Drag Race star Raven addresses long-standing ‘blackface’ accusations: ‘I will not stop tanning’

RuPaul’s Drag Race star Raven has addressed accusations about her dark skin tone that some fans have described as akin to ‘blackface.’

Raven, who is Russian American, first appeared on the second (ever) season of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2010, and later returned for the first season of All Stars in 2012 – and has been RuPaul’s makeup artist since 2017, when she took over from Mathu Anderson midway through the filming of season nine.

But the double finalist faced criticism after her run on the show in 2020 and 2021, when some fans noticed that the tone of her makeup had darkened significantly, prompting accusations she was appearing in ‘blackface‘; the practice of caucasian people using makeup to portray a racist caricature of a Black person.

For example, when critiquing Drag Race UK‘s second season on web series IMHO: The Show, Alexis P. Bevels said in a viral clip, “[RuPaul] brought out Raven who entered in dark mode.”

Addressing the matter opposite All Stars 4 winner and incoming Pit Stop host Monét X Change, on the latter’s YouTube chat show Monét Talks, Raven explained that she, “likes being tan.”

“When that whole thing started happening, I was like, ‘Uh oh!’… And I remember talking to a couple of friends about it, and they were like, ‘That’s not what you’re doing,’ she said.

“I said, ‘I know that.’ And they said, ‘Well f**k them. Who cares’.

Continuing, Raven explained that she said, “But I don’t want to offend anyone,” and her friends replied “[Blackfishing] is not what you’re doing.”

Raven also explained that when she started drag, she chose legendary singer Dionne Warwick to be her celebrity impression; she even “sampled out foundation” to appear darker. “I did everything I could and it just did not look right,” she said of the impression.

She added that her roommate came home to find Raven in the darker foundation and said, “What are you doing?”

Raven replied, “I’m trying to get together a Dionne Warwick impression,” and her flatmate prompted her to, “try and find someone more your skin tone… that might be looked at as blackface.” She added, “And I never did it again.”

“I understand the history, and I understand what blackface is. I would never do that… However, this whole ‘blackfishing’ thing is a way for people to throw another thing [at someone].”

Blackfishing refers to someone who uses things like hairstyling and makeup to make them appear darker, as if they have black heritage or are mixed-race.

Raven added, “I will not stop tanning. A doctor could tell me, and I wouldn’t.

“I like being tan. And I need to make sure that my foundation matches. I only paint from [neck] up. So the rest of it you see is that same colour.”

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