"People were so dead-seat on humbling me, but they don't realize that life has always humbled me" That quote really hits for me, a lot of times fans just like to dogpile on a queen out of the fun of being a bully.
This is why I like aja I can relate to that deep fr . Especially as a woman who isn’t “beautiful”. People stay trying to humble us when we are just trying to get by :)
What gets me is the fans only turn nice on the queen when they do good on All Stars. Like it takes the queen showing her skills to make the fandom go "She didn't deserve the hate on her season!" and they swear up and down that they can't bully the queens, then they do it all over again. It's like Yvie said "Girl you keep saying you'll be better next time, what happened to THIS time?"
Aja’s story is a reminder of how fickle and overbearing the drag race fandom can be:/ She is dripping with talent yet can never catch a break from fans that don’t understand the communities she’s apart of. Season 9 was my introduction to the art of drag and Rupaul’s show, so I will always have respect for her time in and off the show.
Exactly, I started with S9 because of Lady Gaga ... and never went through my mind critizicing any of the queens because if they got on the show they must have something really special
what aja said about not voting for shangela in the finale makes so much sense. There seemed to be a lot of favoritism towards shangela when it came to the challenges, the queens continuously saw differently than what the judges saw
@@rutgernewman828 I wanted more Aja and Thorgy, and I feel like they got handed a BS hand. Thorgy is rightfully still bitter about getting sent home because she was a better Stevie Nicks than what the judges gave her credit for?
I also wouldn’t be surprised that everyone would be TERRIFIED to vote for her if she ended up in the bottom 2 because of the following that Shangela has. The person who would vote her off would still be receiving hate to this day. So just not voting for her in the finale just seemed like the most opportune moment where they could get out relatively unscathed
I think about this all the time Rupaul is so crazy to favor a contestant the entire season then throw the choice to their competitors and be disappointed when they don’t choose your favorite like you did that
It also makes sense why none of the eliminated queens won the girl group challenge, despite them being waaaaay better than the remaining queens. Aja’s verse was the best part of that episode, and even milk verse was better than “rakatatititata”.
Well Keiona did, but Keiona is literally legendary in the vogue category and the mother of the strongest house in France so that’s hardly a good comparison. Aja knows what she’s doing 10/10.
@@ajathekween320 I saw her at a ball once, about a year ago back when I was still in the scene. Nobody has her stage presence. Not even other legends on the scene that wouldn’t wanna hear that…
at Austin Pride 2019 I was at the barricade watching Aja perform and I had a heat stroke and the very last thing I remember before going to the hospital was hearing her say "oop she's down" as I fainted and that's one of my most cherished memories
between this and Maddy’s recent interview with Farrah Moan, it’s been wild to hear that both queens were struggling so much surrounding the filming of Season 9. i think we need more interviews like these, because i’ll bet you they aren’t the only ones with untold stories who production painted in an unflattering light. you’re always an icon, Aja!!
I was at the very first gig Aja did out of drag. Ofcourse people were confused at first, but Aja told the crowd what was up and about her feelings - and got full support. The gig and the music were great. Aja was SO HAPPY and relaxed and came to dance and chat with everyone after the gig. It's nice she got such a nice reception at that first "boy gig". Sucks how she was treated after that 😕
Thank you for this! Because I feel like the common misconception was that everyone was very upset about that night, but in reality everybody was in a great mood and we had fun!
I saw her in a club here in Calgary Canada. It was very brief, but she was super approachable, humble, beautiful, and so nice. She thanked me and was so poised. I always loved Aja! ❤ I loved her new styles after that with the middle part hair! I always had my hair like that too! ❤
My mum and I quote the Linda Evangelista speech multiple times a week to this day. She is a legend. Idk much about her out of drag race but I hope she’s doing good now.
shes beyond iconic. her lip sync with nina is my fav from the show, the songs that came from her valentina speech, her run on all stars was perfection and her elimination was iconically terrible. and thats just drag race, shes done so much since her time on the show. shes grown so much and shes still so young. literal icon.
I really like Aja. I just get the impression that she’s been through a lot of shit in her life, and she’s just trying to figure out how to navigate it all. I can only imagine going through the struggles she’s met in her life, and the fact that she’s still inspired to be creative is great to see. I honestly wish her the best, no matter what she ends up doing with herself. Great video ❤️
You should try interviewing Joe Black, his drag race journey is really funny but I think his career after and before the show is really interesting. also a good video as per usual lol
i remember when Aja’s first album dropped after AS3, that’s literally like the first and only drag artist’s album i listened to start to finish and had on repeat. It sounded like a fully professionally produced album with amazing lyrics and beats so i totally get her frustration with it being labeled as something smaller than it actually was. Aja made good music, period.
Aja needs to use RUclips to monetize her fame ask world if wonder to give you a show. Aja I would watch her read the queens she is so real she does not hold back Aja speaks truth
Aja I don't know if you'll read this but you remain one of my favourite queens. You are unapologetically yourself, arohanui from New Zealand wahine xxx
Always loved Aja, the Linda Evangelista speech is part of my friend circles lingo and I was so happy seeing her so Crystal for snatch game. Aja is an icon. Thanks for this epic deepdive of an interview/documentary.
