"In my opinion, open relationships are more lasting and better," says bisexual drag queen
Hello, Tigrida! Would you please introduce yourself briefly?
Hello! I'm Tígrida Revuelta, drag queen. I'd say I'm a bit of a chameleon, self-taught. I like to put a touch of androgyny* in everything, and I've also been lucky enough to share my art in Mexico, so I would say I'm also an international artist.
*Androgyny is the mixing of characteristics that are socially considered masculine or feminine.
It's a traditional question: How would you describe Seville in 3 words?
Fantasy, creativity and culture.
What was the beginning of your career, what inspired you?
I've been interested in travesti since I was a little girl, but I never wanted to fall into the "cliché", some kind of pretence of being a woman... I always wanted to put something of my own, something androgynous. Plus, my family has always been supportive, so I never felt the need to suppress being an artist, although times were different then, so I was running around in dresses on family vacations.
Later on I started to see all sorts of interesting things about drag in the library or in the gay magazines that came into the local youth home, I was absolutely fascinated by that and my first object of admiration was the stunning thirty centimetre heels that I'm now actually typified and known for.
My beginnings were very nice and I don't regret anything, it was an altruistic labour of love. First I performed for various organisations, charities and later I got into birthday parties and stag parties... And I was only 15 years old! But I was never allowed to reveal that. (laughs)
Was it harder or easier to break through when there were fewer drag queens on the scene?
The drag queens of the past were much different than the ones of today. Because nowadays you mix drag and travesti*. What used to differentiate the two groups was that drag queens were the ones who wore platforms to the sky, without that you couldn't make it as a drag queen, while travesti heels... And the ones who mixed it up were the so-called drag queens, the revolutionaries. (Laughs) Drag in general has shifted tremendously, considering the fact that RuPaul** himself was rather androgynous at the beginning of his career, nowadays it's blended and the boundaries are basically non-existent.
I have never seen any competition among drag queens, rather only at the best drag competitions that have been held since 1997 in the Canary Islands capital Las Palmas, for example, where drag is very much associated with carnivals. The phenomenon of carnivals hasn't spread so much to the mainland, but the competitions have. Nowadays, there is a lot of competition - since drag is a way to make a living. It used to be more about appreciating our art, some of us stuck with it for a few seasons and some, like me, were born to drag.
*Travesti is a rather outdated name for a type of performance in which a man dresses up as a woman, often a famous person, and parodies her, creating a kind of caricature. Drag, on the other hand, is more about artistic expression, where it's not about parodying or caricature, but expressing oneself, it's more connected to personality. Although the most well-known form of drag is female illusion, there are also many alternative and creative artists who try to push the boundaries of what is feminine and what is masculine.
**RuPaul is the host of America's most famous television competition featuring drag queens, RuPaul's Drag Race.
Considering that Seville is a city that has a lot of rooted tradition and is the birthplace of flamenco, how do you think this reality affects drag artists from Andalusia? Because it's no surprise when a drag queen performs flamenco songs, the local audience loves it.
There are a lot of very folkloric drag queens in Andalusia in general, if I had to single one out, Jota Carajota, who is only 18 years old and very inspired by the local culture and traditions, competed in the Spanish version of RuPaul's Drag Race this year - the audience here just loves it!
It can be read on your social media that you promote the visibility of bisexuality and identify yourself as such. Do you think the fact that someone is a drag queen and bisexual has any effect on finding a mate in general? And is it harder especially in Andalusia, which is a bit more conservative than other areas of Spain?
Bisexuality is something very important to me, but I don't think it necessarily affects anything when looking for a mate, as long as one has good and honest communication with one's partner. Moreover, nowadays more open couples last longer and live better, in my opinion and experience. And if I focus it only on Andalusia, I would say that the topic of diversity in relationships is a bit tricky here, there is a lot of discrimination because a lot of people don't understand the difference between doing drag and travesti because of what they are used to from the past. But if someone shows them pictures from today, the concept of it being completely different today can be clearly explained.
What places in Seville would you recommend to our readers? (note: the places mentioned can be found in the gallery)
In the morning, for example on my way to work, I would go to Farmacia Dulce (Czech for Sweet Pharmacy) for a good breakfast. I personally fell in love not only with the food, but also with the vintage décor, which is made up of decorations from old pharmacies of the last century. Nowadays they make good drinks there too, so you can actually grab it on your way home from work.
Then you can go for tapas* or just a bite to eat at La Casa Azul, which is located in the middle of a public park and nightlife hub called La Alameda de Hércules (which we mentioned in our interview with both Brayan and Tania).
If you stay at the Alameda until dinner, I'd recommend going to the tapas bar Las Columnas, where they have the best serranitos** and other delectable Andalusian delicacies.
As far as culture goes, I like to visit CAAC, the La Cartuja Center for Contemporary Art. As the name suggests, it's a museum of modern art, but it's located in an old convent and hosts stunning exhibitions as well as great parties.
And speaking of parties and nightlife, I'd like to invite you to the HOLIDAY by Obbio club, where you'll be welcomed with a big hug just as you are - no prejudices, that's not what we play at Holiday, no labels, no pigeonholing, just pure fun. As for the music, at Holiday you can hear everything from the 80s to the present day, both English and of course Spanish hits.
*Tapas is the name for a smaller dish that is used for tasting, for example a group of friends sharing multiple tapas, so one gets to taste multiple dishes.
**Serranito is a typical Andalusian sandwich with grilled meat, smoked ham, roasted green peppers and fresh tomato.
Thank you so much for your time and also for your contribution to the local community!
You can find Tígrida on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube under Tígrida Revuelta.
