5 Things We Learned... Amanda LaGrande
AMANDA LAGRANDE, PERFORMER
AMSTERDAM, NL
Amanda LaGrande is a French drag queen who reigns supreme in lively Amsterdam. At Culture A, we like to celebrate art in all of its mediums and glories, so it’s a true pleasure to feature Amanda as a performance artist, makeup artist, and hairstylist (she happens to take care of my locks too). Charming, attentive, and quick-to-laugh, Amanda draws you in with her relatability, even though you know the star quality is pulsing beneath. If you’re vaxxed and feeling fancy-free, don’t miss the upcoming Cocktail Walk Pride Edition, July 23-25, where Amanda will be performing in all of her glory.
Here are 5 Things We Learned about Amanda.
What made you...you?
What made Amanda LaGrande who she is now is the need to express and share differences, but most importantly, to celebrate them. Growing in a small part of the East of France, I was always the nice, but different kid. Obviously, when you start your Drag journey, the glitz and the glam are some of the motivations, but also getting people together and offering them a moment outside their daily lives. Drag gave me the confidence I needed, being part of a community but also being an image of the LGBTQIA+.
When are you happiest?
I am happiest when I am sharing a moment. It can be with a crowd full of people during a show and I'm able to express an emotion, something I went through or something related to what's happening in the current society. It can also be a one-on-one moment with someone, educating people on why what we do is so important.
Would you rather have a muse or be a muse?
Honey...that question seems overrated for a Queen like me.
All jokes aside, inspiring people to be their true selves and to find the courage to be a "hero" by being Amanda LaGrande is truly amazing. Let me give you my definition of a hero: someone who steps outside their house in something other than a t-shirt and jeans.
Who do you admire?
I admire my mum and my grandma, the women that raised me, for their strength and for putting others before themselves. I also admire every human who believes in their dreams strongly enough to achieve them.
What is important?
Believing in yourself to start with. Once you are truly in love with yourself and with what you do, the sky’s the limit. What's also important is awareness and education. I try to bring the Art of Drag to places you would not usually see it. Not to provoke, but to educate and inform. Visibility and Respect: that's what's really important.
Check out Amanda LaGrande’s work here
Credits from left to right: Adam Ouahmane - Chicago; Thomas Evans - New York; Jelle Pieter de Boer - Amsterdam; the rest of images credited to Amanda LaGrande