Before her sold out show tonight at the Majestic Theater, Bianca Del Rio talked to the Dallas Voice about her fabulous life these days. Only, it’s a whole lot of work with her busy schedule. The RuPaul Drag Race season six winner is currently on the road with her Unsanitized tour, but that’s hardly all she’s up to. She talked about the tour, her Texas ties and what she’s learned about being an A-list drag queen.

DV: Welcome back . You seem to have quite the relationship with Texas. It was featured heavily in your first movie Hurricane Bianca, you even had questions from West Texas in your book Blame It On Bianca Del Rio. What’s the tee?

Del Rio: I came from the south in Louisiana. So whenever there was a hurricane, we ran to Texas. I think that’s where my relationship started. Plus, I’ll work anywhere. West Texas? Totally. I am not a picky queen.

DV: You have a book, movies, tours, a podcast. Is the hustle for you now easier or harder after Drag Race?

Del Rio: Well, I’ve always been a hustler, but it’s a different hustle now. Before the show I used to have a day job and did drag five nights a week. It was always work seven days a week. I’d do Fire Island just to pay rent. 

DV: And now?

Del Rio: The show was good timing for me. I was 37-38, so I knew what I didn’t want. The big misconception for most queens is that they think the show is going to make you a star. Really, it’s the platform and what you choose to do with it. I knew which avenues I wanted to go into. 

DV: Suffice it to say, that seems to be what makes you stand out among other DR winners.

Del Rio: You have to know that you’re not going to be big enough to start in Vegas and have people come to you. I knew I had to go to the people and I started touring. This is my fifth one. 

DV: And now you have sold out shows like the one tonight. 

Del Rio. People saw something in me and I worked with those people for bigger shows and more dates. I’m enjoying – and enduring – all of it. 

DV: With all the touring, certainly COVID was a snag in that for you.

Del Rio: I did now know what to expect after the past year. The pandemic hustle was intense, which is also how I like it. So there’s nothing to complain about. 

DV: You’ve been described as the Joan Rivers of drag. She was a queen of comedy, but also quite the hustler. 

Del Rio: That’s a huge compliment and that is how you last in this business. You’re only as good as your last gig. 

DV: You’ve had other tours where you headline but with other queens on the bill. How are those for you compared to a solo tour like Unsanitized?

Del Rio: Yeah, there are sometimes a handful of us traveling together. I try to lead by example. It can be challenging and not every day is hunky dory. But I better be paid the most – and of course, I have to do the most. 

DV: The pandemic quarantines probably led a lot of us to some extra happy hours at home. Instead, you came out with your own vodka. 

Del Rio: I did! Look, rarely do I put my name on anything and right now I have two things. A makeup remover and now my Holy Vodka. I don’t grow potatoes but I do drink. I have to!

DV: What’s next on  your horizon?

Del Rio: I’ll be returning to podcasting. We took a break while I’m on tour. After I finish this leg of the tour in Los Angeles I head out to the U.K. for tour of [the musical] Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. After that I have a lovely five-week sit down. Rarely do I say “No,” but that’s made life amazing for me. 

DV: What lessons are you learning these days?

Del Rio: Just to be grateful. This cultural reset has definitely made a lot of people feel that way. They are hungry for entertainment and tickets are selling very well. Ahem. We’re in this new renaissance of entertainment and how lucky I am that this is my job. The trick is to put my BS aside and entertain the masses. I can’t complain. I mean, I could, but you have to buy a ticket.

Bianca Del Rio performs tonight at 8 p.m. at the Majestic Theater. 

– Rich Lopez