An agency that works with RuPaul’s Drag Race (RPDR) queens after they take part in the reality show has revealed that these queens can earn a truly sickening amount of money.
Associate Manager at Producer Entertainment Group (PEG), Jacob Slane, told Billboard that, thanks to lucrative music and merchandising deals, the stars of RPDR can earn upwards of one hundred thousand dollah!
The talent PEG represents is impressive, with the bigger names in drag like Alaska, Bob the Drag Queen, Katya, Peppermint and Willam all attached to PEG.
Werk
How can drag queens make so much money? Thanks to RuPaul marketing subversive drag to the masses, RPDR alumni can tour the world and werk for their wage, according to Slane.
“A top drag performer in today’s market is working in mid-sized venues around the world, between 2,000-5,000 capacity, up to six nights a week. For group tours it can be bigger,” he explained.
Previously, these same queens would have been performing in dive bars to small crowds.
“Anyone familiar with the touring industry can do the math: drag has become a viable, lucrative entertainment career path.”
Music
Some of the queens PEG represent have even made a dent into the Billboard charts, like Katya’s YouTube partner, Trixie Mattel and her country album, Two Birds.
“I remember music meetings where we would take [drag] artists in to meet with a label or a radio promotion company,” Slane recalls, “and they would say, ‘This music is great. But can you release it as a boy or not in drag?'”
Now the situation has dramatically changed, Slane reveals.
“it’s great for the queens because they have a much bigger stage that they can present their art on.”
Merch
But touring is only one element of these queen’s financial success.
Merchandising, sold at events, at meet and greets with, and online at DragQueenMerch.com helps line these drag queen’s coffers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BW05rDfHsCP/?taken-by=theonlydetox
A t-shirt on that merch website can set you back $40.00 (pre-tax and not including shipping and handling fees).
“”When touring, recording, merchandise and endorsements are factored in, top queens are earning in the low to mid-six figures annually. Some even higher,” Slane said.
Besides Mama Ru, which queen do you think earns the most? Let us know in the comments below.
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