community spotlight
by andrew stillman
THE EMANCIPATION OF
ALYSSA EDWARDS
I
t’s been 10 years since the world first gagged over the nowfamous Alyssa Edwards tongue pop. Since then, this pageant queen has traveled the world, has her own show on Netflix, and guided an impeccable dance crew to the semifinals of America’s Got Talent. Now, this leading lady is gearing up for a new adventure: the Life, Love & Lashes Tour set to take her around the world on an epic scale. “I can tell you, I’m so very grateful,” Edwards said when she sat down with The RAGE Monthly for a phone chat. It may have been a rainy day on her end in Texas, but she was all sunshine on the phone. “I’m reminded of all of the things I’ve done and touched and seen and felt, the ground I’ve walked on and my gosh how many heels I’ve put on since being on television!” Fans know she has got a keen eye for detail, and the upcoming show is no exception. “I met with Peter Murray two or three years ago now and shared all of my ideas about bringing a show of this level and caliber to the stage. I said, ‘This is something that can’t just be thrown together, OK? This is the Emancipation of Alyssa Edwards.’ I manifested that.” After playing around with some ideas, Edwards headed to London for her West End debut where she shared pieces of what she’s now about to showcase on the tour. “At the close of it, I told myself that if I didn’t share it with the people in America and all over the world that I was not only doing an injustice to myself, but to anyone who has been along with me on this journey. Anyone who supported me and celebrated me and lifted me up. So, I got in the lab with a pen and started writing.” The show will represent all things Alyssa Edwards, taking inspiration from the likes of Liberace and Elvis Presley. It’s designed to
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capture the magic of everything she’s known for today from being a little gay boy in Mesquite, Texas, near Dallas. “I like to think of this show as, like, taking my fans on a complete journey of me trucking down my yellow brick road. Also, I think of it as opening the curtains and pulling back the veil, because this is the absolute untold story behind all the glitter and glam. It’s a fun show. This is going to be one night, one queen, and one spectacle that one will never forget. I gave it all and I’m ready for my Academy. The tongue pops will be louder and the wigs will be higher!” In regard to that iconic pop we all know and love, she can’t even remember how it started. “I just did it when I was young. I didn’t think it was that funny. Then I did it on the show and they thought it was hilarious and the other queens just started laughing. I didn’t even know it would be a thing. It’s just a part of who I am now. The day I go meet Jesus, it’s going to be a loud tongue pop for the whole heavens to hear.” As her star continues to rise, Edwards maintains a complete awareness of how lucky she is to be where she is today while gearing up to present something she calls her “ultimate stage fantasy.” “I always believed that there was a world where I would fit in. I reminded myself that there was a dream out there with my name on it, and I believe in destiny. I’m excited for this show to reach as many audience members as I can. Drag right now is being so celebrated by the world, and I love that. I was a young little gay boy lost and watching To Wong Foo [Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar] and seeing RuPaul. I was so confused, but so intrigued, and now we’re all celebrating it.” During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Edwards spent much of her time dreaming up how this show would come about: “I’ve
