Reykjavík Grapevine - jan 2020, Qupperneq 30

30The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 01— 2020Culture
Making Of An Artist
Agatha P.—yes, it’s pronounced like
you’d think, and yes, it’s genius—is
one of Iceland’s most beloved drag
queens. Created by the lovely dancer
Ásgeir Helgi Magnússon, Agatha is a
kooky, silly, sexy, and oddly flexible
character known for
her bizarre sense of
humour and contem-
porary dance skills.
But hold up: Agatha
is no bimbo, she’s also
a regular correspond-
ent for the Stóru Má-
lin and co-created the
hit show ‘Memoirs Of
A Valkyr ie,’ which
will have its f inal
performance at Tjar-
narbíó on January 10th. Here’s what
makes Agatha..well...P.
Sia
There is something so incredibly
magical in Sia’s music. And her
voice! OMG, she sings in a frequen-
cy that stirs everything up inside
of me—her music inspires, drives
and turns on the waterworks. Wa-
terproof mascara recommended.
I also love the fact that she places
a young contemporary dancer in
the foreground of all her perfor-
mances. Maddie Ziegler embodies
Sia’s music in such a raw, poetic
way. I get goosebumps just think-
ing about it.
Vala Matt
Vala Matt is a national treasure. I
grew up watching her on Stö" 2 and
I’ve always had great admiration
and respect for her.
She is creative, chic,
v e r y g l a m or o u s ,
and on the screen
she always comes
across as a lively yet
i nc re d i bly w a r m
persona who shows
so much interest in
people and their sto-
ries. She was a huge
inspiration for me
when I created my
on-screen character, serious an-
chorwoman Agatha P.
Makeup
I can watch makeup tutorials for
days and one of my all-time favour-
ite beauty vloggers is NikkieTutori-
als. She’s a Dutch girl bursting with
energy and love for makeup, plus
she is just so damn likeable. I love
trying out new things in makeup
but I find myself drawn to bright
colours that pop out, sparkles, and
GLITTER. My favourite brand by
far is Sugarpill. They make high
pigmented colourful palettes that
are cruelty-free and the majority of
their products are vegan.
Cartoons
I have a very vivid imagination and
I love seeking inspiration from car-
toons. The animated world is such
an amazing place without bound-
aries. The imagination gets to run
free and challenge the laws of na-
ture. I always strive ways to take
this into performances and push
the boundaries of what is “doable”
on stage. If Elsa can make it snow
with her frozen fingers, I must be
able to find ways to do it too.
Contemporary Dance
Contemporary Dance is objectively
the best form of dance and defi-
nitely a life-changing factor for
me. Being a professional dancer
is maybe somewhat of a poorly
paid profession but it’s a rich and
fulfilling lifestyle. I’ve toured the
world, worked with amazing art-
ists, and made beautiful life-long
friendships. One of my wonderful
friends from dance even ventured
on the journey into the world of
drag with me.
Wagner ‘Valkyries’
I love opera! It combines everything
I adore. Glamorous divas, over the
top makeup and costumes, and
beautifully overacted melodrama.
I have a freakishly soft spot for
the theatrical and my adoration of
this art form brought me to create
a drag theatre performance based
on Wagner’s Valkyries. Four drag
queens in full armour riding on
inflatable horses—what could go
wrong? Come see us in Tjarnarbíó
on January 10th. #shamelessplug

Valkyrie-Va-Voom
Swin% from the chandeliers
with dra% queen A%atha P.
Words: Hannah Jane Cohen & A%atha P. Photo: Art Bicnick
The 90s music video box is coming back in 2020
“If Elsa can
make it snow
with her frozen
fingers, I must
be able to find
ways to do it,
too.”
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