Nymphia Wind is the first East Asian winner of RuPaul's Drag Race. Plastique Tiara is the most followed RuPaul's Drag Race alumna on Instagram. Together, the two drag queens have embarked on a 15-city tour of North America, taking the traditional Chinese folklore, Legend of the White Snake, through a refreshing, campy, gay twist.
The story follows two snake sisters—one white, one green—fiercely protective of each other. While the white snake (Plastique Tiara) falls in love with a scholar, a prejudiced monk takes her red tucking panties and tries to expose the snake sisters. RuPaul's Drag Race season 17 contestant Joella narrates the tour as the voice of God. Plus, there's a Heated Rivalries montage. Need I say more?
Coveteur talked to the two stars backstage at the Brooklyn Paramount about stoning to the last minute, finding chosen family, and how their heritage affirms their drag.
You're finally in snowy NYC after canceling your first show due to the previous storm. How does it feel to be back?
Nymphia Wind: "Honestly, I'm just really grateful to be able to still do the last show, because if New York was canceled, it would be kind of anticlimactic. We're just really excited for New York to see our show and have a final blast with everyone, because it's such a beautiful story to do at the Paramount."
What's the energy like in NYC compared to the rest of the tour?
NW: “They know drag here. They have high expectations. New York has so much drag and is known for its drag, and the audience is accustomed to a higher level of drag. Yeah, we're ready to give it our all because we're both fire signs and up for challenges."
Plastique Tiara: "Well, we're a little bit more cautious today. We're taking it a little bit more seriously. For bigger cities like San Fran and LA, we had every single drag queen come. So we were like, 'Okay, we have to do good.’ It's the same energy here, you know, every drag queens coming, all of our agents are coming."
For those who don't know about the Legend of the White Snake, how would you describe it to them?
NW: "These snakes are shape shifters. They're seen as seducers, monsters, and evil. Then there's this monk who tries to expose them and eradicate them. Then the white snake also falls in love with a scholar. So there are a lot of components to this story of forbidden love and…"
PT: "…being deemed as bad by society. We relate to that a lot, because as drag queens, to certain groups, we are not the most ideal type of people, but honestly, we're just out here trying to live our lives and express ourselves the best way we know how.
When I was little, I really related to the story so much, and I never really knew why up until now. It's a very well-known legend in Asian culture, and I loved it because it deals so much with chosen family and people being there, not by blood, but by spirit and forbidden love. I relate to that because back in the day, choosing who we love was very difficult, and about being there for your significant other, even though you're not related. So, these two sisters are related by spirit, and even though they're not truly, truly blood bound, they're always there for each other from lifetime to lifetimes."
Can you talk a little bit more about what you mean by "not being the ideal type" for society?
PT: "I was born in Vietnam. I always knew something was different about me, not because of my skin color, but because of how I feel; back in the day, being gay was not the best thing ever. When I moved to the United States, I was obviously different from other people. So then it added to another layer of my soul, feeling different. That really trained me to have tough skin. I really related to this story because growing up different, if you can rise above it, you can do anything. I was lucky enough to find people who love me for who I am, and people who look like me and people who understand my story. Because if you don't say it out loud, no one will know. Many of us there share the same story and relate to each other. Finding the people who think like me through drag, through performing, through life, helped me to be who I am."
Was there a reference point that anchored the Serpent concept for you?
PT: "Translating that through music, the numbers, the dancing and everything–it was a big undertaking. We did not leave anything out. We're very conceptual people, and we really wanted to represent the story the best that we could, but also give it …"
NW: "… the gay camp twist. The story has been retold so many times. It's been adapted to plays, to theater, to dance, to movies, TV series, and animation. So it was just a no-brainer for us to give it a little gay perspective, make it sparkly."
What has surprised you most throughout this tour?
NW: "How much fun I'm having. This is my first tour, so I didn't know what to expect. All I knew was it's probably gonna be tiring, but I'm having the most fun, and we're just brain-farting and coo-coo-ca-choo and going crazy."
PT: “Yeah, she literally took the words right out of my brain."
NW: ‘We're starting to think alike...
PT: “...and starting to merge. We’re slowly finishing each other’s sentences."
NW: "We’re a lesbian couple. I’m telling you our story, when you really think about the story [of the show], when you really think about it, the end is basically a lesbian storyline. The green snake stayed in the mortal world for her sister."
Can you tell me the journey it took to make your looks? From conceptualizing to creation?
PT: "Well, I thought I had it all planned out, but honestly, you can never be too prepared. I planned out my outfits months in advance, and was still stoning until the very last second. I'm still stoning now. You want [looks] to be good for the show, but also fitting for the story, and also match each other, so it's a tedious process, but very fun. We both care a lot."
NW: "For me, this show has a storyline. So, I tried to fit the clothes to the storyline, and include and incorporate as many green snake motifs on the garment to reimagine what this character would look like if she was a drag queen snake. The story is based on traditional folklore that came out of China, so it's really widely spread and known across a lot of Asian countries. So we were like pulling inspiration from that, and then somehow our personalities just matched our respective characters that were playing. She's the white snake, and I'm the green snake."
Describe the show in three words:
PT: "Culture. Cunt."
NW: "Coo-coo-ca-choo!"
How do you two embody different aspects of the white and green snake? And how do they connect to your drag persona versus your self?
PT: “They're the yin and yang of one's personality. One is a bit freer and more chaotic, and one is a bit more demure."
NW: “The older sister is more put together, and the other one is more outgoing. They matched our drag persona so naturally and perfectly."
PT: "So, we didn't really have to think much when we had to relate to these characters. They represent the human psyche, where you have your crazier side and then your calmer side, but somehow you work together."
We're leaving the year of the snake, which involved a lot of shedding. What did you shed throughout this tour or in 2025?
NW: "I’m shedding away Plastique."
PT: "I’m shedding away this tour."
NW: "You’re growing into Joelle."
PT: "It’s over!!! Going into anything that you present to the masses, you have a lot of reservations. What are they gonna think? Are they gonna like this? And through this process, we've really proven to ourselves that we can do it. We can create a project together that we're proud of. So, we're leaving self-doubt behind this year."
NW: "Honestly, for me, comparing. We do such different drag, but it's just so natural for us to sometimes just always compare about the little things. But we have to represent what we do best, because if you don't do that, who's gonna represent what you do? Only you can do it, and there's always gonna be someone out there who enjoys what you do."
You two are some of the biggest names in drag, period. How have you bonded over your Vietnamese and Taiwanese heritage in an industry that often lacks representation of AAPI queens?
NW: "Honestly, just being Asian queens, it's a duty to really be out there. Growing up on American media, we didn't really see ourselves, and if we did, they were usually just comedy characters, and not necessarily a main character. So it's really important for us to really stand out there, to just do the thing, and really put ourselves out there to show people that you can also see yourself in us. We want to represent you."
PT: "Having fun is the cure for all, yeah? I've never toured with someone who complains. I'm so glad it's her, because I've toured with many other people where personalities don't match, but with her, even when we're tired, we always find a way to have fun. We always find a way to smile."
What’s next for you two?
PT: "We really want to take this tour abroad, so we're kind of teasing that a little bit. We're gonna make Asia happen."
NW: "Obviously, Taiwan and then Tokyo. I would love to go to the Philippines, maybe eventually take it to Vietnam or Thailand."
Photos by Jimmy Fang
