There is a common theme with the otherworldly contemporaneity of London-based drag entertainer and recording artist Virgin X. For their interview with TUSH we meet Drew Caiden, the creator of the burgeoning „unholy“ Virgin Mary. Think sexless, genderless, ultra-femme presenting alien-like cartoon with an appetite for anti-fascist, -patriarchal, and -corporatist vengeance.

Growing up in a small town in southern Oregon, virtually tucked in the backwoods, Drew confronts the dwindling sense of belonging, experiences with religion, and how living closeted led to transgressing social mores. Hence the affinity for villains, like Elvira or Maleficent as the 38-year-old enthuses. An apt reflection of Virgin X, who typically chants electronically charged, pop-anthems that broach the state of disparity and prompt joyous frolicking despite their serious subject matter. Virgin X’s debut EP, „The 4 Corners of X, “released amid the pandemic, explored the collective guilt of queer people on the brink of the Catholic institution; and the subsequent rage and rebellion that came in the wake of realizing the toxicity of such an environment for someone who was always “the other.” With their latest single, „Billionaires,“ the artist endeavors to grapple with sobering realities regarding the state of the world. Our interview and a first look at the music video can be found below.

T: How did Virgin come about; can you tell us a bit about her beginnings?

V: When I first moved to London, I went to drama school but the whole education process was kind of disheartening. I was seen as “an effeminate man”, and so it was made very clear to me that I would never get cast in leading roles unless I could appear straight and cisgender-which, in turn, meant hiding my non-binary identity from the institution that I knew wouldn’t accept it. I went on to work in a call center to get the bills paid while still pursuing a career in acting. But I didn’t fit into any of the boxes, though. Eventually, I decided to go with something that felt more natural. I had this idea based around the Virgin Mary for ages, rooted in my Catholic upbringing. I saw her as this kind of bratty teenage valley girl. I developed the character around this idea, and I started working in the cabaret and then the drag circuit, and suddenly this “idea” became my full-time job!

Ironically acting is what brought you here. 

Everything to do with Virgin sort of happened by accident, which I think is quite funny because I feel like I tried so hard to be a “serious artist” and never found success. Then I do something where I’m just like, oh, this feels good, and suddenly it’s paying the bills.

When did music come about?

I wanted to get into music for ages, but I myself am not technically a musician. I’m a trained singer, and I wanted to be a songwriter, but I just never had the chance to develop that as a craft. Then the pandemic hit, and I had quite some time on my hands. It really taught me the power of community too-  A few creatives that I was living with at the time decided to come together, and create for the sake of creating, we didn’t know what it would be, but we had time so why not! Those efforts culminated in becoming the EP ‘ The 4 Corners of X’, and now I’m working on releasing singles, and music has become my full focus creatively speaking.