Drag Race star Nina West is releasing a children’s music album
Nina West is releasing album Drag is Magic
RuPaul’s Drag Race season 11 star Nina West is releasing a children’s music album.
The Columbus, Ohio-based drag star, real name Andrew Levitt, announced upcoming album Drag is Magic after her divisive Drag Race exit on Thursday (May 9).
While she is hardly the first drag queen to capitalise on the reality show with a music release, Nina West’s album of original songs will be geared towards children.
The album, set for release on May 17, comes after heightened protests against Drag Queen Story Time events, which invite local drag queens to read to children.
Nina West has made children’s music album Drag is Magic
Speaking to EW, Nina West explained: “The lead track is called “Drag Is Magic,” talking about how drag is dress-up.
“It’s based on RuPaul’s principle: Everything you wear is drag. It’s not a bad word. It’s a subcultural art form, but it’s being so adopted by people, so it’s ok for kids who are curious about what it is to consider dress-up drag!”
The album’s tracks include “The Drag Alphabet”, “The Reading song” and “Go Big, Be Kind, Be You.”
Nina West is releasing album Drag is Magic
She added: “One of my dreams has been to engage a younger audience, queer parents, and parents of queer kids.
“There aren’t a lot of resources out there [for queer education], and I have a lot of gay friends who’ve adopted or straight friends who have children who are different in one way or another.
“It’s so up my alley, because I’m a Disney nerd… I want to fill that gap and be the drag queen who’s like Barney or Mrs. Doubtfire, doing stuff that’s family friendly.”
The star is also set to release an album for grown-ups, John Goodman.
Nina West has raised $2 million for charity
Before appearing on Drag Race, Nina West was well-known locally for running The Nina West Foundation, which has raised more than $2 million to support LGBT+ organisations through fundraising and charity performances.
The drag star explained: “It’s mind-blowing to know how giving people are. It’s just amazing to me. Columbus is a really giving community and it speaks to how close-knit and tight our LGBTQ community is.
“One of my favourite things about what I do, now more than ever, is making a connection with families, kids, and LGBTQ families and their children.
“Giving families access to the art of drag is pretty powerful and awesome.”
