The Serpents Tour slithers through Asian culture and drag excellence

Ahead of their tour, the queens chatted with JoySauce to discuss how their friendship and the tour came to fruition, the cultural significance of this one-of-a-kind showcase, and the slaysian legacies they hope their drag leaves behind as they continue to slither and conquer across the world. 

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Andre Lawes Menchavez: You both are two of the biggest Asian drag queens of all time, and I’m curious how you first met and how Serpents Tour came to life.
Nymphia Wind: We met in 2019 in Taipei. I hadn’t been on Drag Race yet, and she was doing the Werq The World tour, and she came to the afters I was at and that's when I saw her. I gagged because she's exactly like what you see on the videos, and she's just so pretty and beautiful. The second time we met was in America in Washington, D.C. in June of 2024. Then we also performed together the following October for Taipei Pride. So we’ve met here and there, but even before I was a Ru-girl, Plastique reached out asking if I wanted to tour with her and I was like, “Duh, of course!” Plastique is an icon in my eyes, the pinnacle of drag, beauty and womanhood so of course I wanted to work with her. 

Plastique Tiara: I truly haven’t worked with someone that I love more. I think Nymphia is a perfect partner. I’m never one to reach out, but for her I did! Something in the universe told me that I just had to do it.

ALM: Why was it imperative for you two to use the Asian folktale of the White Snake and Green Snake as the foundation of the tour?
NW: This story is famous amongst most Asian countries and Plastique and I basically grew up on this story. We also wanted our tour to be Asian centric and really focus on our backgrounds as Asian people. I remember growing up seeing these two serpent sisters, who were kind of demonized as shape shifters, who were here to seduce you, and they're seen as monsters in society. I think we connected that with being a drag queen in society today.

PT: This tour is also about chosen family. This story is about two sisters, bounded by spirit. I think as gay people, we really resonate with that because in our lives, at least for my family, we've never been the kindest of kin. But like the story, it’s about how much time you spare and share with someone that really matters, realizing that power of community. So this story was a no-brainer, in my perspective.

Nymphia Wind is the Taiwanese drag superstar who won RuPaul’s Drag Race season 16 in 2024.

Courtesy photo

ALM: It’s very clear to me that this tour is very personal to you two, born out of your collective struggles and experiences as Asians. Would you agree?
NW: Yeah, that’s why this tour is very important. I didn't really see a lot of Asian gay representation, and even if I did, they were just clowns or funny characters. We finally get to create something where we’re the main character, showing our Asianness to the western market. It’s important to see other Asian people out there doing creative stuff and representing themselves in a beautiful way, and hopefully to inspire them to—even if they don’t come from a supportive background—also find the courage to slowly step out and live your truth. 

PT: Also, culturally, I think of Vietnam and how drag has just been booming over there in the last few years. There were like four drag queens and now drag is so widespread and every one of them is like, “It’s because we watch Drag Race and because we watch you!” So, I think this tour is a bit of the small difference we can make on this big stage, because it can make a huge difference to someone who's watching us from afar. 

ALM: I visited my small province far away from the city when I was in the Philippines recently and to my surprise, they were quoting Drag Race and doing drag!
PT: The girls are dipping on concrete! 

NW: They mean big business! [Laughs] But that’s the thing about traveling the world and getting to see these new pockets of drag culture. You realize for some people, the show is a lifeline, like a bible, slowly growing. 

ALM: And speaking of drag that’s growing, something really special you both have done was create a nationwide casting call for local queer AA+PI talent to open up your shows. Why was this an integral part of the show to include for you both?
PT: I think it's our duty, honestly. If we don't do it, who else will? It’s the first of its kind. We have to set an example for future Asian shows down the line. I remember when I was 19 sneaking out to clubs, I just wanted a stage to perform on because I saw Jujubee on my screen. I was like, “Oh, I want to be that.” I feel like there’s something within me that compels me to do this, and at that point all I needed was a stage to express myself. Now I’m here and it’s my duty to showcase AA+PI talent all across America. 

Plastique Tiara is the Vietnamese drag icon who has garnered 20-plus million followers and more than one billion views across social media.

Courtesy photo

ALM: I watched an interview recently where you both thanked BTS for what they’ve done to put Asians on the map, but truthfully, you two are the BTS of drag, spearheading representation of our culture in this artform. Did you both expect to reach this success in your early days of drag?
PT: Yes. [Laughs]

NW: I mean I was living in Taiwan and this dream was so far away from me! I was just doing bedroom drag and only dared to imagine it. Living in Taiwan, you're thousands of miles away. It didn't seem attainable. But if you stick your mind to it and follow that voice in your head, you can go and do it.

PT: I think we're a perfect example of if you manifest hard enough, and if you work toward that manifestation, you can do anything.

NW: I never imagined I’d be here.

PT: Crossdressing across America!

ALM: To end our interview, I wanted to ask you both a question inspired by our mutual sister we’ve lost this last year, Jiggly Caliente. Like Jiggly’s beautiful legacy, what message do you hope your drag will leave behind when we depart from this realm one day?
NW: I think it’s my relationship with Taiwan. It's very complicated with China. A lot of celebrities in Taiwan can't really be vocal about Taiwan being a country. At the Olympics, we're not allowed to use Taiwan, we always have to go as Chinese Taipei. So, there's a lot of world politics blending into what I'm trying to achieve. I want to be vocal about being Taiwanese and showcase Taiwan in the forefront of my drag and really be a cultural ambassador for my country.

PT: My legacy would be that you don't have to fit into any certain form of expression, even as a drag queen. I always say I chose the absolute worst profession for me to be in because I'm the quietest person ever, but yet I’m a performer. I don't like speaking up, I don't like yelling, I don't like to do anything, but when I do drag, it's for me, and it's for my self expression at the end of the day. You don't have to fit into any kind of normality in any profession in order to see yourself as someone that fits in it. I think that whatever you want to do, no matter who you are, no matter what your background is, you can just make up your own rules at the end of the day, because if I can do it, I think everyone else can too.