Celebrating Denver’s Virtual Pride with Naysha Lopez

Due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak, Denver’s annual PrideFest scheduled for June 20-21 has been moved to a virtual format. However, don’t let that rain on your parade. It’s still going to be a fabulous time. Organizers are working around the clock to ensure that the show goes on. Virtual activities will include the annual parade, the 5K, a dance party, a Pride job fair, a Pride decorating contest, an exhibitor page, and entertainment.

Denver PrideFest always offers the best in LGBTQ entertainment, and this year, we can expect a sickening performance from RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Naysha Lopez streamed directly to your devices. Based in Chicago, Naysha is a former Miss Continental who competed on the eighth season of Drag Race. Although her time on the show was short, she became a fan favorite. Naysha is known for her beauty, eccentric costumes, and sexy performances. If you are ever in Chicago, make sure to catch her show “Beauties & Beaus,” at her resident bar, Hydrate Nightclub.

OUT FRONT caught up with Naysha to talk about performing for Denver’s virtual Pride, how she has been dealing with the current state of the world, and her time on Drag Race. Follow Naysha on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with her.

Hi, Naysha! Thank you for taking the time to chat with me. We are very excited that you will be a headliner for Denver’s Digital PrideFest!
Absolutely. I am super excited. This will be my third year with Denver Pride, so I am really excited about it.

What can audiences expect from this digital performance?
Well [laughs], it’s crazy because I have taken on a whole lot being that everyone is pretty much still quarantined. I’m in Chicago, and we’ve had it pretty bad. So, I have taken upon myself to do everything. In the video, and I’m backup dancing; I’m the headliner, I did all the editing, everything. I think I’m working much harder now than I would be if I was there at Denver Pride. So, a lot of hard work. It should be fun, and I hope everyone enjoys it.

I’m sure they will. Even though several Pride festivals have either been canceled or will be held virtually, how can we still make this year special and celebrate?
I think it’s just a matter of not forgetting why we get together for Pride. Like I said, I am in Chicago, and we are celebrating 50 years here of our Pride Parade and why we celebrate Pride. I think that being at home will prevent us from getting really distracted. Pride parades, Pride festivals and all that good stuff, of course you get to see all the cute boys, girls, and shows, but I think that this time, especially with the social climate, everything going on in the world right now, we can really focus a little bit on why it is that we do this and pay homage to those who came before us.

What does Pride personally mean to you?
For me, I’m a little bit more old-school, so I like to think about those that came before us. I think sometimes, like I was saying, those things kind of get forgotten, and we get distracted. So, for me, Pride is really paying attention to those that came before us and fought for the rights that we are able to exercise today.

Related article: Denver Pride Virtual Schedule Has Been Announced 

What is your fondest memory from your first Pride event?
Oh my God, I’m going to sound like a whore [laughs]. The first time I went, the reason I remember this is because when you go to, like, your first gay club or your first Pride parade, you are referred to as, like, fresh meat. Nobody knows you, and you are brand-new. I remember going to Pride my first time wearing these tiny, little shorts and a tank top and getting so many phone numbers. I have never gotten so many in my life. I was like, oh my God, is this what being gay is? How can I just choose one? That’s just one fun memory that I have of my first Pride. I don’t even remember how many phone numbers I got. It was hilarious.

And when did Naysha Lopez come into the picture? When did you discover your love for drag and performing?
The first time I was in drag was when I was, like, 15 or 17 years old. When it became something that I started to do a little bit more, where it became more routine, I was, like, 19 or 20. It was around that time, and I don’t remember the first time I took Naysha to a Pride parade. I can recall going and being on a float in the parade with the cast I was working with from the club I worked at. I don’t know if that was my first time; I really can’t recall. You know, once you’re past 30, it all kind of blends together.

You mentioned earlier about today’s social climate. When Stonewall happened in 1969, the LGBTQ community erupted in protests and riots, and we are seeing the same thing today with the Black Lives Matter movement. What are your thoughts on the current situation?
You know, right now, I think that our country really needs to take accountability and action toward all the racism and injustices people of color have been experiencing for just way too long. As an ally, I cannot tell a person of color which is the right or wrong way to react to such racism and injustice because I am not Black, so I don’t know what that feels like. I can only offer to stand with them, be an ally, be supportive, listen, learn, and protest in whatever way I can. I think we are slowly but surely making some kind of progress, and I think the Black Lives Matter movement is being heard. I am happy to be alive for it to be a part of it. We are moving in the right direction.