I hope Aja gets a chance to see this video and read these comments so she can see how much love for her is out there. For me, I was truly impressed by her music post-drag race, and it DID change my perception of drag music and what drag music could be. It felt like she had found her voice, and I am so sorry to hear how much she struggled through finding her identity, both as a performer, and just as her own person. I think the real Aja has always been there, though, she has always been fierce, channeling that Crystal energy! She is beautiful and she KNOWS she is beautiful!
I met aja in 21 during the summer premiering their album at a basement bar in manhattan. helped her bring her suitcase down. It was such a good show. I really love her and hope she continues to do great things
aja is still and will always be one of my favorite queens, i've always felt so connected to her and found her to be so real and so funny. i really hope she can find success like she did during drag race again in the future.
Uhm. Aja was PERFECT on snatch game. I’m going to have to correct you on that. She wasn’t just OK. She wasn’t just average. She wasn’t just good. That was a PERFECT Crystal performance.
I love Aja. I think her story is great example of the stank flip flop-pity attitude of this fandom. She's a beautiful and talented artist. Her music kept me motivated to not succumb to the heartbreak of living through 2020. Fucking love you Aja. I'mma send a tip when I get paid girl!
I met Aja on the L train in Brooklyn, the sweetest person ever !! IThank you so much for making this video !! 🙏🏽 currently still watching the video and omggggg this is such a deep dive !!
So glad that we got to hear Aja's story from her mouth. Aja is an underrated performer and artist. The very ballroom scene that she was a part of is exactly what Drag Race wants to brand to the mainstream. Thank you for lending your platform. This video singularly made me follow your page. Mad love to Aja!!
Aja was actually the first drag queen I’ve ever heard of. I was in middle school and just got into fka twigs and her performance of Glass and Patron was in my recommended, watching the way she moved was nothing short of jaw dropping and I’ve been a huge fan of her ever since
Thank you GreenGay for making this, I watch all her music videos every couple months cause they all are so good! Thank you Aja for doing this interview 🥳
In season 9, Aja gave me Crystal LaBeija vibes, particularly when she told Valentina off. When Aja played her in Snatch Game, she embodied her and I loved it! I thought she was in the top 2 that episode if not the winner. I was neutral on Aja in season 9, but so impressed with her appearance on All Stars. That last Studio 54 outfit was perfect for the era and just beautiful. Wishing you all the best, Aja!
Aja’s Studio 54 look was beautiful. And decades often have crossover with hairdos, plus, isn’t dragging things up including exaggerating a look or taking creative license? Also, I was amazed at how eloquent and sharp Aja was with expressing herself at such a young age. Her Linda Evangelista commentary and coining “fan favorite” in the RPDR realm were iconic.
She should be celebrated a lot more. From her both runs on drag race i can pretty much deduce that she isnt liked that much by the production while she has been one of the best when it comes to the performance, one of the best dancers the show ever offered. The responsibility falls on us now, and we should be rallying behind her. We love you, girl ❤❤
i just wanna say this was very educational. The edit on RDR dont always let us know who people really are. Great insight. I completely agree that she is positively glowing and seems happier. Will be watching her as she gets back up!
Lemme tell you clearly what is the "something" with Aja : She is educated. Knows what she is talking about, and is way TOO REAL. That woman knows how to stay grounded no matter what. In a world were everything is all fake and all for the damn sake of entertaining. The way she speaks about Vogue & the Ballroom scene and how much it is hurtfull when people who aren't on the scene do monetize it, when others who do are on the scene do not have this opportunity.. Clearly show how much she cares. And not only for the culture she fights for, but also for her family (friends included that can be seen as family). All they want, is people who aren't going to be vocal and clearly tell "Hey, this is no ok". And that is probably why, along with many others queens, Aja will be the one I will always support and look for no matter what. And that lypsinc in all-stars? Legendary.
I'm so glad you were able to get to interview her! Very fascinating, I've always loved her and I love her even more now. The raw talent, both in performing and pretty much single handedly giving us the most iconic reunion of all time... Honestly, she's a drag race Legend.
i love how protective she is over the ballroom scene. i think what she said about drag performers trying to monetize voguing / ballroom culture was spot on; it's great that drag performers can get more exposure nowadays, but it can also lead to people from more privileged backgrounds taking something that wasn't fully theirs to start with and using it as a brand identity. it's super important to remember where this amazing art form came from, so i'm really happy she's so outspoken about that. lots of love !!
Just here to say that Aja is truly a gem and one of the most genuine people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with. Hope everyone gets to see more of her in the future and hope to work with her again soon ❤
Since the beginning I always saw something special in Aja and to this day I’ve always been interested on what she’s doing!! I think what has gone wrong in the beginning was that people wanted to see something Aja wasn’t and then unfortunately lost interest in her. I hope we can see Aja on a big stage again like she’s done for drag race and legendary, she works so good with TV it’s crazy!! PS. Listen to Femme Queen Rage that album is good good!!
