Christeene is the stage name of Paul Soileau, an American drag queen, performance artist, singer-songwriter and rapper. Christeene is noted for untraditional, "terrorist drag," which features her wearing torn-up clothing, stringy matted black wigs, and heavy and smeared makeup with aims to expose hypocrisy and intolerance.[1]
Christeene | |
|---|---|
 Christeene performing in 2015. | |
| Born | Paul Soileau |
| Other names | Christeene |
| Occupation | Drag performer |
| Website | ChristeeneMusic.com |
Early life
editChristeene is a character created and performed by Paul Soileau. Paul grew up in Lake Charles, Louisiana.[2] He attended Loyola University New Orleans. Following college, he lived in New York City and New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina, Soileau moved to Austin, Texas.[2]
Career
editChristeene is Soileau's second drag character, his first being Rebecca Havemeyer, who is similar to Barry Humphries' Dame Edna. "When Christeene came out of me," said Soileau, "I was searching for something that had the action of a switchblade in my pocket -- a character I could really put on quickly, but affect people in a much stronger way. Something strong enough to channel things inside of me that needed to come out -- more aggressive things. When everything aligned properly, Christine [sic] kind of just appeared. I found the wig and went to town... Both characters speak honestly from within me, but Christeene addresses issues that Rebecca does not. There's a lot of political and social commentary going on. It allows me to try to process and understand me, Paul -- as a queer, a Southern boy. Someone understanding my environment and my own social realms. I can push it out through this Christeene character."[3]
Christeene's first public appearance was at Camp Camp, a queer open-mic show in Austin, Texas.[4] In 2011, Christeene was a resident at the CentralTrak Artist Residency in Dallas, TX.
For his debut album Waste Up, Kneez Down, Christeene started a successful Kickstarter campaign, meeting her goal of $10,000.[5]
Christeene contributed to the 2012 art magazine Satanica, which was printed in a limited edition of 350 copies. Other contributors included Bruce La Bruce and Michael Alig.[6]
Music
editChristeene's music videos are made by filmmaker PJ Raval.[7] The final budget for each music video is around $200. For Christeene's first music video, "Fix My Dick", Raval borrowed a camera and they spent "about $20 on baby props from a thrift store." They finished the video in one day.[2] The music video for "African Mayonnaise" was nominated for a SXSW Competition Award in 2012.[8] Paul Soileau was an artist-in-residence in 2012 at CentralTrak.[9]
He and PJ Raval developed new work for an experimental collaborative project entitled, "The O.T. (Old Testament)", giving Christeene a brief and much needed vacation.[citation needed]
Artistry
editChristeene describes themselves as a genderqueer "drag terrorist,"[10] and is influenced by Jayne County and Bruce LaBruce's use of non-heteronormative gender roles and sexuality.[11] Chelsea Weathers of Art Lies compared Christeene's "drag terrorism," sexual and racial commentary to Vaginal Davis: "the reflection Christeene offers includes the necessarily unsanitized underbelly of queer experience—the ambiguity of identifying as queer and the anger and humor that is part and parcel of that experience."[12]
Discography
editAlbums
edit- Waste Up, Kneez Down (2012)
- Basura (2018)
- Midnite Fukk Train (2022)
Music videos
edit| Song | Year | Director | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Fix My Dick" | 2010 | PJ Raval | [2] |
| "Slowly/Easy" | |||
| "Bustin' Brown" | 2011 | ||
| "Tears from My Pussy" | |||
| "African Mayonnaise" | 2012 | ||
| "Workin' on Grandma" | |||
| "Big Shot" | 2013 | ||
| "FUK V29" | 2015 | ||
| "Butt Muscle" | 2017 | Matt Lambert | |
| "Aktion Toilet" | PJ Raval | ||
| "T.S.S.P." | 2018 |
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Out of Sight | Lulu | |
| 2010 | Fourplay: San Francisco | Aliya | |
| 2011 | Fightville | Himself | |
| 2011 | Fourplay: Tampa | Himself | |
| 2011 | Slacker | Ranter on Bike | |
| 2012 | Fourplay | Aliya | |
| 2012 | The Reverie & Randee Show | Reverie | Won – aGLIFF Award at Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival as writer |
| 2013 | The Bounceback | Emcee |
References
edit- ^ Jonze, Tim (29 August 2018). "Christeene's full-frontal assault: 'There's no such thing as a safe space!'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d Messer, Kate X. (29 January 2010). "Bravo/Brava: Paul Soileau trips the light (and the dark) fantastic in his multimedia performance pieces". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-04-02.
- ^ Davies, Bree (19 July 2012). "Don't call him queen: Paul Soileau talks about more-punk-than-drag persona Christeene Vale". Westword. Archived from the original on 27 March 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2013.
- ^ "A Scar is Born: Forget RuPaul's Drag U: Christeene Is The Filthy Future Of Drag". Queerty.com. 2010-09-01. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
- ^ "CHRISTEENE : The launch and release of the First Album". Kickstarter. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
- ^ Erikson, Alex (28 December 2012). "Mad Magazine". Next. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
- ^ Lynn, Kirk (2018-06-01). "Paul Soileau's Double Duty". Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ "SXSW Film Festival". IMDb. Retrieved 2 March 2013.
- ^ Georgiou, Danielle (2012-09-28). "Performance Artist Paul Soileau Does Dallas". Retrieved 2021-03-25.
- ^ Anthony, Michael (15 December 2010). "Gay News - FrontiersLA - Breaking Gay News". Frontiers. Archived from the original on 13 January 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
- ^ Scott, Aaron (7 September 2012). "Interview with TBA's Gender Terrorist Christeene". Portland Monthly. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
- ^ Weathers, Chelsea. "Christeene by Chelsea Weathers". Art Lies. Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.