Today we’d like to introduce you to London Skies.
Hi London, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I grew up at the base of the Rocky Mountains always believing, out there in the wide expanse of the universe, that there was a place for me to shine. Being raised on a reservation in a small town was definitely not the easiest path but it is where my story begins. Luckily thru the encouragement of many loving teachers and friends I persevered and thrived.
I’ve always loved the stage and did many small-town roles in plays like Little Abner, Shenandoah, and Fiddler on the Roof. Being able to express myself thru acting was a saving grace and one that would earn me a first-place win at State Speech and Drama in serious duo. My school even has my picture on the wall – which my mom says is still there. So when I graduated high school and moved to the big city, Salt Lake City, and experienced my first LGBTQIA+ nightclub, it was like a religious experience for me.
So much so that one cold snowy night in December, Treasure Barbie and I stood outside the club in our underwear, an hour before opening. The promoter was surprised at our dedication and offered us a gig. A drag gig. Which I had never heard of before. But perform I did. S&M by Britney Spears and Rihanna to be precise. Fell on my ass and made out with my drag sister, and the rest they say is HERSTORY.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I believe that it’s the roads filled with adventure and adversity that give us the most character. Which is why I am who I am today. I dealt with a lot of trauma and abuse growing up that I’m still working through today. There were no terms or words for the gender dysphoria that clawed at my chest growing up. And really no safe places to explore or learn what that meant. When you’re an effeminate male in a rural community, you become the town’s “gay boy”. A term which I never really enjoyed or thought applied to me.
When I began high school my sister passed away in a car accident and it caused a lot of strain on my family. I think it was my junior year in high school when my parents told me I had to move out. I put myself through the rest of high school, a fact of which I’m rather proud. But my senior year of high school I did attempt suicide, luckily surviving. The years of my life have never been an easy journey, riddled with many losses and heartbreak. But they’ve led me to where I am now. And it’s a good place, a safe space, cherished, and loved. That’s really all a girl can ask for.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am what I like to call a Trans Entertainer who loves the art of Drag! I am a storyteller, seamstress, customer, creative director, choreographer, and dancer. Not professionally trained of course, but I utilize those skills nonetheless! I would say I’m known for my sex appeal and sensual numbers. My drag Auntie in Montana, the infamous Hexx Shadow once joked I could fit my costumes in a grocery sack because I wore so little. So just to be funny, the next show I did pack my lingerie in an Albertson’s bag.
I am most proud of all of the amazing things I have accomplished thru my drag career. Becoming the Daughter of the Indescribable Beauty, Indi Skies. Being crowned Miss Gay Utah. Getting to be a part of a commercial for Encircle. Starring in a Drag Reality series that never aired (it’s the experience that counts!). Performing at sellout shows like The Sunday Service at The Cabin in Park City, the Quorum of the Queens at Tabernacle even my own show Gender. Where, in which I was the host and emcee! And I once performed for Billy Porter at an after party for The Equality Utah Gala, AND she tipped me and told me I was fierce.
I try not to compare myself to others, I revel in the diversity of the drag scene here in Utah. But I think my sincerity, advocacy, my life experiences, and the way I convey my story through performance, are what sets me apart. Hopefully, it doesn’t set me too far apart, because I love my drag community!
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Probably that secretly under all the glitz and glamor, I’m just three fabulous raccoons under an equally fabulous trench coat.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_london_skies_/
- Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/HouseOfSkies/
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/track/09MV7JsvfLiwbrqboxC3sf?si=IyEvY-sjTd-jTwr98fB4dQ&utm_source=copy-link