I rewatched S9 a couple weeks ago and it's amazing how the big standouts are Aja, Valentina and Nina. Yes, Shea dominated and Sasha killed the finale, but I barely remember anything they did whereas Nina/Aja/Valentina always had my full attention.
I love that Aja has always been herself, regardless of the bullshit that ensues. It's very Willam in a way that she embraces her mess and her talents, and honestly if we can embrace and celebrate Willam, we should be able to embrace and celebrate Aja too. ❤️
as someone that only started watching (and binging) rpdr earlier this year AND watched all seasons of legendary (rip) beforehand, i was ECSTATIC to see aja when i landed on her season. saying that i felt whiplash to see how the fandom treated her in the following years is an understatement. that forced “she doesn’t know anything about queer culture” storyline and bebe’s betrayal had me liiiiviiiiiiiiid thank you SO much for sharing her story here. i can’t get enough of her. we love you aja!! 🥰🥰🥰
i got to see aja perform brujeria and judge a drag competition in my city, amazing. then I got the chance to go to OTA in NYC where she hosts and I went up when she called up audience members for a little mock-pageant, and I won!! it was incredible to have her stand next to me and engage with me in person after looking up to her for so long, and now myself entering the ballroom scene locally. she was kind (complimented my top!), funny, personable, and so much love goes out to her and for her happiness now living her truth. you rock gurl. performance inspiration, music inspiration, ballroom inspiration, you have offered us so much
I've always loved aja! Amazing video 💛💛 i met her once at drag con when she was walking around with her friends- she was so sweet & cool. Love to see that shes feeling inspired again
this is such a good video omg. i remember always being team aja when s9 was airing, she was so interactive with the twitter fanbase and i remember seeing her meeting up with some of my mutuals that lived near her for drinks. always a ki, always been beautiful and talented, need to see her back so she can finally be given her flowers
There is truly something about Aja though... I watch drag race in a really weird and scattered order but let me tell you when I watched her scooter into that werkroom for the first time on AS3 I knew she was going to be one of my all time favorites and I wasn't wrong, she still is, and probably always will be, one of my favorite queens.
I consider myself an amateur queer music scholar so I've found the discussion of "drag queen music" stigmata to be very fascinating. There is a level of degree that the stigma is somewhat justified. Ru Paul is unfortunately both the most famous and most egregious example. Her music-as well produced and enjoyable as it can be-is ultimately still the hobby horse of the most famous living drag queen in the world that she uses as a marketing tool. And many DR alumni emulate her in this. Much of their music is framed around their drag character with the expectation you will know who they are already going in and will understand the references they make. It is meant to be an extension of their run on DR to ride the wave the fame the show gave them. Now, this isn't to say that there aren't examples of correctly labeled "Drag Queen Music" that are absolutely fantastic or art in and of themselves. I find the recorded version of "Same Parts" by Tatiana to be an amazing track and Trixie Mattel has done an excellent job of threading the needle of being "Drag Queen Music" by making the style and genres she performs the thing that calls to and represents her drag character instead of purely the lyrical content. There are absolutely queens that escape the "Drag queen music" stigma entirely, Shea Coulee is probably my personal favorite example. She sounds like a professional R&B singer, her music sounds like something completely divorced from her drag character even though it's still by her. The best way I've been able to frame this for people is that Shea makes music for her drag character to perform to and not music that's made by or about her drag character. I know these distinctions seem kind of pointless or stupid or not really a reason to attach a stigma to someone. To most normal people good music is just good music and that's a healthy way to look at things and I encourage you to continue doing so. These kinds of minutae only matter to nerds like me and, most unfortunately, record executives and many other famous musicians (because they are also a bunch of nerds). Getting to Aja specifically, I would absolutely describe her early-early music as "Drag Queen music" because much of it is referential to her time on Drag Race, even if it's coming from a real and honest place. But the more you go through her discography, there's a real separation that happens and it's incredible. Her most recent album "Femme Queen Rage" is an absolutely excellent rap record and I recommend everyone listen to it.
omg, i love how Aja stay now this days as one of the most talented performers thats ever been on the show, and she's so relatable, real mostly, because she's not only the "good time", she show up the real shit that queer people going through in life, ❤
So hyped about that video! Haven't watched yet but I already wanna say that I find Aja very captivating and fascinating! Excited what you have to share :)
I never got the vibe that she was flaunting her wealth or resources tbh she was relatable as hell trying to make things work with what she had!! At some point you just snap and the pot boils over. I can’t imagine being critiqued that way and then hearing everyone else get the exact opposite! It’s discouraging and if you’re already in a tough spot it’s going to take a tougher toll on you!! Wishing nothing but the best for Aja!!!
