Drag Is Magic
| Drag Is Magic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EPby | ||||
| Released | May 17, 2019 | |||
| Genre | Children's music | |||
| Length | 17:42 | |||
| Label | Producer Entertainment Group | |||
| Nina Westchronology | ||||
| ||||
Drag Is Magicis achildren'sEPby AmericandragperformerNina West,released by Producer Entertainment Group on May 17, 2019 alongside her comedy and political EPJohn Goodman,following her departure from theeleventh seasonofRuPaul's Drag Race.Music videos were made for both the title track and "The Drag Alphabet", with the former serving as the EP'slead single.Nina West promoted the songs on her similarly titled 2019World of Wonderseries,Drag Is Magic with Nina West,and in 2020 during theDigital Drag Festseries. The EP peaked at number nine onBillboard'sKids Albums chart.
Composition
[edit]
The EP has ten tracks, including five original songs "geared toward educating and entertaining children" and five interludes.[1][2]Nina Westhoped the songs would inspire young listeners to "dream big, be kind, and be their perfect selves".[3]She said of the collection of songs: "I always wanted to do a kids' album and have been writing it for the last ten years. This was really in my wheelhouse and I felt very connected and wanted to be a voice for children and family. I wanted to show that content created by a drag queen can be for anyone and consumed by everyone."[4]
In "Drag Is Magic", Nina West explainsdrag,singing: "What is drag? Drag is dress-up for girls and boys, and it's pretty hard to mess up. All you got to do is imagine what you want to be!"[1]Attitudedescribed the title track as a "sing-a-long ditty designed to encourage youngsters to love drag, dress up, and be themselves".[5]Nina West has said the song is "an opportunity for children to get creative and think outside the boxes us silly adults have crafted for them".[5]In "The Drag Alphabet", Nina West introduces "some of her favorite slang in the business" using the Alpha bet, with lyrics like "A is for absolutely" and "Z is for Zsa Zsa". She said of the song: "I have wanted to build a really solid foundation of a relationship in children's spaces for drag, and for drag entertainment to enter those spaces. So what a better way to revisit this idea and this topic than to start with the Alpha bet?"[6]Decider's Brett White called the song a "campy, fun, larger-than-life 'Drag Race' take on the ABCs".[7]
Other songs include "What Makes Us Shine", "The Reading Song", and "Go Big, Be Kind, Be You".[1][8]"The Kitty Girl County Spelling Bee (Interlude)" features fellowRuPaul's Drag RacealumnaeManila LuzonandVanessa Vanjie Mateo.[9]
Promotion
[edit]Nina West releasedDrag Is Magicas well as the comedy and political EPJohn Goodmanon May 17, 2019, following her departure from theeleventh seasonofRuPaul's Drag Race.[10]Drag Queen Story Hourprograms were a topic of debate in the United States around this time,[1][11]and drag performers were considering new ways to engage with younger audiences.[3]
In June 2019, the production companyWorld of Wonderannounced thatDrag Is Magic with Nina West,featuring songs from her EP and other comedic sketches based on 1990s youth programming, would premiere in September.[12][13][14]The EP inspired the series, which was part of the "Sickening Summer Series" by streaming serviceWOW Presents Plus.[15]In 2020, Nina West hostedHomeschool with Nina,a family-friendly half hour show featuring songs from the EP, as part of theDigital Drag Festseries.[16]
Music videos
[edit]The music video for thelead single"Drag Is Magic" starts with Nina West dressed as aMrs. Doubtfire-inspired nanny with a cardigan and glasses,[5][17]reading to four children. She turns on the kids' "favorite" video, which features Nina West in a bright pink dress and a variety of other costumes,[18]becoming a pirate, a princess, and a "trash-bag queen".[1]By the end of the video, the children are wearing costumes as well, appearing as pirates, police officers, and princesses.[19]AttitudeandPride's Rachel Kiley called the music video "almost too charming to bear" and "pretty damn adorable", respectively.[5][20]Kiley wrote, "It's catchy and clean fun for the whole family, and even adult fans who don't have kids are appreciative of the effort Nina is putting into both making family friendly drag as well as reaching out to kids who may already know that they want to do some exploring outside of gender norms."[20]Stefania Sarrubba ofGay Star Newscalled the video "the cutest".[8]
Nina West released a music video for "The Drag Alphabet" in February 2020. It features her teaching a group of seven children about drag using the Alpha bet; the group forms aconga lineat the end of the video.[6]Two of the children aredeafand translate the song's lyrics intoAmerican Sign Language,as Nina West wanted to give representation to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community at a friend's request.[6][7]The video was directed by Brad Hammer; Aurora Sexton served as art director and David Charpentier, Jacob Slane, Ryan Aceto, and Nina West (credited as Andrew Levitt) were executive producers.[21]
Reception
[edit]HuffPost'sCurtis M. Wong said the EP's songs have a "playfully educational approach",[3]and Rachel Kiley of Pride called the collection of songs "perfect, family-friendly fun".[20]Attitudedescribed the title track as "adorably heartwarming",[5]andLGBTQ Nation'sAlex Bollinger called the song and music video "super catchy".[22]Gay Star News'Stefania Sarrubba said that the song "Drag Is Magic" is "everything you wish you had listened to when you were a kid".[8]
Michael Cook ofInstinctcalled "The Drag Alphabet" "immediately infectious" and wrote, "The track is instantly catchy, with plenty ofDrag Racereferences that long-term fans will appreciate, along with some truly clever matches (I mean, in "The Drag Alphabet", what else would "D" stand for other than "Divine" )? "[21]Furthermore, he said that the team behind the song and its video created a "track that fits perfectly with the wonderfully inclusive brand that West has crafted".[21]
