We're chatting with the Queen from Queens: Golden Mystique, who showcases the tease, glam, and contemporary sides of burlesque down the East Coast and up the West Coast. The mystifying Mx. Mystique is not only a member of the Candybox Revue but also an instructor with The Atlanta School of Burlesque.
From pre-show rituals to the behind-the-scenes hustle, read on to discover what it really takes to bring Golden's gilded gams to the stage!
What is the last thing you do before stepping on stage at a burlesque show?
I like to get my wiggles out and shake every part of my body. And I take all the deep breaths up until my music starts.
What skills outside of performing do you bring to your burlesque performances?
I hate to toot my own horn but I’m hilarious and personable. I always joke that I’m consistently a personality hire in my day jobs. I use my humor in my acts, even when I’m being super sexy and poised. My face and body are pretty easy to read on and off stage and it’s been such an advantage and a skill I consistently work on.
What continues to inspire your performances?
Music always inspires my performances. I’m not someone that typically does mixes because I see a full story in one song. I’m constantly listening to music, not just my playlists but I love going down rabbit holes and learning about new sounds and artists. My burlesque persona continues to inspire my performances as well. Golden has been through some personalities and styles over the years. And I never commit her to one way of performing, existing, and creating.
What might an audience member be surprised to learn about burlesque?
I NEVER want audience members to break the 4th wall- it takes away the sparkle! However, I’m sure they would be surprised to learn how much we develop ourselves as performers. We are our own costumers, makeup artists, choreographers, PR team, schedulers, everything. While we can hire folks to do these things individually, we still have full control and it can be exhausting.
I also think people would be surprised to know that a lot of us see our performances and our time on stage as a job. It’s not a big party (maybe once in a while), we’re stepping into a persona, entertaining folks for money, and then going home to decompress, process, evaluate and hopefully rest. I don’t see shows as personal time. We can talk and catch up backstage before and during each show but I wouldn’t call it any type of social shindig.
What are some tips for aspiring performers?
Learn your global, national, and LOCAL burlesque history. Avoid excessive purchasing and structure one or two acts at a time. Quality over quantity.
Breathe and slow down both on stage and in your journey. Burlesque isn’t going anywhere.
Headlining is not the be all and end all of your burlesque career. Create art you WANT to create.
If you want to compete - volunteer or attend competitions. You need to see what the standard/theme/judging looks like.
In terms of burlesque, what are you most proud of?
I have been fearless when it comes to speaking my mind in relation to burlesque. There’s always drama and hot takes and sometimes they’re entertaining (to me) but when it’s not, I have no issue calling someone in or setting strict boundaries. I often feel when you’re new in burlesque or if people don’t know who you are, mean girl behavior can impact your experience. I have never tolerated myself or others being treated unfairly and have given performers the space to feel heard.
I’m also proud of the relationships I have developed in burlesque throughout the years. I’ve been fortunate to have such experienced and loving mentors and I fully believe and practice passing that knowledge onto my peers. As a person who can barely retain necessary day to day information like, where is your child?, I’m grateful I’ve learned and remembered so much about burlesque.