LAGANJA ESTRANJA

BUDS DIGEST: HI Laganja. Big fan. Loved your original season on Drag Race. Thought it was so cool to have a cannabis queen representing. What was it like being a cannabis user during filming?

LAGANJA ESTRANJA: Well, it was definitely tumultuous, to say the least. Though cannabis at that time was not recreational here in California, I did have my medical license and I did provide that to the production prior to going into the competition. They let me know that it would not be allowed and that I would not be able to bring cannabis. So, I am a rule follower and I did not bring anything with me. It was disappointing too because I wasn't really allowed to wear a marijuana print. I wasn't really allowed to make a lot of references to something that I consider so ingrained in my brand. I feel like I did a really good job of opening the doors for that. We saw that in this last season with Jorgeous, who came out in a full marijuana outfit. Obviously there have been a lot of things that have grown more lenient. I'd like to think that I was the part of that change because I was so vocal about not getting to have my medicine.

BD: Is it still the case that queens are not allowed to be smoking during filming?

LE: No, they definitely are. I think they are even taking the girls on day trips to the dispensary to get cannabis. So, I definitely think it is a lot more pro-cannabis there at the production studio.

BD: It seemed like drinking alcohol was allowed so it’s nice to hear that they're embracing cannabis.

LE: Just so you know, drinking wasn't really allowed. We did get two drinks in Untucked, but that was really the only moment we ever were allowed to drink. I believe one day when we super threw a fit with production – we had an off day – and we were like, “Please give us alcohol. We're all adults.” They eventually did, but for the most part, you know, they wanted their contestants sober and not under the influence of any kind.

BD: That's kind of a reality TV practice sometimes, right?

LE: Right. Or it's the other where they get contestants drunk and use that against them. So, I'd much prefer what World of Wonder did than what a lot of companies do now, which encourages the overuse of stimulation.

BD: That's a great point. What was your first connection to cannabis? The first stoned moments you had.

LE: I first started getting stoned in Texas, which is where I'm originally from. I had a really good friend by the name of Lauren Glenn, who was known for being a pothead, but the reason I loved her was she was an all-A student; an incredibly talented dancer. So, she already kind of broke the mold for what in my mind a cannabis user was. I realized that with her, just because you smoked cannabis doesn't mean you forgot to pick up your sister after school, like a lot of the PSA’s that I grew up seeing. So, she would get me high before rehearsal and we would go into the studio and create amazing choreography. I remember going with her to Jack in the Box and getting 99 Cent Junior Bacon Cheeseburgers, which is still one of my favorite munchie meals. Back then cannabis was such an underground thing and something we weren't supposed to be doing, so a lot of my memories are kind of me being in fear and us having to sneak around to smoke.

BD: When did you feel that opened up for you? Was that moving to California?

LE: Definitely moving to California and getting my medical license really changed the game for me. I began to be really educated on the plant from talking to budtenders and going to these dispensaries. At that point I did have a license, so I never really felt like I was gonna get in trouble for this.

BD: There's a lot of anxious feelings that are associated with cannabis, especially back then, just because of the legality of it.

LE: Absolutely. And it's crazy because I definitely use cannabis to fight my anxiety. So to be given anxiety for doing something that actually helps me combat that is really kind of like an oxymoron. 

BD: Very counterintuitive. Can you tell me a bit about how cannabis might affect your creativity? 

LE: I think cannabis allows me to tap into my inner child and allows me to not judge myself every step of the way. Makeup is definitely something that I wouldn't say is my strong suit. I think I'm pretty good at it, but I don't consider myself a makeup artist by any means. And I notice for myself when I do get stoned, I'm a lot more likely to be creative or to try something that's a little bit risky or different that I might not try when I'm not medicating. I also think cannabis really inspires a lot of my music choices and the way that I really put together the full package for that night.

BD: Weed definitely opens my mind to all kinds of genres that I really wouldn't have gotten into otherwise.

LE: In the beginning of my career I was really determined on bringing “the strange” to the forefront, which is where I got my last name from: Estranja. I think cannabis really gave me confidence in performing something like a lyrical or contemporary number, which we don't often see a drag queen do.

BD: What flavor would you be and what flavor would you never be?

LE: I definitely would be a citrus flavor with a hint of tajine. I love a little spice with a sour kick. I would never be something that is sweet and savory. I don't like sweet potatoes. The only really sweet and savory flavor I do like is waffles and fried chicken, but for the most part, I just don't see myself being sweet and savory.

BD: Love that answer. Favorite musicians right now?

LE: Right now I am really into Sza’s new album. I think it's just amazing. It took me a second to get into it, I'll be honest. But now I am totally in love with it. I'm also really interested in this Israeli artist that I learned about while I was in Tel Aviv recently. Her name is Noa Kyrell. I actually performed one of her songs while I was over there. Her music is just really amazing and even though I don't know what she's saying, I can really feel what she brings to the table.

BD: I'll have to check her out! What about your favorite drag queen?

LE: Sasha Velour. I think she is such an incredible representation of our community, not only because she's beautiful and breathtaking on stage, but also because she is a real artist underneath it all. I find that she's incredibly intelligent. She's an Albright scholar. She's also spoken at the Smithsonian. So, to me as an artist, that's kind of what I'm aiming to be. I wanna be pop culture, I wanna be referenced and fun, but I also wanna have some real meat to back it up. I feel like she really provides that.

BD: Is there a drag queen that you like to get stoned with?

LE:  I have many drag queens I like to get stoned with, but one of my favorites is Latrice Royale. She's just an icon in our community and she's also like one mean blunt roller. We always have a good kiki when we smoke together.

BD: That's super cool to hear. Flowers or edibles?

LE: Flowers for sure. I definitely enjoy edibles. In fact, I have released my own edible before, but edibles for me generally make me very sleepy, so I love to use them at nighttime, but I'm not an “edibles and go see a movie” or an “edibles and go do a roller coaster ride” type of person. I find that with flower, I'm just a lot more able to regulate the way I feel and the pace in which I consume. So, I definitely prefer flowers over edibles. 

BD: Joints or pipes?

LE: I'm gonna say joints because I'm really lazy and I love a good pre-roll. I definitely grew up consuming cannabis out of pipes, so it does bring back some nostalgia for me, but ultimately I hate loading and unloading and cleaning the pipe. I just love a good old joint that's dipped in wax and rolled in kief.