Today we’d like to introduce you to Spacee Kadett.
Hi Spacee, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been performing since 2007. It started at my university’s drag show, transitioned into bars and nightclubs around my native Detroit, and expanded into the world of drag pageantry. In 2011, with the help of an amazing team, I won the title “National Entertainer of the Year King” in Louisville, KY, and started traveling the country for shows. In 2013, I relocated from Michigan to Kentucky to join PLAY Louisville’s house cast and do drag full-time. It was an amazing experience.
I moved to LA in 2016 and dug into stand-up comedy a couple of years later. Today, I do drag, stand-up, and both at once! I still perform around the country, but most of my shows are in Southern California.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ohhh, it all seemed so easy in my first answer! 😉 When I started doing drag, I took a lot of heat for wearing makeup, glitter, and rhinestones. Old school kings didn’t do that kind of stuff— and there were definitely no drag king makeup tutorials online! But my illusion needed more than just facial hair, so my drag queen friends and I sat down and played around with makeup until we figured out how to paint a drag king face on our own.
It’s also insane how many producers over the years have told me outright that they don’t book kings. Or that they won’t pay me as much as a queen. “Kings don’t work as hard,” they tell me. “They aren’t as entertaining.” I’ve heard every excuse in the book! It’s exhausting to bust down these myths over and over. But I’m part of an unstoppable army of amazing drag kings, and together we’re opening up new opportunities every day. We’re still woefully underrepresented on the scene and in pop culture, but it’s better than it was when I started performing— and we’re only going up from here!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a goofball! I love physical comedy, character work, dancing, and impersonations. I make my own costumes and music mixes and write and sing-song parodies. I’m also proud to be among the few drags I know who do stand-up comedy.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Oh my gosh… it takes a village. It takes a nation! I literally cannot go through 16 years of performance and try to name everyone— and I know that if I try, I’ll unintentionally leave someone out! So a shout out to every venue and producer who has given me a stage, both in drag and in stand-up. To every drag community that has embraced me, especially in Detroit, Louisville, and LA. To every promoter who has sponsored me in pageantry, and to the amazing teams who came with me to the competition. To friends and family for their support. To my drag brothers and sisters for lifting me up. And to the countless audience members who make the whole thing possible. I love you all.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/spaceekadett
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/spaceekadett
- Other: www.tiktok.com/@spaceekadett
Image Credits
Bohenne Arreaux/YUQ Studios Jazzy Byner Tony Lowe Abraham Ramos Watson Side Alan Joseph Marx
