Nearly two years after being announced as a competitor on RuPaul's Drag Race season 16, Plasma continues to prove that she's the real deal by dropping a live album as her debut project as a recording artist.
The album, cheekily titled Is Miss Thing On? (Live from Joe's Pub), is perfect for Drag Race fans who loved Plasma's talent-show number mixing comedy and live vocals, felt endeared by her passion for Barbra Streisand, and were dazzled by her performance in "The Sound of Rusic" — season 16's Rusical challenge that paid tribute to Julie Andrews.
But even people who "understood virtually none of the words" they just read in the previous paragraph can listen to Plasma's live album to laugh at her jokes (which are actually funny), enjoy her voice (which actually sounds great), and listen to her stories (which are actually relatable). These days, it feels unironically groundbreaking to tell your truth and share your talent with a world too concerned with the "cringe" filtering systems.
In an interview that includes stunning photos by Joseph Adivari picked exclusively for Out, Plasma details her process behind making Is Miss Thing On? (Live from Joe's Pub), gives us a vibe check on dating and drinking, and reiterates her commitment to originality… thank gawd!
PlasmaJoseph Adivari (@josephadivari)
Out: We all know how much, and how deeply, you love music, comedy, and live performance. You're also so damn talented. I think any artist releasing their debut album would be excited... But how excited are you, specifically, Plasma, in this moment?
Plasma: Oh, say it again for the people in the back! Thank you, firstly, for the ego boost. Truthfully, I'm a mixed bag of emotions and feelings. I'm exhausted. I'm anxious. I'm thrilled beyond belief. I'm satisfied. I'm nit-picky. I keep finding myself repeatedly listening back to this thing in an effort to humble myself with the teeniest details that probably only I can hear, and yet I'm consistently met with a lovely little dose of pride when I reach the final seconds. So "excitement" is probably jumbled in there somewhere.
I often think that the "drag music" discourse shouldn't die because that perception still exists. An album released by a drag queen — particularly an album like Is Miss Thing On? — should stand on its own, no matter who's singing it. How do you feel about those terms being used (pejoratively) and the work of so many queens, Drag Race or otherwise, being dismissed just because it's from people who do drag?
I think the culture around drag artists releasing music is plagued by people who only know one genre of drag music, or queer music in general, for that matter. So many people want to regurgitate the effects of RuPaul's "Supermodel (You Better Work)" from 1992 — a song that is typically older than the people trying to top it — that anything that sounds outside the frame of Ru's reference feels foreign or inaccessible.
And while I adore Ru and the legacy she's left, part of the sustenance of that legacy is broadening its reach to audiences outside of the EDM echo chamber of drag-queen-diss-track-dance-pop hell. I promise you, we're not all following that same path.
I'm spoiled, of course, being immersed in queer artistry living in New York, and constantly being impressed by my peers is one of the many perks. But queer excellence is everywhere, and it constantly evolves. It's foolish to assume that music by every drag queen will forever be lifelessly written and auto-tuned into oblivion… assuming, of course, that their real voice is even the one on the track. [Laughs.]
Plasma Joseph Adivari (@josephadivari)
Your current audience is, in large part, fans of Drag Race. What was your thought-process when deciding to release a live album? It's pretty unheard-of within the context of the show, but even if we got beyond the queendom, it's not something that lots of artists are doing right now, anyway. Were there moments where you felt encouraged, or discouraged, to do this project in such a vintage format?
A recurring theme in my career is the element of surprise. I'm constantly being told that my approach to performing isn't what people expect, especially after a short-lived run on TV. Candidly, the minute I become something expectable is the minute I should quit. If I die, it won't be from sitting, etc.
That said, a live album is unheard of from a Drag Race queen because it's fucking hard — not to mention terrifying. There's no Auto-Tune to fix a flat note when 150 people are there to hold you accountable in real time. My dad, Thomas, called me one day while I was making preparations for a studio album, which is a much safer bet, and essentially said, "You know, you're a better performer when you're in the room with people; that's when you have nowhere to hide."
And you know what? The man had a point. I'm trying to take every opportunity to leverage my ambitions against my fears. This project, and my dad's wisdom, were the start of that practice.
You sound absolutely incredible on the album. And it's a live album, so it's pretty remarkable. What was it like to prepare for this live recording, and actually do the damn thing the night of, and then go through the producing/editing process? Did you learn anything new during this process?
Why, thank you! I had to employ a lot of discipline to prepare for this thing. This project has been my top priority for the last six-plus months. We had one night over the course of two shows to record, so the margin for error was less than slim. Every critique on every sound felt personal — whether it was a breath, or a crack, or a sigh, everything was open to scrutiny.
PlasmaJoseph Adivari (@josephadivari)
Still, there are moments in the final cut that I wish I could smooth over or tweak, but that's the whole point of doing it live. Making a mistake is part of the magic. Not everything needs the gloss of perfection from the editing bay. Oftentimes, the need to be "perfect" only gets in the way of being "wonderful," or even just plain "good." I've had to release a lot of that insecurity in the last three months since we started the post-recording work.
I really love "80 or Above," your original song on Is Miss Thing On?, which sounds very personal but also carries your signature sense of humor. Was the song inspired by anything in particular? And, if you're comfortable talking about it, how's your love life going at the moment?
[Laughs.] Yes, I'm still single. And yes, I still probably drink too much. Does that count as appropriate inspiration? I have, however, had some time to paint my nails and pick up a book this year, so I'm grateful for that. (If none of this makes sense to you, dear reader, go listen to the song.) In the meantime, I'm still waiting to be swept off my feet.
I'm so glad you enjoy the song. My writing partner, Ryan Jacobs — who deserves far more credit than I've forked over — is the genius behind that 1950s Berlin nightclub sound. I probably owe him a kidney for making my first attempt at an original song into a real thing.
Joe Lynch at Billboard magazine told me recently that they were impressed by the song to the point of "being able to hear other people covering it." That meant a great deal, considering the rest of my set is comprised of covers that shaped my tastes. What an honor it would be to know that someone else is moved by my work enough to give it their own spin.
Plasma Joseph Adivari (@josephadivari)
How would you invite potential listeners — who aren't sure they'll enjoy a live album — to give this a try?
Lately, it feels like I've been expected to perform the role of someone you saw on a screen last year. As it happens, reality TV doesn't exactly offer an authentic depiction of who we are as thinkers, and creatives, and artists. So, for right now, this is what I'm choosing to share. It's not perfect, but I'll be damned if it isn't the unabridged truth. In times like these, I'll take a raw, unvarnished truth over just about anything else.
If you can, go see someone live in person and leave the muck of the world outside for a night. And if you can't, come sit with me for an hour or so while I sing you a song you might have forgotten about. Hopefully you'll find something you like.
Plasma's debut album, Is Miss Thing On? (Live from Joe's Pub), is now available on all music streaming platforms.
