‘Call me Angie’: Talking to Drag Race star and Atlanta Native Angeria Paris VanMicheals
The Connector recently had the opportunity to talk to Atlanta’s own Angeria Paris VanMicheal’s, learning all about her life, talent, and the long road to drag race.
Rupaul’s Drag Race has become a true television zeitgeist over the past few years. Between Emmys and its cultural impact, drag is a bigger deal than ever, with millions tuning in every week to see America’s favorite queens. Season 14 of the VH1 reality season premiered earlier this month, with the introduction of Atlanta native Angeria Paris VanMicheals last week in the second part of the “split-premiere.” According to most fans, VanMicheals was the stand-out of the episode, dominating and winning the talent show with her original song “Call Me Angie.”
VanMicheals was born an hour outside of Atlanta in the small town of Sparta, Georgia, known for its dirt roads, population of 1,400 people and almost complete lack of fellow gay people. As much as she loved her hometown, she knew that she wanted something more. “I always knew that my mind was bigger than my surroundings,” she said.
After high school, she moved to Valdosta for college. It was there she fell in love with drag performance, culminating when a fellow queen did her makeup. “My friend Akasha Vidalle painted my face for the first time,” said VanMicheals. “After seeing her perform and seeing how beautiful I could be, I knew then that I wanted to be a drag queen.”
Around a year later, VanMicheals moved to Atlanta to pursue a drag career. With more clubs, resources and more fellow queens, it’s a perfect place to elevate your career. In VanMicheals’s words: “Atlanta is the reason for the season.” It wasn’t long after that she started competing in drag beauty pageants.
Modeled after traditional beauty pageants, drag pageantry is a tradition stretching back to the 1960s, celebrating the beauty of drag queens and transgender women. It’s deeply enmeshed into queer culture across the world, but especially in the South, specifically Atlanta, where pageants are a big source of pride for drag performers. VanMicheals started doing pageants in 2015, placing in runner-up positions, then elevating to winning entire competitions. In 2019, VanMicheals was crowned as Black America Jr. Miss, which she credits to escalating her skills to a Drag Race level. “Doing pageants has really taught me how to prepare for any competition,” she said. “I am a ‘Pageant Girl’ to my core, but I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve. I love wearing evening gowns, big jewelry and big hair.”
Although she had been a fan of Rupaul’s Drag Race since its inception, it wasn’t until this year that VanMicheals sent in a tape. “I didn’t feel fully grown and ready for the competition yet,” said VanMicheals. “Auditioning for season 14 was my first time auditioning and finally felt ripe enough to throw my hat in the ring.” She was cast after her first audition, an uncommon occurrence, and given a couple of weeks to prepare for the show.
With her time on the show, VanMicheals wants to have a good time while bringing her authentic self to the show. “I hope to bring a lot of fun, country, positive, polished pageant energy to Drag Race,” she said. “The world needs a heavy dose of ANGERIA and they are going to get it!”
To keep up with VanMicheals, follow her Instagram and make sure to tune into Rupaul’s Drag Race season 14 every Friday night at 8/7 central, only VH1.