Such a good documentary / interview- Aja was a fave and is still a fave..she’s killin it in ballroom now and wish her house had made it farther on legendary but I hope she gets her redemption..she’s an icon and deserves so much
thanks for that IW. I've always loved what Aja represents and they're one of a kind! Such a shame that things don't go in a way where everybody can just appreciate them!
If I had the money and ability- based solely on the performance she delivers and trying to provide the best show- Aja is top of my list. People sleep on her performer and I get why but if I only consider the art- she’s got it. I feel everyone who is at that level of excellence is that excellent because they’ve had to teach themselves to trust their own opinions and stand in them strong as hell even if they aren’t done learning yet because it’s the personality trait of a great artist tbh.
22:01 ❤❤ 22:11 yas! I remember that ivonic speech. Aja was gold She was fantastic as Crystal lebaja and I watched The Queen. If the producers actually showed Ajas performance she would have won with Bendelecreme or Shangela. It seemed RuPaul wanted Trixie to stay if Bendelecreme left which she did. I mean Trixie won what...a challenge? Or two? The amount of times Aja should have been in the top was ridiculously ridiculous. It was Rupauls favorites race. Michelle was rude as per usual and Ru mocked her. Aja had every look down perfectly!! I mean Bebe in the top two? Bene who didn't watch drag race beyond her own season. Bebe who only thinks of herself and didnt thank Aja helping with her winning costume, Bebe who wonders why people think she's an uppity Royale wannabe Queen of the universe
okay listen it's been YEARS since i heard about ben's tape on the door trick, and i still have NO FUCKING CLUE HOW THEY DID IT???? ITS BEEN DRIVING ME NUTS. also Aja's speech about Milk is my absolutely favorite thing thats ever been put on the internet.
Aww she was the reason I started watching drag race, I can’t remember the interview but I believe it had to be sometime after s9. She’s very captivating and I’m so glad I got to watch her. I hope to see her in person at one of her performances 🥺❤️❤️❤️
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
When Aja sang Brujeria for the talent show and used her witchcraft to trigger her motherix and free Merle Ginsberg from Rupaul's beysment.
Boots
@Ago-the-gay Rupaul is Darkar and Brooke Lynn is Valtor
YUP YUP
Not a single word of this comment was seen in the bible 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
This is too core
"People were so dead-seat on humbling me, but they don't realize that life has always humbled me" That quote really hits for me, a lot of times fans just like to dogpile on a queen out of the fun of being a bully.
This is why I like aja I can relate to that deep fr . Especially as a woman who isn’t “beautiful”. People stay trying to humble us when we are just trying to get by :)
What gets me is the fans only turn nice on the queen when they do good on All Stars. Like it takes the queen showing her skills to make the fandom go "She didn't deserve the hate on her season!" and they swear up and down that they can't bully the queens, then they do it all over again. It's like Yvie said "Girl you keep saying you'll be better next time, what happened to THIS time?"
If Aja had won don’t you honestly think that would have set fire to her ego??? The way she envied Valentina was toxic as F. Come on…
The fact that season 9 is considered "an old season" is insane to me
Yeah I know, and it's still my favorite season
I feel old now😢
@obnoxious_alien you are old, if your YT account is more than 10 years old it means you are reaching geriatric.
When I say old season I'm normally referring to 1 - 5 so this is so hard to hear lmao
It is now that theres 50 crowned queens or more
Aja’s story is a reminder of how fickle and overbearing the drag race fandom can be:/ She is dripping with talent yet can never catch a break from fans that don’t understand the communities she’s apart of. Season 9 was my introduction to the art of drag and Rupaul’s show, so I will always have respect for her time in and off the show.
She tried to be mainstream but it's nearly impossible for a drag queen to be non lgbt famous. Straight people aren't gonna consume her content.
She’s her own worst enemy. Now come on now.
@@manuelirvingzarate You saying this, just added to the bs she deals with lol.
Exactly, I started with S9 because of Lady Gaga ... and never went through my mind critizicing any of the queens because if they got on the show they must have something really special
@@starsfalldown1234567 Many straight people consume lgbt content
I had never seen that clip of Aja reading Milk, my JAW DROPPED. “You look like Aquaria on testosterone, darling,” is a GAG.
what aja said about not voting for shangela in the finale makes so much sense. There seemed to be a lot of favoritism towards shangela when it came to the challenges, the queens continuously saw differently than what the judges saw
it seemed to me Rupaul really wanted Shangela to make it to the end hence why her critiques always seemed very light handed
@@rutgernewman828 I wanted more Aja and Thorgy, and I feel like they got handed a BS hand. Thorgy is rightfully still bitter about getting sent home because she was a better Stevie Nicks than what the judges gave her credit for?
I also wouldn’t be surprised that everyone would be TERRIFIED to vote for her if she ended up in the bottom 2 because of the following that Shangela has. The person who would vote her off would still be receiving hate to this day. So just not voting for her in the finale just seemed like the most opportune moment where they could get out relatively unscathed
I think about this all the time Rupaul is so crazy to favor a contestant the entire season then throw the choice to their competitors and be disappointed when they don’t choose your favorite like you did that
It also makes sense why none of the eliminated queens won the girl group challenge, despite them being waaaaay better than the remaining queens.
