Behind the Curtain with Sexy Galaxy
Welcome to the Drag King Corner. Let’s step off the stage and slip behind the curtain for an exclusive Q&A with Australia’s original GlamourBoi King — the legendary Sexy Galexy. Get ready to discover the story, inspiration, and larger‑than‑life persona behind the iconic character.
Sexy, in all the years I have known you, I never had the opportunity to find out how you first got started in drag. How did it all begin?
I had a very strong feeling that drag was what I was supposed to do - which was deeply inconvenient, because at the time I was painfully shy and insecure. So I dared myself to do it. Bit by bit, it changed my life. It made me braver. It slowly took away so much of my anxiety and helped me become someone who could stand in front of a crowd and actually enjoy being seen.
And we're very lucky that you succeeded. Was there anything else that motivated you to perform in drag?
Looking back, I can see I performed in drag because I needed to be seen. I needed acceptance. I needed to feel like I existed in a way that was big, bright and impossible to ignore.
I was adopted with my twin sister, and I grew up carrying complicated feelings around belonging, abandonment, being seen and being wanted. Drag gave me a way to turn invisibility into presence. It let me take all those feelings of not being seen, not being chosen, and not feeling enough, and transform them into character, comedy, glamour, confidence and connection. Drag didn’t just give me a stage. It gave me a voice.
“Drag didn’t just give me a stage. It gave me a voice”
That is such a moving response. Drag certainly is a very powerful art form. Over the last thirty years, drag kings have developed different styles and approaches. How would you describe your character’s style?
Sexy Galexy is pure glamourboi: camp, cheeky, sparkly, theatrical and just masculine enough. My style was deeply influenced by the drag queens and androgynous performers I saw in the ’90s. I loved the glamour, the detail, the makeup, the costumes and the drama - all of it. Sexy came from creating a king who could be beautiful, flamboyant, cheeky, camp, seductive and completely over the top. Sexy Galexy is old‑school showbiz, queer cabaret mischief, and drag queen glamour with Drag King swagger all thrown into a glitter cannon.
Now I’m curious - what’s the strangest or most unexpected thing hiding in your drag king toolkit?
There is always something strange in there. Sanitary pads - great for shoe padding. A juggling ball. Spirit gum. Tape. A Sharpie. Glitter that has been there since 2003. A bobby pin that has seen things.
I’m still smiling when I think about the juggling ball - it’s such a wonderfully unexpected detail. You’ve performed all over the world and continue to create these moments for audiences everywhere. Looking back, is there one moment as a king that feels especially close to your heart?
There have been so many, but one of the most powerful moments was creating Behind the Zip, my Drag King history exhibition for Sydney WorldPride 2023. It was not a normal stage performance, but it felt like one huge love letter to Drag King history and was incredibly emotional. It felt like saying, “We were here. We are here. And yes, some of us wore very questionable pants.”
You’ve become one of the most influential drag kings in Australia’s recent history. When you hear that, what does it mean to you personally - and how does it feel to know that your work has left such a lasting mark?
It feels deeply meaningful and humbling. I don’t take that recognition lightly, because I know how much work it took to get here. So to be recognised now as someone who has helped shape, push forward and preserve Drag King culture in Australia means a great deal to me. I feel proud, but I also feel a strong responsibility to honour the history, keep telling our stories, and continue making space for the kings coming through now.
Drag King Sexy GalexyPhotograph by Petez Imagez
Thank you for paving the way and doing so much of the heavy lifting for the drag king community. With such an extensive performance history behind you, what advice would you give to readers who are curious about stepping into the world of drag and becoming a drag king themselves?
Start before you feel ready. Nobody starts polished. Everyone starts somewhere - usually with a bad wig, a questionable song edit and the emotional support of eyelash glue.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. Learn the craft and how to recover when something falls off - because something will fall off. Support other kings. Go to shows. Cheer loudly. Share opportunities. Build the scene you want to be part of. Drag King visibility grows when we stop waiting to be invited and start creating our own stages.
That’s such valuable advice. To finish, is there anything you’d like to say to the people who have supported you, followed your journey and cheered you on along the way?
To anyone who has followed my work, come to a show, danced to my DJ sets, joined a workshop or felt inspired to try drag - thank you. You are part of the glittery little revolution. I’m still here, still creating, still learning, still mentoring, still causing trouble, and still proving that the future is king.
Wow, what an incredible person and drag king! Thank you, Sexy Galexy, for sharing your story, your wisdom and your wonderful energy with us.
You can catch Sexy Galexy performing across Sydney, including with Lips Inc, as well as interstate and internationally. Keep an eye out for this incredible king and the magic Sexy brings to every stage.
Long live drag kings!
