From "Queen of Soho" to UK's Next Drag Superstar: Bones on her Drag Race victory

Words by Sam Damshenas

After a single hour of sleep (a “nap”, by her own admission), Bones woke up on Friday not just as a Soho staple, but as Drag Race UK’s season seven victor. The quietly intense, witchy wonder — inspired as much by deep-lore Star Wars characters as by Florence and the Machine, Lana Del Rey and Kate Bush — closed out the competition with three maxi wins (more than any other queen), a purple sci-fi siren silhouette that will go down in herstory and a finale performance that "took out the BS" and made the only choice clear: Bones, the UK’s Next Drag Superstar.

“I noticed that as I walked onto the main stage, Michelle went pointed at the dress [to RuPaul], and I was like, ‘Okay!’” Bones tells Gay Times. “So I’m not going to say it was the dress that won it for me, but I put it on and thought, ‘This is right. Everything's coming together here. All the puzzle pieces are falling into place.’"

Throughout the season, particularly after her Snatch Game, she heard from countless fans who felt seen by her honesty about shyness, social awkwardness and overthinking. “You don’t need to be Ms. Ball of Charisma,” she reflects, “you’ve got to find your own way of doing things and run with it.” In embracing her own rhythm, Bones proved that drag isn’t a one-size-fits-all performance: confidence comes in many forms, and sometimes, the quietest queens make the loudest impact.

Read ahead for our interview with Bones, the newest inductee into the Drag Race UK winner’s circle, as she reflects on her crowning moment, the power of being a quiet queen, her spooky-ethereal inspirations and whether she’s ready to battle it out in an All Winners arena (“give it a few years, honey”).

Bones, you look bloody beautiful.

Thank you, babe. Don't ask me how much sleep I've had.