RuPaul’s Drag Race star Katya: ‘The bitch is back’
ASPEN, CO – JANUARY 23: Katya Zamolodchikova attends the Logo New Now Next Honors From Aspen Gay Ski Week on January 23, 2016 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images for Logo)
RuPaul’s Drag Race star Katya Zamolodchikova has returned after a break to deal with personal difficulties.
Katya opened up about her mental health in an Instagram live stream several months ago and quit performing in the meantime.
The star of RuPaul’s Drag Race, who is known for being outspoken, today revealed she is to return.
Brian McCook, the man behind Katya, now says they are back.
With an image of Catwoman, Katya wrote: “The Bitch is Back”.
Opening up about his mental health struggle he wrote online: “I’m telling you this with a sense of urgency. I’m not dying. Let me tell you the truth.
The Bitch is Back. pic.twitter.com/PjsjJBbDQI— Katya (@katya_zamo) March 18, 2018
“I’m not dying, I want to live,” he said on Instagram Live in an open letter spoken entirely in French.
“I’m a drug addict, but I’m sober. Today, and yesterday. And before. But I need to take a vacation, bcause I want to survive like Gloria Gaynor.”
Drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)
Explaining the reason for quitting drag he said: “I’m a language student first, an artist second, a drag queen third. Health is the most important thing for me.”
He added: “I need to take a vacation because I’m tired, I’m exhausted, my brain doesn’t work anymore, because of the drugs, because of all the gigs, I believe you will understand.
“We’ll see, and I wish you a good day. Bye bye.”
Katya auditioned four times before being accepted onto RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2015 (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage)
Drag act Jackie Beat sent support at the time, writing on Twitter: “Sending out nothing but LOVE today for my baby girl Katya who made the brave decision to put the well-being of herself before that of a fictional character.”
Beat added: “I am sad that we are not going on tour together, but this is far more important. Kisses, chess & matryoshka…”
Pearl, who appeared on Drag Race alongside Katya, sent “good vibes”.
Katya is an incredibly intelligent queen- she is bilingual and a gymnast (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/FilmMagic)
“I can’t speak for Katya but I love and support her and can relate to her acknowledging the deterioration of her mental health.”
He added: “But lemme tell ya, there’s a long road from home to the stage and it can be dark and bleak and nobody is there to hold your hand through it or at least warn you.
“It’s not just dealing with the death of your hair and skin, relationships, personal space and the lack of sleep (which is all very important on its own), what is a bit harder to explain is why you have to add extra hours to your makeup routine because at some point you’ll need to stop and cry for no particular reason.”
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 23: Katya attends the “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” season two premiere at Crosby Street Hotel on August 23, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage)
Katya has previously admitted mental health struggles and drug addiction.
While participating in RuPaul’s podcast ‘What’s the T? With Michelle Visage’ in 2016, he revealed that he turned to drugs after suffering a nervous breakdown during his sophomore year.
Season seven best friends Katya and Trixie now have a TV show and YouTube show together (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
Katya was not shy about admitting her anxiety on Drag Race. She was one year sober and was finding the process a struggle.
However, it wasn’t until episode 11 and the Hello Kitty challenge that her anxiety really came to head and she suffered an onset panic attack that was never aired.
Despite returning for All-Stars two as the same loud, brash, Russian drag queen that we saw and loved in season seven her confidence had drastically improved and thus she made it to the final.
