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Frock4Life
Studio album by
Frock Destroyers
Released11 December 2020 (2020-12-11)
Length23:25
LabelWorld of Wonder
ProducerLeland
Singles from Frock4Life
  1. "Her Majesty"
    Released: 25 November 2020
  2. "Big Ben"
    Released: 4 December 2020

Frock4Life is the debut studio album by the Frock Destroyers, released by World of Wonder Records on 11 December 2020. It includes "Break Up Bye Bye", which was performed by group members Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea and Divina de Campo as contestants on the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK. The song was a commercial success, peaking at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart and number 44 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart, with it leading to the recording of the album. Leland served as executive producer and the main songwriter. "Her Majesty" and "Big Ben" served as singles for Frock4Life in 2020; the former also received a music video.

Background and composition

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Frock4Life is the debut studio album by the Frock Destroyers, a group formed by drag performers Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea and Divina de Campo as contestants on the first series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2019.[1] The album has ten tracks, including six songs, three interludes and a bonus remix.[2][3] American singer-songwriter Leland served as executive producer and Frock4Life's primary songwriter.[1][4]

Attitude's Jamie Tabberer said the album has "Chromatica-esque anthems".[5] Nick Levine of The Independent said the "cheeky" vocal hook performed in unison by the trio on "Her Majesty" is reminiscent of the 1990s British female pop musical duo Shampoo, while he described "Big Ben" as "a Lady Gaga-style pop stomper about a man so well endowed he becomes a celebrity".[2] Billboard's Stephen Daw called "Her Majesty" a "tongue-in-cheek kiss off to those who would try to detract from the trio" with a chorus in which they "[declare] their rightful place on the throne of drag music".[6]

"Break Up Bye Bye" was originally performed by the Frock Destroyers during a girl group challenge on Drag Race, in which contestants were required to write and perform an original song. Lyrically, Baga Chipz alludes to anal sex in the song,[2] which was written by Leland and Freddy Scott.[7][8] MNEK served as a guest vocal coach during the girl group episode,[9] with him also being credited as a producer. The pop anthem sees Divina de Campo sing "repeated whistle tone notes layered into the chorus".[10][11]

Release and promotion

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Baga Chipz (left) and Blu Hydrangea (right) in 2023

Following Drag Race, the Frock Destroyers embarked on a three-stop UK tour. Shows featuring individual and group performances were held at Powerhouse in Newcastle upon Tyne, Cruz 101 in Manchester and the Nightingale Club in Birmingham, during 17–19 November 2019.[12] For Digital DragCon, an online event replacing RuPaul's DragCon LA in May 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Blu Hydrangea recreated the trio's performance of "Break Up Bye Bye" in isolation by impersonating Baga Chipz and Divina de Campo. Daniel Megarry of Gay Times complimented her work.[13]

Frock4Life was released on 11 December 2020 via World of Wonder Records.[1] "Her Majesty" had been released as a single on 25 November, along with the album's cover art.[14] The song received a music video, which features the trio on the set of Drag Race wearing Victorian fashion.[3] "Big Ben" was released as the second single in December 2020.[15]

Reception

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After the girl group episode of Drag Race aired, "Break Up Bye Bye" peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart and number 10 on The Official Big Top 40,[16][17][18] becoming the highest chart position for a drag group.[14][15] The song also prompted a petition for the Frock Destroyers to represent the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest to garner at least 10,000 signatures,[2][19] while it peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in the United States.[20]

Following the album's release, Levine called Frock4Life "witty and entertaining".[2] Sam Damshenas of Gay Times described "Big Ben" as "infectious" and "quintessentially British".[15] Christopher Rudolph of Logo TV's NewNowNext said "How's the Lighting?" is "really good".[21]

Track listing

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Frock4Life track listing[22][23]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Frockmatica 1"Leland, The Frock DestroyersLeland, Gabe Lopez, Freddy Scott0:37
2."Her Majesty"Leland, The Frock DestroyersLeland, Lopez3:22
3."Frockmatica 2"Leland, Gabe RealiLeland, Lopez, Scott1:00
4."Big Ben"Leland, RealiLeland, Lopez3:03
5."Fame Whore"LelandLeland, Lopez2:39
6."Frockmatica 3"Leland, Scott, The Frock DestroyersLeland, Scott, Lopez0:29
7."Frock4Life"Leland, Scott, The Frock DestroyersLeland, Scott2:59
8."How's the Lighting?"Leland, Scott, The Frock DestroyersLeland, Scott3:03
9."Break Up Bye Bye"Leland, Scott, The Frock DestroyersLeland, Scott2:31
10."Break Up Bye Bye" (Much Betta Remix)Leland, Scott, The Frock DestroyersLeland, Scott3:36
Total length:23:25