Aja’s verse was the best part of that episode, and even milk verse was better than “rakatatititata”.
I love 'ghetto' Aja. I love that New York grit that she brings to drag. NOBODY vogued better than her on DR. Do you girl. Love u.
Well Keiona did, but Keiona is literally legendary in the vogue category and the mother of the strongest house in France so that’s hardly a good comparison. Aja knows what she’s doing 10/10.
@@azsazazsa facts! Keiona is the best drags performance vogue to be on the show! I’m a fem queen and my body giving out 😭
@@ajathekween320 I saw her at a ball once, about a year ago back when I was still in the scene. Nobody has her stage presence. Not even other legends on the scene that wouldn’t wanna hear that…
The people NEED it
Her All Stars talent show is one of the best across the franchise.
at Austin Pride 2019 I was at the barricade watching Aja perform and I had a heat stroke and the very last thing I remember before going to the hospital was hearing her say "oop she's down" as I fainted and that's one of my most cherished memories
Omfg are you ok 😂
OHH MYY 😭😭😭
LMAO help i love this 😭
@@ajathekween320 I mean… If they weren’t I don’t think they would be posting this comment LMAO.
between this and Maddy’s recent interview with Farrah Moan, it’s been wild to hear that both queens were struggling so much surrounding the filming of Season 9. i think we need more interviews like these, because i’ll bet you they aren’t the only ones with untold stories who production painted in an unflattering light. you’re always an icon, Aja!!
Girl they definitely aren’t. Nina
“Noone will ever be able to take that moment away from her (except for Bebe)” HAD ME ROLLING
Legitimately cackled lol
Same 😄. "Except for Bebe" part reminded me so much of "except for Serena" 😝
When I tell y'all that she is one of my top ARTISTS?? Her music ✅ Her drag ✅ Her knowledge✅ She is THE moment and doesn't get her flowers
I appreciate you so much
thank you for making this, Aja has always been the most captivating and inspiring girl I’ve gotten to see on the show. If she has no fans I’m dead😭
Aja was such an angel during the interview! We spoke for such a long time, and I laughed at so many of the things she’d say. A true queen!
i love aja dawg
her performance of freakum dress with kahanna is one of the greatest lip syncs of all time
i feel it’s ever so slightly underrated
I was at the very first gig Aja did out of drag.
Ofcourse people were confused at first, but Aja told the crowd what was up and about her feelings - and got full support. The gig and the music were great.
Aja was SO HAPPY and relaxed and came to dance and chat with everyone after the gig.
It's nice she got such a nice reception at that first "boy gig". Sucks how she was treated after that 😕
Thank you for this! Because I feel like the common misconception was that everyone was very upset about that night, but in reality everybody was in a great mood and we had fun!
her wearing green to the interview... she knew what had to be done!
You already know!!!!
What does it mean?
@@PabloEmanuel96tamar have you ever watched the show?
Michelle hates green @@PabloEmanuel96
I saw her in a club here in Calgary Canada. It was very brief, but she was super approachable, humble, beautiful, and so nice. She thanked me and was so poised. I always loved Aja! ❤ I loved her new styles after that with the middle part hair! I always had my hair like that too! ❤
My mum and I quote the Linda Evangelista speech multiple times a week to this day. She is a legend. Idk much about her out of drag race but I hope she’s doing good now.
Put respect on my ballroom sister's name!!!!! She is a sickening performer, give ha her flowers
shes beyond iconic. her lip sync with nina is my fav from the show, the songs that came from her valentina speech, her run on all stars was perfection and her elimination was iconically terrible. and thats just drag race, shes done so much since her time on the show. shes grown so much and shes still so young. literal icon.
I really like Aja. I just get the impression that she’s been through a lot of shit in her life, and she’s just trying to figure out how to navigate it all. I can only imagine going through the struggles she’s met in her life, and the fact that she’s still inspired to be creative is great to see. I honestly wish her the best, no matter what she ends up doing with herself. Great video ❤️
Love the full movie of aja direct by green gay❤
You should try interviewing Joe Black, his drag race journey is really funny but I think his career after and before the show is really interesting. also a good video as per usual lol
AGREE!!!❤
i remember when Aja’s first album dropped after AS3, that’s literally like the first and only drag artist’s album i listened to start to finish and had on repeat. It sounded like a fully professionally produced album with amazing lyrics and beats so i totally get her frustration with it being labeled as something smaller than it actually was. Aja made good music, period.
I can't believe she's been blacklisted she's a star
Aja needs to use RUclips to monetize her fame ask world if wonder to give you a show. Aja I would watch her read the queens she is so real she does not hold back Aja speaks truth
Aja I don't know if you'll read this but you remain one of my favourite queens. You are unapologetically yourself, arohanui from New Zealand wahine xxx
I love you!
