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Vagina (album)

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Vagina
Studio album by
Alaska Thunderfuck
ReleasedMay 24, 2019 (2019-05-24)
GenreComedy
Length42:11
LabelProducer Entertainment
Alaska Thunderfuck chronology
Poundcake
(2016) 		Vagina
(2019)

Vagina is the third studio album by American drag performer Alaska Thunderfuck, released by the record label Producer Entertainment Group on May 24, 2019. The album's surprise release was announced by Alaska in a television advertisement which aired during the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race. The album's songs were then heavily promoted in her appearance at RuPaul's DragCon LA and during the debut of her new drag pageant. The song "Cellulite" features rapper Big Dipper, and music producers Jodie Harsh and Ellis Miah each contributed to a track. The album reached a peak position of number two on Billboard's Comedy Albums chart.

Development and composition

Alaska Thunderfuck at RuPaul's DragCon LA in 2019, where she wore a leopard print outfit to promote her song "Leopard Print".

Vagina is Alaska Thunderfuck's third studio album, following her debut Anus (2015) and follow-up Poundcake (2016). She wrote some of the music in a cabin in the woods while also collaborating with Jeremy Mikush for their 2018 studio album Amethyst Journey, as musical duo Alaska and Jeremy.[1]

Alaska titled the album Vagina in keeping with a theme of "movement through the chakras of the body".[2] She stated that there was no alternative to the title: "I'm just personally much more into vaginas than I am into dicks – I think they're prettier. So we called it that."[3] Alaska had wanted to name her second album 'Vagina', but the title didn't match the songs.[4] She has also said of the album's title:

My first album was Anus, and the next chakra above that one is the genitals. Naturally, the vagina, the portal of all life, and the passage through which every human being comes into being was the only choice for the album title. In the wake of the current political climate, where women's bodies are being regulated and controlled by men, I think the title grabs people's attention and it's a little dangerous. I like that.[2]

In contrast to Alaska's previous albums, Vagina does not feature fellow RuPaul's Drag Race alumnae as guests.[5] Tomas Costanza co-wrote several tracks. Rapper Big Dipper is featured on the track "Cellulite", and record producers Jodie Harsh and Ellis Miah contributed to "Drip" and "Snaked", respectively.[6]

Alaska stated that Vagina is "a return to form" of her earlier work, with "Hard electronic beats, songs about taboo body parts and lewd sexual acts, some total nonsense, and of course lots and lots of swear words." She expressed faith that listeners would absorb the deeper meaning through the "filth and frivolity" of the lyrics.[2] She told Digital Spy the album's content is about "getting wasted and body parts that you can't talk about on TV" because "I love those things".[3] Alaska has dedicated the title track "to all women everywhere – whether they have a vagina or not".[1] The song "Pride" reportedly "held a lot of resonance" with Alaska, who called the LGBT movement "essential".[3]

Release and promotion

Alaska announced the release of her album Vagina in a television advertisement which aired on May 24, 2019,[7] during the reunion special of the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race. The album's release that same day was unexpected and preceded her appearance at RuPaul's DragCon LA as well as the May 26 debut of Alaska's inclusive Drag Queen of the Year Pageant.[5][8][9] Referencing her song "Leopard Print", Alaska wore a leopard print dress, headband, and gloves to RuPaul's DragCon LA, where she was accompanied by four "minions" who wore "leopard print bodysuits that fully covered their faces".[5] During the pageant, hosted by Jackie Beat, the album was heavily promoted and tracks were previewed throughout.[10] Queens and audience members wore leopard print in recognition of her lyric "everything must be leopard print".[5][11]

