After: An Interview with Pabllo Vittar!
Published on: Sep 20, 2023
Written by: Joey Hodgson
Award-winning Brazilian pop icon and drag queen Pabllo Vittar is currently on tour across North America and we got to sit down and chat with her about it.
Ever since conquering the Brazilian market with her sensational 2017 debut album, Vai Passar Mal, which featured club-ready singles “K.O.” and “Corpo Sensual,” Vittar has exploded into an international phenomenon. She is the most-followed drag queen on social media with 35+ million followers across all platforms and earning glowing editorial coverage in Rolling Stone, Paper, Vogue Brazil, GQ Brazil, Harper’s Bazaar, Gay Times, and countless other outlets. Check out the interview below!
How did you come up with the name Pabllo Vittar?
When I started my drag, I never saw me using my given name. I love my name, but I met some drag queens in Brazil who were using different names and Vittar is actually from another drag queen friend that I met when I started my career. Before I chose Vittar, my drag name was Pabllo Knowles, after Beyoncé. I’ve been performing for 17 years and Beyoncé has always been an in inspiration and I wanted to bring her amount of energy to my performances.
What came first, the singing or the drag?
Singing. I’ve been singing since I was very young. At church, at school, at parties – I was always singing! The drag started on my 18th birthday, which is November 1st so it started as Halloween costumes and eventually turned into full blown drag.
Who inspired you to become a drag queen? Did you have a drag mom?
Myself! When I do drag I feel more confident and more like myself. I’m usually a very shy person but be in in drag makes me feel strong enough to do all the things I do on stage. My drag mom is the internet, I learned everything on YouTube!
What’s the drag scene like in Brazil?
I think drag in Brazil is very personal. Brazil is a very hot country so the drag queens are always naked!
Would you ever compete in a televised drag competition like Drag Race or Call Me Mother?
Never, never, NEVER. I hate competing. I only compete with myself. I am my biggest competition because no one is on my level!
Who was more fun to collaborate with, Charli XCX or Rina Sawayama?
Don’t ask me that! I love everybody who’s worked with me and recorded songs with me. They’re also so different. Charli is like my sister and Rina is like my other sister. So I’m blessed. It’s also great that all the gays love them too!
Are there any other artists that you would like to work with next?
For the longest time I wanted to work with Lady Gaga but then I got to work on Dawn of Chromatica for that “Fun Tonight” feature, which was amazing. Also Rina and Charli are also featured on the Dawn of the Chromatica remix album. Next collab is hopefully Beyoncé!
What’s your favourite North American city to visit?
New York. It’s just so big. Growing up in Brazil, I watched so many movies and tv shows that were about New York so actually performing in that city, oh my god it’s crazy.
Are you working on any new music right now?
I just released my latest album After and it’s available on Spotify, Apple music and all other platforms!
You can enter for a chance to win tickets to Pabllo Vittar’s Canada shows here.