Interview: Drag Race season 13 queen Kahmora Hall on that lip sync and who she thinks should have been in her place
Despite being the proverbial Pork Chop of Season 13, the unique structure of this cycle of RuPaul’s Drag Race gave viewers weeks to fall in love with Kahmora Hall.
Although she had some shaky moments, Kahmora’s run on Drag Race left no doubts about her beauty and striking aesthetic. She struggled with her confidence, opened up about her less-than-supportive boyfriend and, perhaps most memorably, wore a breastplate to play a tree. Who hasn’t been there?! Kahmora’s performance was many things, but boring it was not.
The eliminated queen chatted with Daniel Trainor and Sam Stone about her short rollercoaster ride on the show, the lip sync that sent her home and who she might have played on Snatch Game.
Sam Stone: Hello! Thank you so much for joining us, Kah-Mora.
Kahmora Hall: You got it right! My pleasure, Sam and Daniel. You got the name right.
Daniel Trainor: Man, that’s such a relief. We were really stressing about the pronunciation, Kah-mora. Thrilled we’re off to a good start.
Stone: You got some critique from the judges about not showing enough vulnerability, despite serving an incredible face. Has that affected the way that you think about drag now?
Kahmora: It’s so weird. I thought I was giving personality in my girl group performance the previous week. Hearing that was confusing for me. I didn’t understand why the confidence I do feel inside isn’t reflecting on the outside. I tell myself this all the time now since the show, it doesn’t matter how many people tell you that you’re this and that, in the end I need to believe it. That’s something that I struggled with on the show. It’s something that I’ve been working on. Just telling myself that there’s a reason RuPaul chose me to be on this season, so I have to give myself some credit. It’s unfortunate that I let my inner saboteur jump out too early, but it’s all a learning experience and I’ve come out of Drag Race a much better person and drag queen.
Trainor: Let’s talk about that inner saboteur. When you were up on that stage before the lip sync, you did look pretty terrified. What were you thinking standing next to Denali?
Kahmora: It was like “damn.” This was my third chance to show the judges that I’m not just a walking hanger and that I have a personality. I was so focused on trying to be perfect instead of having fun. It’s weird, because I thought I did a good job. After hearing the judges critique me that way, I was like “wow, maybe I’m just delusional.” In that moment, it felt like I disappointed the judges. I had to go up against my Chicago sister, who I thought did really well in the acting challenge. I didn’t think she belonged there with me. Denali is a fierce, fierce performer. She’s going to do what she does best. I know she expected the same from me. I guess I did look scared, but I just remember when the music started I thought “the show must go on and I’m going to do the best I can in this long-ass dress.” I’m going to serve them face. I’m going to look stunning. In that moment, I didn’t even pay attention to Denali. I was just focused on the judges.
Trainor: You say that Denali didn’t deserve to be in that lip sync with you. Who do you think did?
Kahmora: You know…(laughs). I don’t know if I can say!
Trainor: Sure you can!
Kahmora: I thought that our looks were really good. I thought they were going to at least save us from the bottom. I felt like the other girls that were in the bottom with us, their looks weren’t as elevated?
Trainor: I mean, there was only one other girl in the bottom with you.
Kahmora: Oh, was there?
Trainor: Yes! It was you, Denali and Lala.
Kahmora: I thought it was me, Lala, Kandy and Denali.
Trainor: Well, Kandy was there, but I think Kandy was more towards the top.
Kahmora: I see, I see, I see. I just remember Kandy’s outfit. I know she made it that day, so I’ll give her that. But it just wasn’t as elevated as the rest of us. I do agree she did have a stronger performance. I guess there’s that. But based on looks, I don’t think Denali and I should have been in the bottom.
Stone: That is a very diplomatic answer. I’m impressed.
Kahmora: Miss Congeniality!
Trainor: Oh, here we go! She’s making her case.
Kahmora: Can you imagine? I’m the first one gone, but I win Miss Congeniality? How funny would that be? How gaggy would that be?
Stone: We would love it, and we’re starting the campaign right now. I’m curious about your dress because it seemed like it was very difficult to move in. Was that something you thought about before you wore it on the runway in case you had to lip sync, or was it like “I’m going to turn a sickening look and see what happens?”
Kahmora: The latter basically (laughs). I knew the look was extravagant. I was hoping it would save me from being in the bottom. We don’t know what outfits we’re going to wear, so I just knew that I was going to look beautiful in it and that, if i did have to lip sync, I was going to do what I do best and that’s serve face. I think I held my own. I never really thought about having to lip sync in that outfit.
Trainor: There’s been a lot of focus placed on your relationship after you talked about how your boyfriend hasn’t always been the most supportive when it comes to your career. What’s it been like dealing with that?
Kahmora: All I really want to say about this is that my boyfriend is supportive of me. I think seeing me in this competition showed how passionate I am about drag. Right now, I do have the support that I need and want. This experience has brought me closer to, not just my boyfriend, but my family. I’m in a good place.
Stone: That’s great to hear. In retrospect, were you a little bit mad that you were cast as the tree?
Kahmora Hall: her bark is worse than her bite
Kahmora: (laughs) Okay, I wanted to be the tree! I really did! I was being called a hanger with no personality, so I was like “let me do something really funny, let me be a tree, let me get a little ugly, let me be a curvy, curvaceous, tree-shaped woman!” I wanted to do something out of the box for me. I wanted to show them that I don’t take myself too seriously. I was too focused on trying to get the lines right instead of having fun. But I have no regrets about being the tree. That was my decision. Let me lie in the grave that I dug for myself.
Trainor: Can you tell us who you were planning on doing for Snatch Game, if you had made it that far?
Kahmora: Oooh. I want to, but I also want to keep it a surprise! I am going to post some content when Snatch Game comes out. I will tell you my back-ups! One was Mariah Carey. I’m surprised nobody has done Mariah on Snatch Game yet. And my other back-up was Dr. Pimple Popper.
Trainor: Thanks so much for your time today. Listen, girl, the Miss Congeniality promo tour starts now.
Kahmora: How funny would it be? Come on! And I’m broke so I could use the coin.
Image courtesy of VH1
Sam Stone is a writer and actor based in Brooklyn, New York. He writes humor, culture, and travel among other things, and spends his free time reading about all those things. You can find him on twitter @sam_the_stone or on Instagram @samstone000.
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