and go to a drag show.
‘‘I guarantee you will be entertained and inspired by the fearlessness that drag queens possess and you may become more free than what you are now.’’
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under airs on Saturday, July 30 on TVNZ.