Always loved Aja, the Linda Evangelista speech is part of my friend circles lingo and I was so happy seeing her so Crystal for snatch game. Aja is an icon. Thanks for this epic deepdive of an interview/documentary.
Aja should have had her 2nd win during the Studio 54 challenge. She was the best one
The rate at which Aja evolves is truly astonishing
I hope Aja gets a chance to see this video and read these comments so she can see how much love for her is out there. For me, I was truly impressed by her music post-drag race, and it DID change my perception of drag music and what drag music could be. It felt like she had found her voice, and I am so sorry to hear how much she struggled through finding her identity, both as a performer, and just as her own person. I think the real Aja has always been there, though, she has always been fierce, channeling that Crystal energy! She is beautiful and she KNOWS she is beautiful!
I met aja in 21 during the summer premiering their album at a basement bar in manhattan. helped her bring her suitcase down. It was such a good show. I really love her and hope she continues to do great things
aja is still and will always be one of my favorite queens, i've always felt so connected to her and found her to be so real and so funny. i really hope she can find success like she did during drag race again in the future.
“You look like Aquaria on testosterone” will always be iconic 😂
Uhm. Aja was PERFECT on snatch game.
I’m going to have to correct you on that. She wasn’t just OK. She wasn’t just average. She wasn’t just good. That was a PERFECT Crystal performance.
but it just wasn't that funny. Totally makes sense for her to have done but
I love Aja. I think her story is great example of the stank flip flop-pity attitude of this fandom. She's a beautiful and talented artist. Her music kept me motivated to not succumb to the heartbreak of living through 2020. Fucking love you Aja. I'mma send a tip when I get paid girl!
I met Aja on the L train in Brooklyn, the sweetest person ever !! IThank you so much for making this video !! 🙏🏽 currently still watching the video and omggggg this is such a deep dive !!
Thank u, it means a lot! 💚
So glad that we got to hear Aja's story from her mouth. Aja is an underrated performer and artist. The very ballroom scene that she was a part of is exactly what Drag Race wants to brand to the mainstream. Thank you for lending your platform. This video singularly made me follow your page. Mad love to Aja!!
Aja was actually the first drag queen I’ve ever heard of. I was in middle school and just got into fka twigs and her performance of Glass and Patron was in my recommended, watching the way she moved was nothing short of jaw dropping and I’ve been a huge fan of her ever since
i love that pic of kelis i have it in my room. sweeet
Thank you GreenGay for making this, I watch all her music videos every couple months cause they all are so good! Thank you Aja for doing this interview 🥳
In season 9, Aja gave me Crystal LaBeija vibes, particularly when she told Valentina off. When Aja played her in Snatch Game, she embodied her and I loved it! I thought she was in the top 2 that episode if not the winner.
I was neutral on Aja in season 9, but so impressed with her appearance on All Stars. That last Studio 54 outfit was perfect for the era and just beautiful. Wishing you all the best, Aja!
Aja’s Studio 54 look was beautiful. And decades often have crossover with hairdos, plus, isn’t dragging things up including exaggerating a look or taking creative license?
Also, I was amazed at how eloquent and sharp Aja was with expressing herself at such a young age. Her Linda Evangelista commentary and coining “fan favorite” in the RPDR realm were iconic.
She should be celebrated a lot more. From her both runs on drag race i can pretty much deduce that she isnt liked that much by the production while she has been one of the best when it comes to the performance, one of the best dancers the show ever offered. The responsibility falls on us now, and we should be rallying behind her. We love you, girl ❤❤
Literally like what did we do to deserve freakum dress?? We need to give her her flowers
Chad Michaels screaming yes, yes will always make my day.
i just wanna say this was very educational. The edit on RDR dont always let us know who people really are. Great insight. I completely agree that she is positively glowing and seems happier. Will be watching her as she gets back up!
Lemme tell you clearly what is the "something" with Aja : She is educated. Knows what she is talking about, and is way TOO REAL. That woman knows how to stay grounded no matter what.
In a world were everything is all fake and all for the damn sake of entertaining. The way she speaks about Vogue & the Ballroom scene and how much it is hurtfull when people who aren't on the scene do monetize it, when others who do are on the scene do not have this opportunity.. Clearly show how much she cares. And not only for the culture she fights for, but also for her family (friends included that can be seen as family).
All they want, is people who aren't going to be vocal and clearly tell "Hey, this is no ok". And that is probably why, along with many others queens, Aja will be the one I will always support and look for no matter what. And that lypsinc in all-stars? Legendary.
i honestly love aja, i hope she starts getting more bookings, she deserves it!
I'm so glad you were able to get to interview her! Very fascinating, I've always loved her and I love her even more now. The raw talent, both in performing and pretty much single handedly giving us the most iconic reunion of all time... Honestly, she's a drag race Legend.
i love how protective she is over the ballroom scene. i think what she said about drag performers trying to monetize voguing / ballroom culture was spot on; it's great that drag performers can get more exposure nowadays, but it can also lead to people from more privileged backgrounds taking something that wasn't fully theirs to start with and using it as a brand identity. it's super important to remember where this amazing art form came from, so i'm really happy she's so outspoken about that. lots of love !!
