Karen From Finance Releases New Single ‘Out Of Office’
Fresh on the heels of her final-four placement in RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Karen From Finance isn’t taking any time off to regroup. Instead, the much-loved drag performer is hitting the road in support of her fun and infectious new single and video Out of Office.
Speaking with the Star Observer from his home in Melbourne, Richard Chadwick, Karen’s alter-ego and creator, says the new project is “a great opportunity for me to bring fans and viewers into the world of Karen From Finance and show them what’s going on in my head; show them what my vision and fantasy is and invite them to come along into that fantasyland with me. I loved the process of writing and recording the song and doing the music video. I can’t wait to make more music. The intention is to start writing original songs I can incorporate into my live shows.”
‘I Don’t Get Bored Of Karen’
“I don’t get bored of Karen at all,” Chadwick says, when asked if it’s hard to keep the character fresh. “The more specific I get with her, the more enjoyment I get out of her. Even though I am sometimes boxed in by the character – I certainly was on Drag Race, in the real world it has actually opened so many doors. The more I massage out of her, the crazier and kookier it gets.”
Chadwick admits to being protective of Karen and her image, and his affection for her is obvious. “I know her limits and I love pushing them. I know what I can and can’t get away with.”
“The character came before I ever considered doing drag,” Chadwick says. “I based the name on a dress I found in a thrift store. Karen isn’t based on a person but on the idea of someone we all know. She’s a single, middle-aged, lonely office worker. She loves herself. She loves her job, she’s happy to go home and her life is very simple and basic. She loves her drink too. We all know that woman in finance and being able to play that is a lot of fun.”
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Drag Race Was An Opportunity To Push Drag Into The Mainstream
Chadwick says his primary motivation to do Ru Paul’s Drag Race Down Under, was “exposure and opportunity; not just for myself, but for the drag community and the queer community at large in Australia. I thought by participating in the Australian format of the show it was going to shine a light on what drag artists in Australia do. I hoped it would bring drag a little bit more into the mainstream in Australia, make it a little more popular, which would serve me well as well as the broader drag community.”
Where will Karen be in another five years? For Chadwick anything is possible. “I would love to see Karen headlining cabaret venues around the world. I would love to see her appearing as a correspondent on news shows, and TV shows and appearing in other reality formats. I just want to see her anywhere and everywhere making a fool out of herself and making people laugh.”