Reception

When the album was released, Christopher Rudolph of NewNowNext wrote, "fire up the barbecue because your Memorial Day weekend soundtrack has arrived!", and said songs like "Leopard Print", "Everybody Wants to Fuck Me", and "Pride" were "instantly classic".[2] Instinct's Jeremy Hinks wrote that "Drag Queens are an art unto themselves" and that Vagina demonstrates Alaska "is the essence of the art form" and that "brilliance can be seen in her satire". He said the album "[took] every gay stereotype and [pumped] it full of fluff and steroids", and asserted "Leopard Print" is "making fun of things that would usually bother people with a gay stereotype".[12] MTV News' Evan Ross Katz suggested the songs were a lyrical improvement over those on Anus.[5] The album peaked at number two on the Billboard Comedy Albums chart.[13]

Track listing

Track listing adapted from the Apple Store and Spotify.[6][14]

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Vagina"Justin Honard, Paul Coultrup, Tomas Costanza3:28
2."Leopard Print"Honard, Coultrup, Costanza3:08
3."Everybody Wants to Fuck Me"Honard, Coultrup, Costanza3:32
4."Walk into the Club"Honard, Coultrup, Costanza3:26
5."Getting Kicked Out (Of Micky's on a Monday Night)"Eren Cannata, Honard, Koil PreAmple, Vito Fun3:44
6."Cellulite" (featuring Big Dipper)Honard, Coultrup, Costanza4:03
7."Drip" (Jodie Harsh Mix)Jodie Harsh, Honard2:57
8."Snaked" (Ellis Miah Mix)Ellis Miah, Honard3:41
9."Frances"Honard, Coultrup, Costanza3:05
10."Pride"Honard, Coultrup, Costanza4:04
11."Twisted"Honard, Coultrup, Costanza3:15
12."The Land of the Midnight Sun"Honard, Coultrup, Costanza3:48
Total length:42:11

Charts

Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Comedy Albums (Billboard)[13] 2

References

  1. ^ a b Abad, Paolo (August 20, 2019). "'Drag, beauty, fashion, glamour': An interview with 'Drag Race' superstar Alaska Thunderfuck". Rappler. Archived from the original on November 30, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d Rudolph, Christoper (May 24, 2019). "Alaska Pulled a Beyoncé and Surprise-Dropped "Exciting" New Album, "Vagina"". NewNowNext. Logo TV. Archived from the original on May 7, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c Ross, Charley; Maidment, Adam (February 8, 2019). "Drag Race star Alaska Thunderf**k responds to Strictly Come Dancing's Michelle Visage rumour". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on December 31, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  4. ^ Jones, Daisy (November 16, 2016). "This Month's Best Music, Reviewed by Alaska Thunderfuck". Vice. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  5. ^ a b c d e Katz, Evan Ross (May 30, 2019). "How Alaska Thunderfuck Is Creating Safe Spaces for Queens, Femmes, and Everyone". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Vagina: Alaska Thunderfuck". Apple Store. Archived from the original on October 4, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Addison, Herron-Wheeler (May 24, 2019). "Alaska 5000 Just Surprise-Dropped a New Record". Out Front. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Haley, Brendan (May 25, 2019). "Alaska Surprises Fans With a Brand New Album". Pride.com. Here Media. Archived from the original on May 25, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  9. ^ Tracer, Daniel (May 24, 2019). "Alaska drops surprise album just ahead of her debut drag pageant". Queerty. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  10. ^ Baume, Matt (May 30, 2019). "Alaska's New Drag Competition Proved That Gender-Inclusive Drag Is Better". Them. Condé Nast. ISSN 1062-7928. Archived from the original on November 8, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  11. ^ Street, Mikelle (May 28, 2019). "This Is the Queen That Won Alaska's Drag Queen of the Year Pageant". Out. Pride Media. ISSN 1062-7928. Archived from the original on March 15, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  12. ^ Hinks, Jeremy (October 8, 2019). "Alaska ThunderF*#K YEAH!!!!! She Enlightens Us About Her Early Days, Career, and Inspirations". Instinct. ISSN 1096-0058. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Chart History: Alaska Thunderfuck: Comedy Albums". Billboard. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original on February 3, 2020. Retrieved May 22, 2020.
  14. ^ "Vagina by Alaska Thunderfuck". Spotify. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
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