Drag Race UK icon Tayce on ‘breaking down boundaries’ and hopes to return to the franchise
Tayce in Absolut Vodka’s Born To Mix campaign
After becoming RuPaul’s Drag Race UK royalty following her appearance in season two, viewers have been desperate to see Tayce make a return to the competition.
Sadly, fans are just going to have a little longer for the lip sync assassin to do her thing again because Tayce is simply too booked and busy to compete right now.
Speaking to PinkNews, the 27-year-old confirmed that she’s been asked to appear again on the show but had to turn the offer down.
“Maybe in the future,” she said. “I have so much going on now in terms of fashion and music that I don’t know where this would fit into what is already a busy year!”
Tayce, Chet Lo and IoDF for Absolut Vodka’s Born To Mix campaign
Indeed, the fan-favourite has been working non-stop since becoming a runner-up in 2021. After signing to Europe’s biggest modelling agency, fronting big-name campaigns, touring the UK and launching collections with top brands, the bonafide fashion darling has now teamed up with celebrity designer Chet Lo and Next Gen metaverse Ateliers Institute of Digital Fashion (IoDF) for an exciting new collaboration.
The trio have come together to celebrate Absolut Vodka’s #BornToMix vision which sees diverse creatives work together on a series of projects designed to drive conversation and progress in the UK.
The first project, Second Skin Couture, aims to challenge existing stereotypes and perceptions of fashion. The hero piece from the collection is a garment featuring Chet Lo’s iconic light, translucent and futuristic fabric. While the physical dress is modelled by Tayce, fans can also try the “second skin dress” on for size through IoDF’s metacloset through a digital filter, which will be available via social media platforms from early May.
The dress aims to blur the line between skin and material, symbolising how the wearer can express their true and purest self on the outside in future fashion.
PinkNews caught up with Tayce to talk about the new campaign and all things Drag Race.
PinkNews: Talk to us about this new campaign with Absolut, what made you get involved?
Tayce: This campaign with Absolut is like a dream for me. Bringing together all my favourite passions. Absolut Vodka firstly, a designer I am obsessed with Chet Lo and this chance to work together with someone I admire creatively, as well as with a brand I dig is amazing. The Institute Of Digital Fashion being involved is the cherry on the top of the massive cake.
The Second Skin Couture campaign has launched a self-expressive style we’ll all be wearing and is breaking boundaries. Having me, Tayce, as the poster girl of this campaign and working with this amazing team and campaign is sick.
Is the “Born to Mix” message something you always want to remind the world of?
Whenever I do anything I want it to be a true standout moment. This project is just that. Being born to mix has many meanings, but most importantly is about standing out from the crowd, being who you want to be and being loud and proud baby! I grew up in an area where they hadn’t seen a Tayce before. That just pushed me to be even more myself and even more loud and proud.
My family and friends encouraged this positively and that’s why when this campaign The Second Skin Couture campaign with Absolut, Chet, the Institute of Digital Fashion, I knew I had to be a part of it!
So did you watch much of Drag Race UK vs The World? That was quite something, right?
Drag Race UK Vs The World was insane. I love Baga so any chance to watch Baga on the box is good with me. It was also amazing to see our international sisters all coming together for such a special show. I am a big fan of Jimbo and her work. Blu was the rightful winner and a massive congrats to her for smashing it out the park quite literally again.
You’ve had no issue calling out the lack of diversity during some seasons, do you feel things have been improving?
I think the way things are moving generally in terms of diversity are in the right direction. For any producer to get it right is difficult, television, as well as branding and mainstream media must all stay on track in order to make sure changes keep being made and we are all positively moving forwards.
Tayce models the Second Skin Dress for Absolut Vodka’s Born To Mix campaign
There are so many franchises of Drag Race worldwide right now, it just keeps growing! Are you still able to watch all of them?
Of course, I try to keep up with the global sisterhood, but it’s not always easy. That said the latest Drag Race season 14 finale was insane. I loved it. If I’m not watching it’s because I am working.
But the good thing about Drag Race globally is we are sisters. We are a family. And that is the same whether you are on the Australian, the Spanish, the Canadian or the US show. We all stick together.
We are seeing so much progress made for the queer and drag community but there is still such a long way to go. Does it almost feel like things are still going to get harder as we push back against outdated societal views before things can get better?
You say that and in a lot of ways I agree, but if you were to say five years ago that the highest rated show on BBC with over 30 million streams was Drag Race UK season two I wouldn’t have believed you. I think if we can all remain positive and open to learning then we can open many doors that were perhaps already closed. I think as a society if we can all remain open and able to evolve then that is a big step in the right direction.
What else are you up this year, anything fans should keep an eye out for?
This year is all about continuation and Tayce Step 2. I have many fashion projects setup for this year and you’ll see me down catwalks and in global designer campaigns, but I have also been in the studio and working on some music.
I want to be the next big drag mainstream music artist so have been in the studio and creating beats. Imagine Doja meets Bree Runway, with a bit of Normani chucked in and you are nearly there. You haven’t seen a thing yet, it is all yet to come. Tayce music takeover 2022 is about to arrive!
Fans can experience Second Skin Couture IRL and virtually when Tayce showcases the new garments in style at Boxpark Shoreditch on 11 May. Find out more about the Absolut Born to Mix programme on https://www.absolut.com/uk/borntomix.
