As a fan of drag queens, I find that drag music contains a certain feeling that I have yet to find in any other musical genre. It’s characterized, much like the performers, by confidence and humor, while also containing vulnerability and historical subtexts. With RuPaul’s Drag Race hitting mainstream culture as of recently, the time for drag queens to venture their brands to new summits has reached a new peak, and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon.
RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 9 and All Stars 3 alumni, Aja, recently got into the rink with her EP, In My Feelings, was released on May 11th. Describing her music as “if an art student became a rapper,” the album consists of six tracks that detail Aja’s experiences, taking inspiration from her childhood to her experience as a contestant on a reality show and how it has affected her life.
Cover art
The EP opens with Finish Her!, a high-intensity track that sets a self-empowering tone for the rest of the album, with Aja’s signature “pay the haters no mind” attitude. For a Drag Race fan, this track should raise some pointed ears, as it includes many references to Aja’s experiences on the show. Brujería comes next, containing a deep-house beat accompanied by fast vocal delivery, alternating with Spanish words referencing to her background and the practicing of santería. Bitch I’m Kawaii, is inspired by her love for anime and Japanese culture, the track features Aja attempting to embody the cuteness commonly found in Japanese animation, while also retaining her own hood personality.
I Don’t Wanna Brag is a stand-out track. Written from Jay Rivera’s—Aja’s real name—point of view, it’s a reflection of one’s success imposed over an industrial heavy beat. Art God (In My Feelings), described as meant to be the more somber track of the EP, serves as a reminder of one’s worth and potential after being stripped away from it; it is arguably the best song on the album. Closing with Ayo Sis, Aja pays homage to femininity and the women she takes inspiration from.
Still taken from the Brujería music video.
Overall, In My Feelings proves to be the perfect album to listen to whenever you want to feel like you could conquer anything, because you are that fierce. I did find the EP to be rather one-note, as the lyrics and theme don’t vary much between songs, but tracks like Brujería, Art God, and Ayo Sis make up for it with their different take on the matter.
Aja is the perfect example of rising above criticism, having received tons of hate after her appearance on Season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. But, instead of breaking down, she used it to propel herself into bettering her work, proving the critics wrong with her redefined drag in All Stars 3 and through the release of this EP.
It does not seem like this is the last time we’ll hear music from Aja, she says that she plans to still be working and touring ten years from now. She describes herself as an entertainer and wishes to continue entertaining the masses through her work. I for one look forward to seeing what Aja does next.