Grizzly Kiki began in April 2014 as a pop culture and drag-centric podcast hosted by Robert Lechuga & Daniel Silva. We launched with recaps of RuPaul’s Drag Race and other reality programming. Shortly after releasing the first few episodes, we narrowed our focus to create a podcast that was unique in concept and would serve a community near and dear to us: DRAG QUEENS!!!!!!!!!!!!! The podcast is equal parts oral history and good old-fashioned kiki. We found that there were few platforms where Drag and Nightlife Artists could talk about their art and themselves in an open and honest way. Most of what is known about these artists comes from videos posted on the Internet or what they experience in bars and clubs. It was clear that there were stories to be told and shared with the world. Our mission is to create a comfortable and safe environment, where these artists can share their histories and experiences. Ours is a podcast that is meant to serve the drag and nightlife community by capturing the artists’ voices and making them available to the public. Grizzly Kiki is a program for drag enthusiasts, Drag Artists, and everyone in between. Listen and Join the Party!!
https://www.grizzlykiki.com/
Svetlana Stoli
"Svetlana Stoli is a demure delicate flower who has infused New York nightlife with all of the grace and opulence of the Russian Czars" said no one ever. Yes, she appears demure and is from Russia, but that's where such a statement would cease to be true. Instead, Svetlana uses her appearance to create a false sense of security. Her performances are well thought out interpretations of music and popular culture, seen through the skewed lens of her empty shot glass. It is a skill she has honed after years of studying the dramatic arts in her home country of Russia and as a Fulbright Scholar at Tulane University. She is a queen with Russian roots with a dash of Steel Magnolias, for that added Kick! After Svetlana moved to the states from Russia, she found herself studying musical theatre at Tulane and moved to New York shortly after graduation. Finding herself mesmerized by nightlife icons such as Peppermint and Sherry Vine, Svetlana soon picked up drag - an art she had dabbled in while at school in Russia - and began performing wherever she could. After her epic, and second ever, performance as Paula Deen at Our Lady of Saliva, she set the tone for what would be her drag persona. The woman she has created wears vintage pieces, veils, and little hats with feathers, but perverts the music she draws inspiration from to a level that far exceeds what bar patrons expect from a happy hour drag show. If you don't believe us, check out her self-written parody and video of Taylor Swift's "Welcome to New York," where Svetlana sings about what she is most familiar with in "Welcome to My Hole"