Life Be Lifin', and Monét X Change is living for it

New life lessons and additional years working as a drag artist have deeply informed the tone and humor that Monét brings to the Life Be Lifin' tour — a comedy show written by Monét and directed by fellow Drag Race superstar BenDeLaCreme.

"Before I started the process of developing this show, I had seen Ben's shows — like Cosmos and Ready to Be Committed — and they're so brilliant," Monét explains. "I was like, 'Ben, can we have lunch? I just want to talk to you about your process of writing a one-woman show.' So, we talked, and a few days later, Ben was like, 'Monét, I want to collaborate with you on this; I would love to direct you in the show. Would you be interested?' And I was like, 'Yeah!'"

Monét praises Ben as a collaborator, noting that she felt at ease during their entire creative process while working on Life Be Lifin'.

"Her mind is so brilliant," Monét adds. "She's so smart, and she's really, really, really good at art. I had this crazy process of writing down all these personal stories, and when I thought I wrote enough, she was like, 'No, write some more.' I was just writing and writing and writing. And then we worked together! She directed me, and it ended up becoming this beautiful, cathartic experience of love and life, and what life be doing, which is lifin'. I'm so happy to have her be a part of it."

Generally, Monét describes Life Be Lifin' as a "coming-of-age story of a young, queer, Black boy from Brooklyn [where] I talk about very intimate moments with frenemies, bullies, and finding my voice in this world, both literally and figuratively."

Since finding a voice that can sing opera, deliver jokes, host podcasts, make one feel instantly at ease in an interview, and speak up for the right causes, Monét has become one of the hardest-working Drag Race stars in the world.

"I've always been a workhorse. I've always liked to work," she says. "Of course, we all get tired, and we all feel frustrated, but… even in the last few years, I never really coined myself or called myself a multi-hyphenate. It's a word that people use to reference me, and I'm learning to accept that. Inside, I always feel like there's more work to be done. There's always something to make it better, and to make me be the best, or whatever that means."

Monét goes on, "I know I'll never be the funniest person, I'll never be the best singer, I'll never be the best storyteller… but I know that I can try, and do my best at those things and be okay with the end product. I want to try all these things, and do all these things, because I just really love art. To have this thing of drag, all these wigs and shoes behind me, to have this vehicle to help me access all these different art forms, I'm so grateful for it. Not a lot of people get to experience it all."

In some ways, Monét isn't thrilled about the different ways that drag artists are viewed when doing similar (or, sometimes, better) work as their non-drag counterparts. "There's this hesitance that people are afraid of, or don't think about, that drag queens can compete with other contemporaries in the same space — whether it be comedy, or music, or acting."

"I know drag queens who are amazing actors," she notes. "Why aren't they at the Oscars? Why aren't they being nominated for Emmys? Why aren't they series leads in shows? Why not? I think the general public… they're just afraid of how bright we can shine, to be honest."

Monét concludes, "I think it stems from an othering, like being scared of what queer artists can do. But I'm here to tell them that we're just as fierce, and just as valid. We can do it all, just as big, and shine just as bright, as they can."

For tickets and more information about Monét X Change's Life Be Lifin' tour, visit Obsessed. You can also subscribe to Monét's new chat show, Monét Talks, streaming weekly new episodes on YouTube.