Drag performer Barbie Q will be the recipient of the Hall of Fame honour at this year’s Proud Awards.
The Proud Awards will take place on Sunday 22nd September and this year the Hall of Fame honour is being bestowed on drag performer Barbie Q.
Organisers of the awards faced a challenge when the drag star was selected as this year’s winner as Barbie is currently having some well deserved rest time and sailing the oceans on a cruise at an undisclosed location.
As part of her break from the hustle and bustle of a performer’s life, she’d shut off all of her devices and log off all social media for the duration of her break. Undeterred, friends found a way of breaking through to the Dolly Parton obsessed Barbie and she shared her joy and surprise.
The awarding of the Hall of Fame honour is a highlight of the annual entertainment and community focused event, and we understand that Barbie will make it back to Perth just in time for the ceremony with only a few hours to spare.
The drag performer recently celebrated 25 years of entertaining people in Perth and around the globe. She’s previously shared with OUTinPerth that her journey into drag began back in the last millenia.
Barbie’s earliest steps into the drag scene were under the watchful eye of Swish Eveready and Champagne de Ville. She first took to the stage as part of a drag competition at DC’s nightclub.
Back in 1999 the 18-year-old Matthew Mcpharlin was having a tough time.
“I lost my job, I needed money, I was broke and then I saw a poster advertising a Wednesday night talent quest called “drag factory” at DC’s nightclub.” he recalled to OUTinPerth.
“I decided to enter as I had been a dancer since I was a child, and I ended up winning my heat, performing Ooh Aah… Just A Little Bit by Gina G, and then the grand final, performing a drag strip to Gimme Gimme by Whigfield.”
Winning the competition put $500 in the pocket of the newly named Barbie Q, and kicked off a whole new career path.
“I then was booked by hostess Chlamidia to work at Trade, which was the big Thursday night venue back then. It eventually grew and I slowly built up my nights and my employment.”
Barbie’s first paid gig came at Trade when she joined Chlamidia and Swish Eveready on stage for a Billie Piper show.
In the following years Matthew found work as a dancer and traveled the world on cruise ships, giving him an opportunity to see drag performers from around the globe.
“I auditioned for Princess Cruises as a male dancer and within eight weeks of sending my video I was flown to LA to start rehearsals. I came home twice a year and still performed on those short visits, and to my surprise people really enjoyed it when I was back.”
After years of living life out of a suitcase on the high seas Matthew was considering a permanent return home, when the stars aligned. Connections sent an email asking if he’d consider becoming their Entertainment Manager.
“They had offered me the Entertainment Manager position officially, even though I hadn’t decided whether I was coming home for good – but that certainly locked it in for me – it was a dream job!” Matthew told OUTinPerth’s Leigh Andrew Hill in 2018.
Over the decades Barbie has delivered hundreds of memorable performances at The Court and Connections, and in recent years has found growing success in the world of cabaret, developing many sold-out Fringe World shows.
Over the years Barbie has been up for any fun idea put forward, from public footy tipping competitions, to writing an advice column, or posing on the cover of OUTinPerth alongside Hannah Conda in a reveal cover that exposed the pair in their blokey underpants.
As the Entertainment Manager at Connections Nightclub, Barbie is always there to give helpful advice to up-and-coming performers and occasionally pull them into line with a wise word of advice.
She’s also always been there to make everyone feel welcome and part of the action at Connections. Just don’t get out of line or you might find yourself at the end of an acid-tongued barb, or a spray of her water bottle.
One of Barbie’s many achievements is transforming Thursday nights for Perth’s LGBTIQA+ communities. Recalling her start on Thursday nights at Trade, which was held at what is now known as Air Nightclub, she created POP!
The event, which made its debut in 2011, not only created employment for drag performers on stage, they also can be found working on the door and behind the bar, with younger aspiring drag performers learning bartending skills and getting their Responsible Service of Alcohol qualification.
“I’m super proud of creating POP as I wanted to give the younger queens an opportunity to make some money while practicing their craft – it’s really hard to get gigs and it takes time to get your makeup skills and your looks together – so this gave the younger ones the opportunity to practice, gain a skill and to earn some money to put back into it.” Barbie said.
This year’s Proud Awards will be a moment to celebrate Barbie (and Matthew) and look back over all her achievements in our local community. Note to organisers – in 2014 Barbie told Sophie Joske that she’d like any montage of her life to have Roxette as its soundtrack.
