Rosé from The Diana Mixtape Musical Inteview

The Diana Mixtape Musical opens in London on July 29th and is jam packed with some incredible drag royalty! Here's an interview I got to do with Rosé, who chatted about portraying an icon, their Scottish roots and connecting to the People's Princess.

Photo by Harry Elletson

Without spoiling your show, what is The Diana Mixtape?

The Diana Mixtape is a nonstop, high octane, hilarious, and heartfelt love letter to our beloved Diana, Princess of Wales and so many of our reigning princesses of pop, super powered by drag.

I remember on Drag Race Season 13, you mentioned you were born in Scotland! Would you like to go to Scotland for a visit while you're here (or anywhere else while on this side of the pond)?

Yes! I’m a very proud Scot and go back home as often as I can! I was just in Glasgow a few weeks ago with family.

I have been such a fan of you since RuPaul’s Drag Race and I am delighted to see you performing in The Diana Mixtape! What drew you into this project?

Thank you. 🥰 Princess Diana had a striking effect on me in childhood. The morning of her death is one of my most vivid memories as a child, I think because it was the first time I experienced and felt a mass mourning. It was a profound experience that shaped my ideas of death, and of celebrity.

I also take any chance I can get to combine drag and theatre seriously. Depending on the audience or the day, I’ve always been told I’m made for singing, for theatre, or for drag (not supermodeling? how dare) — so when they align and in the right hands, I really can’t resist!!! Also in this economy my schedule was wide open please be serious.

Diana is an icon, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community. Do you feel there is any pressure or expectations on how you will portray Diana in this production to a British audience?

I did at first. I feel very much at home in the UK and have claimed it as such my whole life, but I’m of course Americanized beyond — so I approach this role and story with utmost care and respect so as not to make it a caricature. The reality is, though, that throughout my research of the Royal Family and of Diana, I’ve found that I see a great deal of myself in her. Adoring the spotlight while being so sensitive to it is the duality of my own life. Diana’s relationship with mental illness and the pressure she felt to conceal it is something I understand deeply, and I’m actually honored to embody that struggle as somebody so universally beloved. It is healing.

Why do you think this show is an important one for audiences to see?

It is a queer-led and queer-centric production honoring an icon who went against the grain to show up for queer people when we were being left behind. That is gorgeous! Be a part of that!

Is there a moment in the show that you cannot wait for audiences to see?

We are proudly camp as tits at The Diana Mixtape, but in the show, I’m typically responsible for portraying Diana’s solitude and heartbreak. I’m really excited to bring vulnerability and honesty in those moments.

This show is jam packed with Drag Queen Royalty! Is there any tea you can spill about working with these amazing queens?

The five of us instantly bonded!!! And a princess never spills her tea… unless it’s in a groundbreaking top secret interview with the BBC.

You have had a wonderful career so far! What has been a highlight for you?

Thank you! It’s a wild ride. Some fav memories have been singing with Jessie J on The Voice, Titanique, and being a finalist on Drag Race — but only the real ones will remember Karaoke Tuesdays at Pieces Bar in the West Village.

If you were to meet Diana for an hour over a cup of tea, what would you ask her?

I’d ask her if she needed milk or sugar.

To follow up, what do you think she would think of this production?

She might have notes about how Lucinda Lawrence is far too gorgeous, vibrant, and talented to portray Camilla!

What advice would you give somebody who wants to pursue a career in theatre?

If there is even a fragment of something else you can also see yourself doing with your life, do that instead. And focus on separating your worth from your sellability.

And finally, what’s next for Rosé?!

Right after we close, I’m headed back to the States to play Scottish J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland at OFC Creations in Rochester, New York! From Diana to Daddy!

Thanks so much to Rosé for this hilarious interview. You can catch this production of The Diana Mixtape Musical in London and Salford using this link.