GNIMAG

Blu Hydrangea

From Hillsborough to Hollywood and all that’s in-between

ADAM GARCiA

Movies, TV, and Stage; he’s done it all

Solo Kitten

Natasha Hamilton’s much awaited solo venture from Atomic Kitten

Calum Scott

He’s not dancing on his own anymore, find out more inside

Mayor Micky

Belfast’s first openly gay mayor

A Luxury Shopping Experience In The Heart Of Belfast

Credits

Daniel May Editor & Director daniel@gnimag.com

Pauline Fitzpartick Commercial Executive

Joanne McKeever Commercial Assistant

Tony Day Design

Columnists

Connor Mills / Xand / Gavyn Andrews / Danny Malone / Gary Campion / Martin Kearney / The Gourmet Boys / Martin Murray / Paul Mc Allistar / Scott Aldred / Ellise Richards / Tailor Maid / Martin Murray / Megane Herrick

Thanks to:

Blu Hydrangea / Natasha Hamiliton / Adam Garcia / Garry Duffy / Calum Scott / Jason Cancino / Delicious O’Tool / Jason Cancino / Jessica Hammond / Jeff Dorta / Larraa White / Micky Murray / Matt Cullen / Leanne K & Leanne M / Mighty Hoopla / Maritime Mile / Primark / The Four Seasons / The Rainbow Project / Stonewall / London Pride /JIN / Positive Life / Pillo Hotel / Lunns / Tudor / Clean Co / COC Oil / Host Talent Group / Of A Vision Management / Weller Media Agency / Project Publicity / GOH / Chuff Media / Halestorm PR / 1 Vision PR / LK Communication and those who submitted content.

An intro

I have been vocal about my parenting journey, the road has not been easy in fact it has been more challenging than I imagined though also more fulfilling and rewarding.

cover and just perfect for Pride. We chatted about Drag Race, Dancing with the Stars, Brand Deals and so much more, it is truly great to see this local queen turn global. We love you Blu.

IT IS SUCH A PLEASURE TO GET CHATTING TO THIS QUEEN! I CAN’T THINK OF ANOTHER WHO CAN BOAST BEING ON UK DRAG RACE, WINNING U.K V THE WORLD, AND BEING A RUNNER UP ON DANCING WITH THE STARS, WE ARE REFERRING OF COURSE TO THE ONE AND ONLY BLU HYDRANGEA.

For any readers unfamiliar, let’s go right back, where did you grow up and would you say you had a typical childhood?

I was born in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast and lived in Hillsborough all of my life. I didn’t like it whenever I was younger because I thought it was full of old people, but now I love it because it is nice and quiet and I am the ‘Queen of Hillsborough’. Lol. I was pretty much a good two shoes in school and at around the age of 11 I discovered Drag Race. I would watch it at 1% volume at night and would be obsessed with this thing. I remember running into my mum and saying “Mum, what is this?” And she would say “It’s a school night, go to bed” but I just fell into this world.

However, I still kept up with my studies, I was Head Boy at school but I just had this notion for drag. My family are a pretty average Northern Irish family, they were a bit funny about certain religions, sexuality and gender so I still felt like I had to be in the closet. However, I went to university, found my partner, and he helped me come out and my family have been perfect about everything. I couldn’t have asked for better parents in terms of acceptance.

Have you any other siblings? Yes, I have a sister.

Did you ever dress up in mum, siblings clothes and makeup?

My sister would always play the male characters in things and I would always play the female characters. I remember we used to do ‘Hairspray’ and I would be Edna and she would be Tracy. We used to do ‘High School Musical’, she would be Ryan and I would be Sharpay. It was very cute! Then, when I came out to my mum she said “I really did not expect that”. I have always been flamboyant but it just took her by surprise, but she is my biggest supporter now. When she is having a few Bacardi’s in the living room I can hear her watching Drag Race!

At what age did you start getting properly into Drag and was there anyone specific who inspired you? I never thought that I would actually do it, but I did love it because I watched it and was obsessed with it. I used to draw all of the Queens and was just so intrigued by these people who were able to live their best lives whereas I unfortunately didn’t feel like I could be in that situation. But as I said I found my partner and I knew Uni wasn’t for me but I was so good in school that everyone just expected it of me. I tried to push through the first year and it just didn’t work out so I dropped out and my partner signed me up for a make-up course without me even knowing. I went to a trial and they took me on and I started make-up and then make-up led to hair and I started to want to be on stage and that’s pretty much where it all started.

No regrets?

No. My first ever performance was in the Maverick on a Sunday night. Rusty and Roxy used to do a competition and that was my first ever time on stage and I never looked back after that. I loved it.