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "The Frock Destroyers announce debut album Frock4Life and debut single". Attitude. 25 November 2020. ISSN 1353-1875. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e Levine, Nick (11 December 2020). "Charting queens: How drag finally punctured pop". The Independent. ISSN 0951-9467. OCLC 185201487. Archived from the original on 16 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Robledo, Jordan (5 December 2020). "The Frock Destroyers have finally dropped the video for their latest single Her Majesty". Gay Times. London. ISSN 0950-6101. Archived from the original on 9 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  4. ^ Corner, Lewis (25 November 2020). "The Frock Destroyers release new single Her Majesty from debut album Frock4Life". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 7 December 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  5. ^ Tabberer, Jamie (10 December 2020). "Frock Destroyers Interview: 'We Were Made for Eurovision – We Would Break the Curse'". Attitude. Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  6. ^ Daw, Stephen (27 November 2020). "First Out: New Music from Rina Sawayama, King Princess, Arlo Parks & More". Billboard. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  7. ^ Nolfi, Joey (26 February 2021). "How RuPaul's Drag Race UK made 'UK Hun?' a hit that outsold Pink and Rita Ora". Entertainment Weekly. ISSN 1049-0434. OCLC 21114137. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  8. ^ @lelandofficial (31 October 2019). "Wrote 'Break Up (Bye Bye)' with the fab @freddyscott for @dragraceukbbc! The girls absolutely killed it and loved seeing @MNEK!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ "First celebrity judges Ru-vealed for second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK: Elizabeth Hurley, Lorraine Kelly, Sheridan Smith, MNEK and Jourdan Dunn". BBC News. 16 December 2020. Archived from the original on 19 December 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  10. ^ "The Vivienne and Divina De Campo respond to claims of 'unfair' Drag Race UK edit". Gay Times. 11 November 2019. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  11. ^ Munzenrieder, Kyle (16 February 2021). "'Bing Bang Bong:' How a Drag Race Song Became a Chart Hit and a Transfixing Meme". W. ISSN 0162-9115. OCLC 1781845. Archived from the original on 18 February 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  12. ^ Megarry, Daniel (5 November 2019). "RuPaul's Drag Race UK girl group Frock Destroyers are going on tour". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 27 November 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
  13. ^ Megarry, Daniel (5 May 2020). "Drag Race star Blu Hydrangea recreates Frock Destroyers performance in quarantine". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  14. ^ a b "World of Wonder Announces Frock Destroyers Debut Album 'Frock4Life'". BroadwayWorld. 25 November 2020. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  15. ^ a b c Damshenas, Sam (8 December 2020). "Frock Destroyers' new single is quintessentially British, and we're obsessed". Gay Times. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021. The pop trio ... made history with the single when it entered the UK top 40, becoming the highest-charting song by a drag group.
  16. ^ "Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  17. ^ "The Official Big Top 40 chart for 3rd November 2019". The Official Big Top 40. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  18. ^ Patterson, Denny (14 December 2020). "The Frock Destroyers Release Debut Album, 'Frock4Life'". Out Front. Denver. Archived from the original on 11 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2020. Receiving critical applause and praise, the song made herstory by hitting number three on iTunes and landed a spot on the U.K. Top 40 at number 10, becoming the first top 10-hit on the U.K. charts to be performed by a drag group.
  19. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race UK stars Frock Destroyers announce their debut album". Dazed. London. 25 November 2020. ISSN 0961-9704. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  20. ^ "EDM Music & Dance Songs Chart – November 16, 2019". Billboard. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
  21. ^ Rudolph, Christopher. "All Aboard Trixie Mattel and Katya's Party Bus for the 'Best Streamys Ever'". NewNowNext. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
  22. ^ "Frock4Life". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 10 March 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Frock4Life". Spotify. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
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