Jason Reid meets the winners and runners-up of one of London’s biggest cabaret contests!
Orchestrated meticulously by Ian Massa-Harris and hosted expertly and with divine grace by Michael Twaits, backed by a team of dedicated volunteers, Pride’s Got Talent has, in the space of just a few years, evolved into a phenomenon that showcases queer art in all of its glorious forms, placing it firmly at the top of the list of UK LGBTQ+ talent competitions.
This year’s two grand finals were held at the Apollo Theatre (home to Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), and this week Jason Reid chats to the winners, Henry Newbury and Frankly Desire…
Music Winner: Henry Newbury
Congrats on winning Pride’s Got Talent: Music, Henry. How are you feeling?
Thank you! It’s crazy! I’m so overwhelmed; I’ve not known what to say and I’ve been getting the nicest messages non-stop from people. It’s one of those things where you can imagine the moment, but you don’t really expect it and so when it actually happened it was very surreal, but wonderful. So yeah, I’m absolutely over the moon. I’m very grateful to the people who have supported me.
Tell us a bit about the competition and why you entered.
Pride’s Got Talent is such a huge opportunity for artists. The heats are in incredible London venues, the judges are industry professionals – so they’re both great contacts and give really valuable feedback – AND you get the chance to play on stages at Pride In London. In terms of exposure and as a platform for artists, I don’t know anything better that’s so accessible.
As a singer/songwriter how does your process of creating new material work? Michael Twaits describes you as a ‘young Elton John’; is that a fair assessment?
Well, A: That’s lovely because I am a big Elton fan. And, B: It’s a little bit funny because my phone is packed full of tunes, but I usually struggle with lyrics. If I’m really struggling I’ll get my family or friends to help. So, Bernie Taupin, if you’re reading this I’ll treat you to a bang-up dinner of your choice in exchange for some nice words.
Michael Twaits is such a glorious host. How would you describe them using only song lyrics?
“She’s so lovely, she’s so lovely, she’s so lovely, she’s so lovely” (but I think it’s already been done).
What are your top three tracks of all time?
Ahhh only three is pretty tough, but:
You Only Get What You Give – The New Radicals
Glorious – Andreas Johnson
Torn – Natalie Imbruglia
Next stop for you is performing at Pride in London; what can we expect?
I’m so excited! As a boy who sings sad songs I should probably play something more cheery [laughs]! I have some nice ideas, but I’m also just going to be me and enjoy the experience. I think we’re going to add drums and a bit of bass, and have a few songs that aren’t on YouTube yet which I’m really pleased with and super eager to show, and where better than Trafalgar Square at Pride?!
What do you believe should be at the forefront of our minds this Pride season?
50 years have passed since the Stonewall riots – I’m thankful we’ve come a long way and that’s cause for huge celebration, but events in the UK and around the world show we still have a long way to go. In many areas LGBTQ+ hate crimes are rising, so while it’s our duty to celebrate who we are, it’s also our duty to continue fighting for equality in the law and socially, worldwide, and look out for the most marginalised and vulnerable in our wonderful community.
Check out Henry Newbury on YouTube and Instagram @henrynewbury
Cabaret Winner: Frankly Desire
SCREAM! Frankie, you’ve just won Prides Got Talent: Cabaret. How are you going to celebrate?
I still need to pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming. It feels like a fairytale with me as the main character, and it’s true. To celebrate I will go to do dinner with the people that were on the stage with me and those who helped me, and we will drink and dance.
This year the competition was at the Apollo Theatre. That must’ve been quite some buzz up there. What was going through your mind before, during and after?
Being at The Apollo was out of this world; I mean, it is THE WEST END! Before, my mind was occupied on rehearsing and making sure all the parts were pieced together perfectly. Just before the performance I was trying to keep my mind calm. Whilst onstage I just let myself go so the public could feel the same thing I was feeling, and after, I was thinking that I needed to put my eyelashes back on for the final photo. Not at any moment did I think I was going to win; my mind was always focused on enjoying the moment and giving the audience a show. When they said my name… at first I thought I heard wrong, then I realised people were looking at me and I was the winner and I just wanted to cry and scream.
Your performance was incredibly moving and pertinent. Can you describe it briefly and where did the inspiration come from?
My performance is a cry of hope; we are survivors and we need to keep fighting against all the injustice in the world, especially the bullying that young LGBTQ+ people face. Recently I was preparing a show with my drag family, Haus of Royalz, at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern and the theme was Freedom; I didn’t know what to talk about and one of my siblings, Bae Sharam, told me to talk about my own LGBTQ+ truth, so I decided to explain my high school experience, and that is the performance – a piece of me.
What do you want people to take away from the performance?
I want them to realise that we still have to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and that all of us are different. We need to be proud of our differences but, we also need to realise that as a group we are stronger!
So now you’re heading to the Pride in London stage. I hope you’re gonna video your performance because it should be seen by as many people as possible. Excited about playing to 30,000 + people?
That will be amazing. I can’t wait. I am scared and excited at the same time. I will video it, I will photo it; I think I am going to glue a camera to my forehead and film the whole lot because it is going to be something to remember forever.
Who are your top three drag artists of all time?
That is impossible! But, if I have to choose, I would say: Danny La Rue, Divine and Michael Twaits.
What do you believe should be at the forefront of our minds this Pride Season?
We are celebrating 50 years of Pride; we should be thinking of those people who fought for us to be able to express ourselves freely and that, still today, there are people who can not do so.
Music Runner-up: Saachi
“I love Saachi so much. At every stage of the competition they blew us away! Amazing songwriting, beautifully delivered. A complete package of an act – I am so excited to see them at Trafalgar Square and where they go from there!” – Michael Twaits
Cabaret Runner-up: Damien Noyce
“Damian is what PGT is all about. An unusual act who may not always be an obvious cast choice but when given an opportunity, delivers every time. He’s such a talented singer and combined with his showmanship, command of the stage and a wink of camp – he is a stellar cabaret act!” – Michael Twaits
