Page 10 - Rolling Stone - India (December 2019)

Battle for From Bohemian Rhapsody
to the Season Three return
of The Crown (streaming
‘The on Netflix), queens are
ruling pop culture. But
who reigns supreme? We
Crown’ asked another beloved
queen, country artist and
RuPaul’s Drag Race All
Stars winner Trixie Mattel,
to decide.

T HE QU E E N QU E E N W I N N ER

Earlier this year, the The same report (which Brian “Old money is nothing like pre­iTunes
Fortune U.K.’s Sunday Times May disputed) said their bio­ rock­star money. Every time some
Amassed put Liz’s net worth at pic lifted the band’s career drunk person sings ‘Bohemian Rhapso­
$492 million. earnings to $584 million. dy’ at karaoke, Queen gets a gold bar.”

Elizabeth’s holiday address, now “Bohemian Rhapsody” hit the “Queen again. I mean, come on.
BELCHER/IMAGEBROKER/SHUTTERSTOCK; ALAN DAVIDSON/SHUTTERSTOCK; SHUTTERSTOCK; ALAN DAVIDSON/SHUTTERSTOCK;
Greatest broadcast via Facebook, YouTube, and charts in 1976, in 1992 (thanks Putting on a little red suit and
NEW AFRICA/SHUTTERSTOCK, 2; SHUTTERSTOCK, 2; TOMS KALNINS/EPA-EFE/SHUTTERSTOCK; SHUTTERSTOCK; ERIK PENDZICH/
Hit telly, draws about 8 million viewers — 12 to Wayne’s World), and green earrings and reading a state­
SHUTTERSTOCK; ALAN DAVIDSON/SHUTTERSTOCK; MAX MUMBY/INDIGO/GETTY IMAGES; ALAN DAVIDSON/SHUTTERSTOCK;
FROM TOP, LEFT TO RIGHT: ILPO MUSTO/SHUTTERSTOCK; GEORGES DE KEERLE/GETTY IMAGES; MAGNUS HASTINGS; SIMON
million fewer than her granddad’s did. again last year. ment? That ain’t shit to me, sorry.”
Her majesty is said to enjoy A rumor never denied: Freddie “OK, off the bat, maybe that [Queen]
Dietary four (!) cocktails per day, Mercury hired dwarfs with trays concept didn’t age well. The queen is
Preferences including a gin martini at lunch of cocaine strapped to their doing something a little more digni­
and champagne before bed. heads for a 1978 party. fied, which is day drinking.”
Elizabeth routinely rocks lime green Mercury’s wild costumes included a “Even when she was younger, the
Wardrobe and hot pink so her subjects can spot nod to the monarch: At the end of queen was serving these great,
her in a crowd. “I have to be seen to most shows, he donned crown and extreme, head­to­toe looks. Imagine
be believed,” she’s famously said. robe for “God Save the Queen.” being that old and that put­together.”

Charles was a dud, but he With their epic, proggy “Harry is funny. And he’s hot! I hadn’t
Famous gave us Harry, the “Party songs and operatic vo­ realized how strapping he was until I
Offspring Prince” who put an Amer­ cals, Muse are Queen for saw his wax figure at Madame Tussauds
ican in the palace. the 21st century. and was like, ‘Wow, he’s really a slice!’”

Per protocol, the queen did not In 1984, during the height of “Just lower the flag.
Questionable fly the Buckingham Palace flag apartheid, they defied a U.N. Who fucking cares. It’s
Decision at half­mast upon Princess boycott of South Africa to play a square of fabric! Girl,
Di’s death. Outrage ensued. a series of shows at Sun City. fuck that handbook.”

Britain’s longest­reign­ Mercury might be dead, “My prediction: Queen
Longevity ing monarch, at 93, but that hasn’t stopped becomes like the Beach
until recently even Queen from touring...with Boys. Eventually there’ll
drove her own car. Adam Lambert. be no original members.”
SHUTTERSTOCK Verdict “Of course we stan the queen of “[Speaking] as a gay person, a musi­ “The queen probably listens to Queen
as her pastime. She’s got this hair over
cian, a drag queen, Queen was paving
England because she’s defying ageism
her ears and these hats on because she
the way for so many of us in so many
and misogyny. She’s had that job since
ways, and still are, every single day.”
has AirPods in. Complete badass.”
the day she was born. Good for her.”
would let me,” he says. “We made really good “Luke would — landed him a record deal with Columbia “I’m the best I’ve ever been. And being 29
money, especially for college kids. I knew I walk offstage, Nashville. 2017’s This One’s for You went double now, I’m more comfortable in my skin. I’m not
could have stayed there and done that forever, put in a dip, platinum, and he was nominated for Best New ashamed of any part of my personality. I know
but I wanted something more out of it.” He get a Jack Artist at last year’s Grammys. who I am.”
dropped out of college and moved to Nashville and Diet, Combs had a difficult time adjusting to his The best part of success, Combs says, is
in 2014, promoting himself by posting six- and he’d take new career at first: “I was so busy, I didn’t get to having the opportunity to boost the careers of
second song clips on the social media app Vine. pictures from see any of my friends or my fiancée as much as I his friends — like his frequent co-writers Ray
His crowds got bigger, and he’d make a point 45 minutes wanted to. She was still working full time. I didn’t Fulcher and Rob Williford — who have become
to spend hours after each show mingling with to two hours,” get to see my parents. Those were trying times for in-demand songwriters in Nashville after
fans. “Luke would walk offstage, put in a dip, Combs’ co- me. It was a wild time.” He wrote a song about scoring hits with Combs. “Me giving my friends
get a Jack and Diet, and he’d take pictures from that loneliness, “Dear Today,” which appears on the ability to achieve their dreams, that’s the
45 minutes to two hours,” says his co-manager manager his just-released second album, What You See thing for me,” he says. “That’s what brings me
Chris Kappy. Combs’ 2016 song “Hurricane” — Chris Kappy Is What You Get, one of the most anticipated joy. I’m not a stuff guy. Don’t get me wrong, I
a plainspoken breakup ballad that compares says of the country releases of the year. “I’m great now,” like having a nice truck and everything, but I
seeing a former lover to a devastating storm star. Combs says, describing his adjustment to fame. don’t want a fleet of Rolls-Royces.” JOSEPH HUDAK

10 | Rolling Stone | December 2019