INTERVIEW: Brighton's blonde bimbo bombshell Darcey Nox on ballet background, performing at the Royal Opera House and Labubu looks
"I’m also a complete nerd and video gamer!"
Ladies and gentleman, theys and thems, welcome to the Brighton & Hove residents' community corner series celebrating our city’s bold drag artists and boundary breaking performers!
I wanted to create a series that goes beyond the glam with our legendary and local queer performers so we can all get to know them more because like Lady Gaga said on ARTPOP, "Do you wanna see the girl who lives behind the aura?" so erm, why not?!
This week, we’re joined by the bite sized blonde bimbo bombshell of Brighton: DARCEY NOX. If this is only the first interview of this centrestage series that you've stumbled across and you want to catch up on the others don't panic! You can catch up HERE.
Next week I'll be yakking with DJ and producer, Jack McNamara but it's all eyes on Darcey right now so let's dive in head first!🤿🌊
DALEYPOP: Heyyy Darcey I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and start to the new year?
DARCEY NOX: Hello! I did thank you, it is the first year I spent Christmas in my flat, it was honestly so relaxed. I had great food cosy films and snacks that could carry me through the coldest part of the year. My new year was less chilled as I was up in London doing a show with my best friend (Billie Gold) at the City of Quebec.
DALEYPOP: For anyone meeting Darcey Nox for the first time, how would you describe your drag persona in three words and how different is she from the real you?
DARCEY NOX: Well, I go by the bite sized blonde bimbo bombshell of Brighton.
I would say Darcey is a show girl that thinks she’s way sexier than what she really is.
She has the poise of a prima ballerina, the brains of a rocking horse and the confidence of a Jack Russell.
DALEYPOP: That description is art to be honest! What pronouns do you go by in and out of drag?
DARCEY NOX: Out of drag my pronouns are whatever you perceive me as, and that extends to my drag as well, but please don’t call me a bloke when I’ve spent at least an hour to look this good!
DALEYPOP: That's completely fair, where did the inspiration come from for the name Darcey Nox by the way and is there maybe a deeper meaning woven into it?
DARCEY NOX: Well, I moved back to Brighton 7 years ago after being brought up in Spain then living in London. I was asked to be in the alternative panto as a dancer where I met some of Brighton's most amazing drag and cabaret artists, due to my ballet background they all gave me the nickname Darcey after the great British ballerina Darcey Bussell and that stuck. And Nox is the Roman Goddess of night and darkness, now I thought why be a queen when you can be a Goddess.
DALEYPOP: Absolutely! That’s such a gorgeous origin story and it makes the name Darcey Nox feel perfectly earned and you're right, a Roman goddess of night and darkness is infinitely more powerful than just another queen. It really captures that sense of mystique, strength and otherworldly presence too, I love it. Drag can be glamorous, political, silly, emotional and sometimes all at once. What side of drag do you feel most drawn to?
DARCEY NOX: I would say that I’m drawn to all of the above, I hope to make people smile when they might be having the worst time at home. Spread as much love as I can with the view of drag is still a political movement and always will be until equality has been achieved for anyone under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. I have always looked up our history and I believe carrying on the legacy of previous artists is so important.
DALEYPOP: YASSSS. Is there a performance moment you’ve had on stage that still makes you laugh (or gives you the ick) when you think about it?
DARCEY NOX: Oh wow, there are so many performances that make me laugh still to this day. I recently dressed as a Labubu at the Charles Street Tap and the Queens Arms for Halloween....
Having people that have seen me as Darcey a (usually) put together glamour puss suddenly turn into a fuzzy yet busty blue creature will live in my mind rent free for years to come!
DALEYPOP: Where do you usually draw inspiration from?
DARCEY NOX: I draw massive inspiration from the Moulin Rouge show girls but more recently I have fallen in love with Sabrina Carpenter. I remember a good friend of mine showing me a video of her Short n' Sweet Tour where she slid into the splits and thinking “wow this is what I picture Darcey as in my head”.
still thinking about sabrina carpenter doing the SPLITS on the short n sweet tour pic.twitter.com/BhZfx0UeM4
— Sabrina Carpenter Spotify (@SpotifySC) December 27, 2024
DALEYPOP: Every drag artist has a “before drag” era, right?! What were you like before you stepped into heels and lashes?
DARCEY NOX: Before I slipped into the heels and put on the wigs I was once a ballet and contemporary dancer, I studied at Bird College and then after at the Rambert School of Ballet and contemporary dance.
@missdarceynox Just to prove that once upon a time I was a ballet dancer! . . . . . . #dragqueen #drag #gay #dragrace #rupaulsdragrace
♬ original sound - Darcey Nox
After I graduated I performed with various contemporary and ballet companies touring and performing on many stages such as Sadlers Wells and the Royal Opera House.
DALEYPOP: What’s one misconception people often have about you that you’d love to set the record straight on?
DARCEY NOX: How to spell my drag name.
It's D-A-R-C-E-Y N-O-X!
DALEYPOP: When you’re not in drag, how do you like to unwind and recharge after a busy run of shows?
DARCEY NOX: I really like to spend time with my friends, believe it or not a lot of my friends are fellow drag artists, where we do board game nights, shopping or just dinner out or round mine. I’m also a complete nerd and video gamer, when people are busy I’m just has happy being a hermit playing the latest new video game craze!
DALEYPOP: Brighton is full of amazing food spots, are there any restaurants you swear by or love recommending?
DARCEY NOX: I was recently introduced to a new restaurant and I am a bit obsessed with it, it is called Shaanxi on Preston Street. Being vegetarian of 10 years they do incredible Chinese noodles that cater to me and my non vegetarian friends, go try it.
Tell them Darcey sent you (they won’t have a clue who I am).
DALEYPOP: Oh my god, Billie (Gold) told us about that place too and I still haven't been but now I can say Billie AND Darcey sent me. Who's your crush of the day?
DARCEY NOX: My crush of the day has to be my partner who always keeps me on my toes.
DALEYPOP: What was the last thing you Googled?
DARCEY NOX: The last thing I Googled was how much a custom Brighton and Hove Albion football t-shirt would cost me that I’m intending to rhinestone-watch this space!
DALEYPOP: Oh wow I can't wait to see that, I might even want one now too. Do you have any new year's resolutions?
DARCEY NOX: I really want to start leaning how to drive we shall see if I’m any good at it, but I guess everyone has to start somewhere, right?
DALEYPOP: Very true! Where can our readers catch your next show?!
DARCEY NOX: You can find me all around Brighton, at the Queens Arms, Charles Street Tap, Marine Tavern to name a few as well as up in London, Cardiff and Edinburgh. Keep an eye on my socials where I post weekly where I will be! Thank you for having me Scene Magazine and I hope you have me back!
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