Song Review: RuPaul's Drag Race All-Star Alaska Thunderfuck Has Visions of "Red" on New Pop-Forward Single

 

   After bringing the vodka to the house party alongside Jan and Peppermint, RuPaul's Drag Race All-Star Alaska Thunderfuck returns to the music scene with the solo lead single off an upcoming fourth studio album, Red 4 Filth. 

   In a stark departure from the comedic nature of past offerings, the new "Red" takes inspiration from the colorful pop sounds and textures of the 90s and early 2000s. 

   Red is the color of blood, of the heart. To Alaska, the color is representative of love and friendship. The new song sets the tone for a polished pop album, supported by songwriters and producers who have worked alongside Carly Rae Jepsen, Noah Cyrus, and Lauv. 

   "Red" finds the drag entertainer head over heels in love with a new suitor, causing her to feel unexpected emotions she can't seem to control or contain. However, she may also be in over her head. Alaska proceeds with the blossoming relationship with a mix of caution and excitement. She just wants to taste the romance rainbow. 

   "I can't focus, keep on getting sidetracked, I'm tall but you're taller and I like that, arms so big that you're looking like a lineback," she raps on the second verse. 

   While RuPaul's Drag Race has provided a platform for many of its queens to carve out successful careers in the music industry over the years, only a few have cracked the mainstream charts. Efforts from Adore Delano, Blair St. Clair and Sharon Needles come to mind. As Alaska shifts to a straightforward pop formula, "Red" is just upbeat and radio-ready enough to open similar doors. 

   The accompanying production starts off as a Backstreet Boys throwback, Alaska retains her trademark vocal delivery for that standout second verse then transitions into full pop star form on he chorus, and references to Prince, the Beatles, and Britney Spears are added for good measure. 

   This one is stuck on repeat!