Image disclosure Instagram @canaldragbox
Visual Id @joseffersson
Thairone Cavalcanti and Eduardo Kunst, known as Tatá M. Shady and Olive Oil, are the creative duo behind the Brazilian YouTube phenomenon, the DragBox channel. Since March 2019, they have been captivating viewers with their irresistible blend of drag queen art, pop culture, and entertainment. In an exclusive interview, Thairone and Eduardo reveal how it all started as a fun joke and transformed into a overwhelming passion. With hilarious videos and commentary on RuPaul's Drag Race, they have gained a devoted fan base craving for more. Now, they are ready to surprise us even further with future projects and remind us of the importance of following our dreams and loving ourselves. Get ready to embark on a journey filled with glitter and empowerment alongside these stars of drag queen art and pop culture. Welcome to the magical world of the DragBox couple.
Confira entrevista exclusiva:
1. How did the idea of creating the DragBox channel come about, and why did you decide to focus on topics related to drag queen art and pop culture?
It all started as a big joke. Tatá used to do drag and invited me (Olive) to give it a try and see what I thought, and I absolutely loved the experience! We gradually developed a fondness for the drag world, makeup, and related things, and that's when we decided to create the channel, to give some "purpose" to our drag personas. Since we were getting into drag every week, why not film videos for YouTube while in drag, right? Haha.
In the beginning, the channel started with videos commenting on the reality show RuPaul's Drag Race, which has always been a huge inspiration for us. We also shared a bit about our own experiences, always in a humorous way. But I can say that there was never a big plan regarding the type of content we would cover on the channel. Everything happened very naturally, following our hearts. This is how our most successful segment, "EAD com Dragbox," was born. It came about after a random conversation during a Drag Race review, discussing the metamorphosis of a butterfly, which ended up going viral on the internet.
2. How did you two meet?
The first time we saw each other was at a karaoke night in João Pessoa, the city where we lived. We exchanged glances, but neither of us had the courage to make a move. Luckily, the next day we found each other on a dating app and matched. We were very fortunate because Tatá had already left João Pessoa and returned to her hometown in the countryside. However, her profile miraculously appeared to me, and we were lucky enough to have that match.
Image disclosure @canaldragbox
3. How do you choose the themes and content to be covered in your videos?
There are two ways we choose the themes for our videos. One of them is through the channel's recurring segments, which we do at least once a month. Examples include "EAD com Dragbox" (Learning with Dragbox), "Desmontando" (Unveiling), "Fofocas dos Inscritos" (Subscriber Gossip), "Quadro Culinário" (Cooking Segment), and so on. As for the non-recurring videos, we usually choose topics based on events or viral videos that happened during the week. If there's a funny video going viral, we always think of a script to create a video around it.
4. What has been the most memorable moment since the creation of the channel?
There have been many memorable moments, but without a doubt, it was our participation in CCXP 2022 (Comic Con Experience). We were aware that our audience had grown, that there were people who liked us, but it was at that event that we realized the magnitude our work had reached. We had been recognized by fans on the street before, and it was always a great experience, but at CCXP, it was something surreal. We had never had so much interaction with people who follow our content and appreciate us for who we are, and that is incredible.
Image disclosure @canaldragbox
5. What are the biggest challenges you face in managing a YouTube channel?
There are some challenges, just like in any other job. It's not always smooth sailing. But undoubtedly, dealing with numbers is something that messes with our heads. Nowadays, we make a living from this, paying our bills with our work on the internet. So, the fear of not producing relevant content is always present because we're afraid of losing everything we've built. We're a bit more at ease with this now, and we've even brought up this topic in our therapy sessions, but it's still something we worry about.
6. What are the future plans for the channel? Any special projects in mind?
We have an incredible project coming up called "EAD com Dragbox Ao Vivo" (Learning with Dragbox Live), where we'll have the experience of answering questions from our followers in real-time. We're still finalizing the details, but very soon we'll have more information about the location and format of the event.
Image disclosure @canaldragbox
7. What are the main messages you want to convey to Dragbox viewers?
Joy and love. We live in a world that can be quite chaotic, where people are increasingly anxious and depressed. So, knowing that our content also serves to bring comfort to people's hearts and make their day happier is priceless. We also like to make it very clear that we are a couple and always bring videos with that theme to soothe people's hearts and show that love does exist, and we can find someone who understands and accepts us just the way we are.
8. How do you believe Dragbox contributes to breaking stereotypes and prejudices regarding the LGBTQIAPN+ community?
Currently, we have a very inclusive language within the channel, reaching audiences of all ages, from the youngest to the mothers and grandmothers of families. By entering the homes of Brazilian families in such an organic way, it is very important to break barriers. Sometimes, by watching us and enjoying our content, more conservative people start to understand how things work better and become more open to understanding other people within our diverse community. They start to respect and appreciate them more.
Image disclosure @canaldragbox
9. Leave a special message for our readers, any message you believe is necessary.
It's never too late to start over. We started the channel after already choosing our courses and careers, but none of that was an obstacle for us to dive into this new adventure that has now become our biggest dream.
Comments