HOUR LONG AJA VID FROM GREENGAY LETS FUCKING GO!!
This is probably not much comfort, but if Aja sees this comment, I just want her to know that I love her and I really enjoy her music.
Love uuuu
Just here to say that Aja is truly a gem and one of the most genuine people I’ve ever had the pleasure of interacting with. Hope everyone gets to see more of her in the future and hope to work with her again soon ❤
I found Aja rant to Valentina to be relatable. Especially now, knowing she went in low in funds.
Since the beginning I always saw something special in Aja and to this day I’ve always been interested on what she’s doing!! I think what has gone wrong in the beginning was that people wanted to see something Aja wasn’t and then unfortunately lost interest in her. I hope we can see Aja on a big stage again like she’s done for drag race and legendary, she works so good with TV it’s crazy!!
PS. Listen to Femme Queen Rage that album is good good!!
This is one of my fav videos of all time of your channel and of drag race, second time watching it
OH MY GOD THANK U SO MUCH!! It means a lot to me 💚💚💚
I rewatched S9 a couple weeks ago and it's amazing how the big standouts are Aja, Valentina and Nina. Yes, Shea dominated and Sasha killed the finale, but I barely remember anything they did whereas Nina/Aja/Valentina always had my full attention.
I love that Aja has always been herself, regardless of the bullshit that ensues. It's very Willam in a way that she embraces her mess and her talents, and honestly if we can embrace and celebrate Willam, we should be able to embrace and celebrate Aja too. ❤️
as someone that only started watching (and binging) rpdr earlier this year AND watched all seasons of legendary (rip) beforehand, i was ECSTATIC to see aja when i landed on her season. saying that i felt whiplash to see how the fandom treated her in the following years is an understatement. that forced “she doesn’t know anything about queer culture” storyline and bebe’s betrayal had me liiiiviiiiiiiiid
thank you SO much for sharing her story here. i can’t get enough of her. we love you aja!! 🥰🥰🥰
i got to see aja perform brujeria and judge a drag competition in my city, amazing. then I got the chance to go to OTA in NYC where she hosts and I went up when she called up audience members for a little mock-pageant, and I won!! it was incredible to have her stand next to me and engage with me in person after looking up to her for so long, and now myself entering the ballroom scene locally. she was kind (complimented my top!), funny, personable, and so much love goes out to her and for her happiness now living her truth. you rock gurl. performance inspiration, music inspiration, ballroom inspiration, you have offered us so much
Please interview Nina Bonina brown 💕💕
I've always loved aja! Amazing video 💛💛 i met her once at drag con when she was walking around with her friends- she was so sweet & cool. Love to see that shes feeling inspired again
Aja looks beautiful in this interview
this is such a good video omg. i remember always being team aja when s9 was airing, she was so interactive with the twitter fanbase and i remember seeing her meeting up with some of my mutuals that lived near her for drinks. always a ki, always been beautiful and talented, need to see her back so she can finally be given her flowers
There is truly something about Aja though... I watch drag race in a really weird and scattered order but let me tell you when I watched her scooter into that werkroom for the first time on AS3 I knew she was going to be one of my all time favorites and I wasn't wrong, she still is, and probably always will be, one of my favorite queens.
Season 9: She’s obnoxious, she’s a child, she needs to go home now.
All Stars 3: ROBBED, BEAUTIFUL, GODDESS
I will always be an Aja stan. She is the most real and they cannot take it.
I consider myself an amateur queer music scholar so I've found the discussion of "drag queen music" stigmata to be very fascinating.
There is a level of degree that the stigma is somewhat justified. Ru Paul is unfortunately both the most famous and most egregious example. Her music-as well produced and enjoyable as it can be-is ultimately still the hobby horse of the most famous living drag queen in the world that she uses as a marketing tool. And many DR alumni emulate her in this. Much of their music is framed around their drag character with the expectation you will know who they are already going in and will understand the references they make. It is meant to be an extension of their run on DR to ride the wave the fame the show gave them.
Now, this isn't to say that there aren't examples of correctly labeled "Drag Queen Music" that are absolutely fantastic or art in and of themselves. I find the recorded version of "Same Parts" by Tatiana to be an amazing track and Trixie Mattel has done an excellent job of threading the needle of being "Drag Queen Music" by making the style and genres she performs the thing that calls to and represents her drag character instead of purely the lyrical content.
There are absolutely queens that escape the "Drag queen music" stigma entirely, Shea Coulee is probably my personal favorite example. She sounds like a professional R&B singer, her music sounds like something completely divorced from her drag character even though it's still by her. The best way I've been able to frame this for people is that Shea makes music for her drag character to perform to and not music that's made by or about her drag character.
