After a brief hiatus, The Spark Parade is back! To kick off our new season, we are joined by a literal legend, the Mother of Mothers and RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 winner, Sasha Colby. Sasha joins host Adam Unze to deep-dive into the album that provided her blueprint for survival: Janet Jackson’s 1997 masterpiece, The Velvet Rope.
In this raw and deeply personal interview, Sasha Colby opens up about her journey from Waimānalo, Hawaii, to the global stage. She reveals how she used dance as therapy to navigate family trauma and why Janet’s "gay-coded" interludes gave her a sense of belonging long before she found her community. From the nostalgia of Sam Goody listening stations to the revolutionary choreography of Tina Landon, this episode explores the intersection of art, identity, and queer joy.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Sasha Colby’s Early Inspirations: Discovering Janet Jackson at 13 and the magic of 90s record stores.
- Dance as Healing: How the "What About" performance at the VH1 Fashion Awards helped Sasha process domestic abuse and trauma.
- The Velvet Rope Legacy: Why this album remains the "Queer Bible" and a foundational text for sexual freedom.
- Radical Allyship: Janet’s fearless commitment to the AIDS crisis and the LGBTQ+ community in 1997.
- The Art of Longevity: Why Janet Jackson deserves her "flowers" for a career built on authenticity rather than chasing fame.
- Cultural Connections: Comparing the "explicitly queer" energy of The Velvet Rope to Beyoncé’s Renaissance.
About Sasha Colby:
Sasha Colby is a world-renowned drag performer, activist, and the winner of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 15. A Miss Continental 2012 titleholder, Sasha has spent decades as a leader in the trans and drag communities, known for her "Goddess" stage presence and mastery of contemporary dance.
About The Velvet Rope:
Released in 1997, Janet Jackson’s sixth studio album tackled depression, social issues, and domestic violence while blending R&B, trip-hop, and electronic sounds. Featuring the hit "Together Again," it is cited by many as one of the most influential pop albums of all time.
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Sasha Colby: @sashacolby
The Spark Parade is a podcast that dives deep into the films and albums that have inspired today’s creative icons. Hosted by Adam Unze, each episode features a unique conversation with an artist about their chosen film or album, and how it sparked their artistic journey.
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