Ten “Queen Of The Universe” Questions For Trevor Ashley
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Trevor Ashley is in the midst of competing in season 2 of Queen Of The Universe; there were 10 talented drag queens to start with and now Ashley is in the final four. Trevor spills the tea on the judges, singing for survival, and the rising anti-drag sentiment.
DNA: Let’s start with your performance of The Rose. Wow! We’re used to seeing you big, brash and bawdy! This was tender, vulnerable Trevor and it was beautiful! How did you get through without crying?
Trevor Ashley: That was one of the biggest challenges of the night. Just trying to hold my composure. At rehearsals I was a complete mess. I managed to pull it together for the evening performance.
It was your mum’s favourite song, right?
Yes, and it was great to be able to do that for my Mum. I owed her that. [Trevor’s mum passed away just a few months ago.]
Which other queen from the show have you most enjoyed meeting?
Jazell Royale. She’s hilarious, natural, talented and so fucking beautiful, it’s a crime. We had a lot of laughs off-camera.
Graham Norton… tell us something about him you’d only know if you’d met him!
Here’s the thing about Graham – he’s exactly the same in real life as you see on TV. So genuine, funny, kind and likeable. You really feel like you can bounce off him. I’d met him after a taping of the Graham Norton Show and we drank sauvvy B! [Australian slang for sauvignon blanc.] That thrilled me – it’s my favourite.
What’s it like backstage and behind the scenes? Is there much socialising among the contestants and the judges?
No, almost nothing! I think they try to keep it as fair as possible. To be honest, I think it works better as they then couldn’t favour you, or dislike you, except when you’re onstage. I’d love to go drinking with Mel B one day – she’d be a hoot!
Singing for your life… does that freak you out or do you love the challenge?
It was scary. You’re so close to getting through… and then it really is nerve-wracking. I had to pull all my nerves out and use them positively rather than letting them get the better of me. I loved the song I had to sing (my friend Keala did the original) so it was special to sing.
What is special about Queen Of The Universe?
This is a bunch of seriously talented queens. Every one of them is talented as a singer, and often as a dancer, makeup artist, designer – you name it! The show is almost always positive, which I appreciate.
You have a lot of live stage and theatre experience. Did that prepare you for the show or is the TV format a completely different… er, universe?
Essentially this is a stage show that is filmed, so I felt all my experience was invaluable. I know my way around a production number! The scary part was worrying about how you come across in your interviews and in your packages, and backstage. I tried to be true to myself so it’s pretty great that I feel that’s come across in the show so far.
Have you experienced any of the anti-drag sentiment that’s going around at the moment?
Luckily not much. I feel that there is a lot more homophobia appearing on Oxford Street, though.
Why do you think that is?
I blame the fact that there are too many straight venues with dubious clientele. We get one street in Sydney – if you don’t want to deal with us, leave.
Any chance the song you wrote on the show, Rock Hard, will come out as a single?
It is! It’s now streaming on all your favourite platforms and in this one, Masisi remembers her words!
Presumably, the exposure from the show will open up opportunities for you around the world; is Australia about to lose you?
Look, as Peter Allen said, I still call Australia home, but I really want to work around the globe. I hope Australia loses me for at least half the year.
Queen Of The Universe season 2 screens on Paramount+ in Australia.