I would now like to ask you a couple questions in regards to RuPaul’s Drag Race. You are known for appearing on Season 8, and although your time on the show was short, you made a lasting impression. How has the show changed your life?
Oh my God, I have gotten to travel all over the world, meet some of the most beautiful people, and have some of the most beautiful standing relationships with individuals from all over the world. I will cherish that forever. I love that I can take away from this being able to meet new people and visit new places. That is probably my favorite thing about it all.

When you were cast, was that your first time auditioning?
No, no, no. I had auditioned for the very first season, and there’s actually a special that they did of some sort showing some of the people auditioning, and a piece of my tape is on there. I think they aired it during Season 3 or 4, but they did it when Ru did, like, a Ru-cap type of thing. Then I auditioned for, I think Season 6. I got approached when I was Miss Continental, but couldn’t audition because of that. Then, I decided to audition the next year, and that’s when I got on.

Why did you want to be on Drag Race?
Besides the obvious [laughs]. You know, it’s like, you want to get on TV, and there’s glitz and glamour, and I have always wanted to just witness something of that production value and see everything that goes behind the scenes and be a part of it. Then, you get to see these girls and how their platforms just catapulted. Traveling the world and reaching out to so many individuals, and I definitely wanted that.

Would you say your aesthetic has changed or evolved over the last few years?
I wouldn’t say that it has changed. I think I am one of those queens that when I got to Drag Race, I was very aware of my aesthetic and who I am. So, I would say that there have been improvements, and I’ve evolved a little bit. There are some things that I know I would do now that I wouldn’t have back then, but it hasn’t changed. I still like to serve that realness and be polished from head to toe.

What more would you like to do with your platform?
With what’s going on right now, I don’t like to say anything in particular, like this is what I want to do because I just don’t know what tomorrow holds. If you would have asked me a month ago what am I going to use my platform for, I had no idea that this is what I am going to be using it for right now, you know what I mean? So, with my platform, I just want to continue to be aware and constant of what’s going on around me and make sure that everybody else does, too.

If asked to come back for All Stars, would you?
Hell, no [laughs]. I’m kidding. Of course, I would, absolutely! Some people are like, I wouldn’t go back and blah, blah, blah, and some people think it’s such a bad experience. I’ve always said that it’s one of the best and the worst experiences ever. Worst because it’s insane. The fandom can be insane. They can love you; they can hate you, but there’s just so much that goes on. Overall, everything that I have been exposed to and the things that I have experienced have been absolutely beautiful. If I can do that again, and multiply that times 10, then Hell yeah. Of course I’ll do it. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t.

Related article: Queens of RuPaul’s All Stars Season 5 Are Here 

What are your thoughts on All Stars 5?
All right, so I’m going to give you a little dirt. I love everyone that is on All Stars 5. I love the cast; everyone is really good, but if there’s one critique, and I’m going to give this one little critique to World of Wonder [the production company], RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Ru herself, stop double casting. Like, some of these girls have already done this, and there are certain girls that deserve the opportunity. I just feel like at this point, some of these girls don’t need to be on All Stars again because they were already on it. So, that is just something that I personally don’t necessarily agree with. There’s too much talent to choose from.

What’s next for you? Any other, upcoming projects we should be on the lookout for?
I don’t have anything in particular right now; this whole pandemic has kind of put everything on hold, so right now, I am just excited for things to open up, and we can start moving toward getting back to normal. I want to be back on stage. I have my own show here in Chicago called “Beauties & Beaus” that comes with some beautiful drag entertainers and sexy boys. It’s a great show that I host here in Chicago at Hydrate Nightclub. I just really want to get back to that, see my cast and regularly do our show and get people in there. We can look further down the road later, but for right now, that’s really what I want.

For more information, follow her on socials @nayshalopez.

Photos by Guys and Queens