Sasha Colby on the rise of her drag daughter Chappell Roan

This article is part of Harper's Bazaar'S Great motivators Pack highlighting the essential voices inspiring us in 2024.

When Chappell Roan started calling herself “your favorite artist's favorite artist,” fans of RuPaul's Drag Race knew exactly what she was talking about. The line was a reference to a viral moment Meet the queens, the video segment introducing each season's contestants, in which Hawaii-born, LA-based performer Sasha Colby describes herself as “your favorite drag queen's favorite drag queen.”

It wasn't just reality TV bluster. Colby had been performing for two decades at this point and had a well-informed and loyal fan base. She is loved for her confidence (“It's a mix of youngest child syndrome, being a Leo and delusional narcissistic nature,” she quips), which was clearly evident when she took on the challenge of being the first trans woman of color to become the first native Hawaiian to win Drag Race.

By mentioning Colby obliquely – and then yelling at her Fallon—Roan showed drag fans that she not only embraced the drag aesthetic, but that she truly cared about the medium. A few months later, she and Colby took the stage together in Seattle, and at the afterparty, Colby officially made Roan her drag daughter. Below, Colby describes what it was like to witness this major expansion of the Colby home.

Honestly, smoking a lot of weed gave me the idea “I'm your favorite drag queen's favorite drag queen.” My eyes were bloodshot Meet the queens, when you notice it. It wasn't in the show, but one of the things Ru said to me when I was on the runway was, “You're a drag queen's drag queen.” And that stuck in my head and I exploded just get it out.

Someone said: Did you write that yourself? I think, The writing? This just came out. Imagine the things I say that aren't captured on film!

So it was the day of the 16th season Drag Race The finale aired and I did my last show in Hawaii Stripped Tour. I just got painted and my agent said, “Oh my God, Chappell Roan just yelled at you at Coachella.” To be completely honest, my old ass, I'm like, “Who's Chappell Roan?” And then my friend says , who does my makeup: “Sister, we listen to her all the time. Before the name change, the Midwest Princess moment, you listened to her sad girl songs.”

I didn't really have time to let it sink in and I just left it alone. But then continue Fallon, She said it again and actually said, “That's Sasha Colby's line.” That was really cool for her to not only quote me, but then quote me. So I thought, Fine, I'll meet her. [laughs]

Luckily our managers had talked, so I went to a festival she was doing in Seattle. I gotta hang out backstage; They really took care of me. She came in maybe ten minutes before her set started and we were finally able to meet there. And then she said, “Do you want 'Hot to Go!' do?” with me? Do you want to come out?’ I said, ‘Yes!’ I didn’t go into drag for nothing, and who’s going to say no? Thank God I had learned the dance.

After that performance, we went back to her dressing room and hung out, and I thought, 'You have the energy of a daughter. You must be a Colby.' And so I immediately made her a Colby.

And then I got to introduce her at the VMAs. It was her first time working with dancers and a few of my friends danced for her. So it was really a nice reunion. I had so much fun just watching the stars backstage and sitting next to Paris Hilton.