Track listing
[edit]Track listing adapted from theiTunes Store[9]with credits taken fromSpotify.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Up in the Attic (Interlude)" | Andrew Levitt,Ashley Levy, Kara Klenk, Mark Byers | 0:46 |
| 2. | "Drag Is Magic" | Levitt, Levy, Byers | 3:10 |
| 3. | "The Kitty Girl County Spelling Bee (Interlude)" (featuringManila LuzonandVanessa Vanjie Mateo) " | Levitt, Levy, Klenk, Byers | 2:48 |
| 4. | "The Drag Alphabet" | Levitt, Levy, Byers, Patricia Taylor | 1:37 |
| 5. | "A View from Space (Interlude)" | Levitt, Levy, Klenk, Byers | 1:56 |
| 6. | "What Makes Us Shine" | Levitt, Levy, Byers, Taylor | 1:47 |
| 7. | "What Is Reading? (Interlude)" | Levitt, Levy, Klenk, Byers | 1:07 |
| 8. | "The Reading Song" | Levitt, Levy, Byers | 2:03 |
| 9. | "The Best Thing You Can Be (Interlude)" | Levitt, Levy, Klenk, Byers | 0:59 |
| 10. | "Go Big, Be Kind, Be You" | Levitt, Levy, Byers | 1:28 |
| Total length: | 17:42 | ||
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USKid Albums(Billboard)[23] | 9[24] |
References
[edit]- ^abcde"Nina West Shows 'Drag Is Magic' in Kids' Music Video".The Advocate.Pride Media. May 22, 2019.ISSN0001-8996.Archivedfrom the original on May 24, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Smith, Reiss (July 9, 2019)."The Little Mermaid: 5 drag queens and LGBT faves who could play Ursula".PinkNews.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2020.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^abcWong, Curtis M. (May 21, 2019)."Nina West of 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Wants Kids to Feel 'Loved and Seen' with New Video".HuffPost.Verizon Media.Archivedfrom the original on September 8, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Daw, Stephen (May 10, 2019)."Nina West Talks Politics, Music & More Following Her 'Drag Race' Elimination".Billboard.Archivedfrom the original on November 12, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^abcde"Nina West teaches kids about drag with adorable new song 'Drag Is Magic'".Attitude.May 23, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on May 24, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^abcDaw, Stephen (February 25, 2020)."Nina West on Making 'The Drag Alphabet' With Kids, For Kids: 'Representation Matters'".Billboard.ISSN0006-2510.Archivedfrom the original on May 3, 2020.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^abWhite, Brett (February 25, 2020)."Nina West's" Drag Alphabet "Is a" Campy, Fun, Larger-Than-Life 'Drag Race' Take on the ABCs "".Decider.Archivedfrom the original on April 23, 2020.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^abcSarrubba, Stefania (May 22, 2019)."RPDR queen Nina West has dropped the cutest music video for kids".Gay Star News.Archivedfrom the original on July 30, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^ab"Drag Is Magic – Nina West".Apple Store.Archivedfrom the original on September 12, 2021.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^"Nina West Teases Two Upcoming Albums, Including One for Children".Pride.Here Media.May 13, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on May 24, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Duffy, Nick (May 11, 2019)."Drag Race star Nina West is releasing a children's music album".PinkNews.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2020.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Blichert, Frederick (June 28, 2019)."World of Wonder unveils drag queen-heavy summer slate".RealScreen.Brunico Communications.Archivedfrom the original on April 24, 2020.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Nolfi, Joey (June 27, 2019)."Yvie Oddly, Nina West, more Drag Race stars getting new reality shows".Entertainment Weekly.Archivedfrom the original on August 24, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^"Nina West getting her own television show".Columbus, Ohio:WSYX/WTTE.June 28, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on September 12, 2021.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Cook, Michael (April 8, 2020)."With Two Brand New Shows & A Podcast, Everything's Coming Up Nina West!".Instinct.Archivedfrom the original on September 12, 2021.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^"Nina West hosts 'Homeschooled With Nina' for kids".Columbus, Ohio:WCMH-TV.March 31, 2020.Archivedfrom the original on April 3, 2020.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^"Nina West teaches kids about drag in new music video Drag is Magic".PinkNews.May 22, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on February 14, 2020.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Moseley, Brittany (May 22, 2019)."Nina West Releases 'Drag is Magic' Music Video".Columbus Monthly.GateHouse Media.ISSN2333-4150.Archivedfrom the original on May 23, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^"Sashaying Their Way Through Youth".The New York Times.September 7, 2019.Archivedfrom the original on September 9, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^abcKiley, Rachel (May 22, 2019)."Nina West's 'Drag Is Magic' Is Perfect, Family-Friendly Fun".Pride.Archivedfrom the original on May 24, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^abcCook, Michael (February 26, 2020)."Nina West Spells Out the ABC's of Drag with" The Drag Alphabet "".Instinct.Archivedfrom the original on September 12, 2021.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Bollinger, Alex (May 22, 2019)."Nina West new children's song & video 'Drag Is Magic' is super catchy".LGBTQ Nation.Archivedfrom the original on May 30, 2019.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^"Chart History: Nina West: Kid Albums".Billboard.Archivedfrom the original on September 12, 2021.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
- ^Heap, Tim (February 19, 2020)."Exclusive: Nina West Talks All Stars and What American Queens Can Learn from 'Drag Race UK'".Attitude.ISSN1353-1875.Archivedfrom the original on September 12, 2021.RetrievedMay 22,2020.