Blu then to Blu now, what would you say has changed the most for you?

I am way less naive and far more confident. Back then, I do remember loving being on the stage and I was doing it two or three nights per week in the Maverick. However, I had never spoke on a microphone, never told jokes, I would meet and greet customers and do my little numbers and that was it. But Drag is so much more than that, especially on the scale of Ru Paul’s Drag Race. Even on Season 1 which I watched back last night - because it is just lovely memories - I am so shy, like a little mouse in the corner. When I do come off with something it’s wild, I don’t know what I was doing on that show half of the time… but now I feel like I am definitely a well rounded character and that is thanks to the people and opportunities that I have had to work with since the show including Davina, Baga and Vivienne - they are like powerhouses and know how to have the audience at the palm of their hand, it has definitely made me want to step up and try to be like that.

Do you see your drag persona as an extension of yourself or a different person entirely?

That’s a tough question because there definitely is that red light moment where you see the cameras on and you turn into your character. But I do like to think that it is just an extension of me, it’s not someone I put on. It is all my own genuine thoughts and feelings, I just have a bit more confidence to say it. I always feel it’s like Halloween when you put on your mask and you walk up to someones house asking for sweets… you wouldn’t do that without the mask on, if you know what I mean. That’s a bit like how it feels, it just makes you feel more confident like I am wearing my Superhero cape.

You mentioned you were in Ru Paul’s Drag Race however you won U.K v The World - how did that come about, are you invited to take part have you to apply?

No, you are invited. It was like mid-lockdown I think, and we finished airing Season 1 in 2019, then lockdown came about in 2020 and then in January 2021 I got the call for UK v The World. I wouldn’t have really taken it, only I felt like when I was on the show I was probably a bit of a forgettable character I guess. People watching from Northern Ireland would probably be like “What, we loved you”, but in the grand scheme of Drag Race I was probably not one of the most memorable people and I thought I have to be able to do shows that I have not tried before - I have got the means to make my outfits better and I am in lockdown so I pretty much had nothing better to do with my time.

It was great, I had the best time and I felt like I really fitted in and I had so much more fun than the first time and I think that is why I maybe did better because I wasn’t feeling so scared of everything and was able to just take things on head first. When you are on Drag Race you have to be ready, I always tell the girls around Belfast that you just need to be ready for whatever they throw at you.

Congratulations again on winning. You had the crown and now it has been passed on. But of course it is always something that you can look back on positively?

Oh yes. They do accept separate crowns so I have still got mine and whenever we get our house I am ready to put it on a shelf somewhere or on the mantlepiece so everyone can see it.

ever since then I have always thought that was kind of my strong suit. I do love the performance and I do love slagging people off on a microphone and all that but I definitely feel that putting a look together is where I feel most comfortable. Even it it wasn’t the most expensive thing, I feel fierce and thats all that matters.

It is very time consuming and it is a talent in itself to be able to do hair and makeup and also the money. To look that good is not cheap? I know, it is expensive. There was a lot of talk, especially with the most recent season of Drag Race All Stars because they were given money for their packages, the runway packages, but when we were on the UK v The World we didn’t really get that. People are always talking about how much it costs. On UK V The World I spent around £25,000 which is more than a deposit for a house. Luckily, it was when Drag Race was hot so I could make my money back, whereas now I feel like we are getting to a point where there are so many drag queens that you really have to fight to make your place in the world.

So you spent £25,000, but there was no prize money for winning UK v The World?

No, but it has now become quite a decent thing for me because any time I put up a Tik Tok about it, it goes viral and I get work from that which is fine and works for me.

wondering if Covid didn’t happen would I have been stranded on a desert island somewhere!

We need to talk about Dancing with the Stars, what an amazing show to be apart of, was it all you expected and what was the most challenging part of the experience?

It was very hard work - I think I had around 90 days without a break. Whenever you are doing your number on a Sunday you are straight back in the next day to learn the next dance because you only have four to five days to learn a new dance, so it was very intense with lots of meltdowns. Whenever I came home I thought that I was genuinely ill because I had such a come down from it… but it was probably one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I can’t look back on Drag Race the same way that I can look back on Dancing with the Stars because I am just so proud of every dance and I could never believe that that was something that I would be able to do. What is such a shame is that people weren’t aware that was the journey I was going through because as a drag queen they expected me to be able to dance initially but it was such a struggle for me to learn to dance. I am so uncoordinated but my dance partner Simone was incredible. We are still genuine friends and have stayed in contact with each other. That is probably the most rewarding thing, that I can look back on it with so much love and I have made a friend as well.