I know these distinctions seem kind of pointless or stupid or not really a reason to attach a stigma to someone. To most normal people good music is just good music and that's a healthy way to look at things and I encourage you to continue doing so. These kinds of minutae only matter to nerds like me and, most unfortunately, record executives and many other famous musicians (because they are also a bunch of nerds).
Getting to Aja specifically, I would absolutely describe her early-early music as "Drag Queen music" because much of it is referential to her time on Drag Race, even if it's coming from a real and honest place. But the more you go through her discography, there's a real separation that happens and it's incredible. Her most recent album "Femme Queen Rage" is an absolutely excellent rap record and I recommend everyone listen to it.
omg, i love how Aja stay now this days as one of the most talented performers thats ever been on the show, and she's so relatable, real mostly, because she's not only the "good time", she show up the real shit that queer people going through in life, ❤
This is so well produced and engaging 👏👏👏 appreciate the content
Aj6li
So hyped about that video! Haven't watched yet but I already wanna say that I find Aja very captivating and fascinating! Excited what you have to share :)
Love Aja so much !! Thank you for giving her an opportunity to talk.
I never got the vibe that she was flaunting her wealth or resources tbh she was relatable as hell trying to make things work with what she had!! At some point you just snap and the pot boils over. I can’t imagine being critiqued that way and then hearing everyone else get the exact opposite! It’s discouraging and if you’re already in a tough spot it’s going to take a tougher toll on you!! Wishing nothing but the best for Aja!!!
Thank you for this video !! ❤🌈🥰🦋🫶🏻😇🌺🎭🎨🥳☔️
I love Aja, shes a gorgeous queen and an amazing performer. I would love to see her live, it's so strange that she can't get work 😤.
I LOVE Aja. Period.
this was so good I need to watch it again
Aja is so amazing. I fell even more in love with her after her interview with Maddy.
Longest Deep dive of a Queen on this channel yet? Let's gooooo
That's actually wild to me that Aja isn't being booked regularly! She's an incredible performer.
31:37 this frame with aja going home and kit harrington beside her in a very different size of hers is sending me so bad KXNDKDJRIJRIR
Fr there comes a point when the “humbling” is really just tearing down someone over and over until they are nothing anymore.
I thought aja looked beautiful in that studio 54 outfit. Like really beautiful!
This video has only made me love her more honestly
Such a good documentary / interview- Aja was a fave and is still a fave..she’s killin it in ballroom now and wish her house had made it farther on legendary but I hope she gets her redemption..she’s an icon and deserves so much
Shadiness aside, "You look like Aquaria on testosterone" is an incredible read, makes me laugh every time.
I never disliked Aja even on season 9, but since seeing this my admiration and respect has definitely tripled without a doubt! Mind blown. ❤
I fkn love Aja, and her music is epic
Aja you will always be famous. the talent and the charisma on this woman
It's been so much fun watching this channel grow! let's go 2024 and more!
thanks for that IW. I've always loved what Aja represents and they're one of a kind! Such a shame that things don't go in a way where everybody can just appreciate them!
AJA YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS!!!
Love this documentary
Such an amazing video! So glad Aja is finally getting her flowers
If I had the money and ability- based solely on the performance she delivers and trying to provide the best show- Aja is top of my list. People sleep on her performer and I get why but if I only consider the art- she’s got it. I feel everyone who is at that level of excellence is that excellent because they’ve had to teach themselves to trust their own opinions and stand in them strong as hell even if they aren’t done learning yet because it’s the personality trait of a great artist tbh.
i could honestly listen to her talk about ballroom all day long, there is so much passion and love for it that i absolutely love
22:01 ❤❤ 22:11 yas! I remember that ivonic speech. Aja was gold
She was fantastic as Crystal lebaja and I watched The Queen. If the producers actually showed Ajas performance she would have won with Bendelecreme or Shangela. It seemed RuPaul wanted Trixie to stay if Bendelecreme left which she did. I mean Trixie won what...a challenge? Or two?
The amount of times Aja should have been in the top was ridiculously ridiculous. It was Rupauls favorites race.
Michelle was rude as per usual and Ru mocked her. Aja had every look down perfectly!! I mean Bebe in the top two? Bene who didn't watch drag race beyond her own season. Bebe who only thinks of herself and didnt thank Aja helping with her winning costume, Bebe who wonders why people think she's an uppity Royale wannabe Queen of the universe
Such a fabulous entertainer. Love her!
Every time I see Aja perform online that urge to try drag comes back. My first favorite queen and I will always respect her
okay listen it's been YEARS since i heard about ben's tape on the door trick, and i still have NO FUCKING CLUE HOW THEY DID IT???? ITS BEEN DRIVING ME NUTS.
also Aja's speech about Milk is my absolutely favorite thing thats ever been put on the internet.
Aww she was the reason I started watching drag race, I can’t remember the interview but I believe it had to be sometime after s9. She’s very captivating and I’m so glad I got to watch her. I hope to see her in person at one of her performances 🥺❤️❤️❤️
Such a good interview and look at her career so far! Sending so much love to Aja❤️