Drag Superstar Alaska Says ‘Make Your Voices Heard’ While Picking Songs For ‘The Sound Of Pride’ (Exclusive)

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It’s Pride Month! Throughout June, HollywoodLife is celebrating with The Sound Of Pride, where celebs and stars of the LBGTQ+ community pick songs for the ultimate 2023 Pride Month playlist. It’s the perfect soundtrack to planning your Pride party, researching how to protect LGBTQ+ rights, or reading about the history of Pride Month. Alaska (aka Alaska 5000, aka Alaska Thunderf—k) joins in to give love to some club mixes and to a viral song from her fellow drag performer.

Alaska Thunderf-ck knows how to get a crowd on its feet. Since releasing 2015’s Anus – featuring “This Is My Hair,” “Hieeeee,” and “Your Makeup Is Terrible” – the drag sensation, best-selling author, award-winning podcast host, media mogul, comedic trailblazer, and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars winner has established herself as a bona fide music superstar. Alaska’s music range has also expanded beyond the disco, as 2018’s Amethyst Journey ventured into the world/spiritual music realm, and 2022’s Red 4 Filth included some pop-punk bangers like “red” and “wow.”

Alaska also embraced Red For Filth – a term she concocted during her first Drag Race foray – by releasing the official Red For Filth fragrance. The 100% vegan, unisexual non-binary scent features top notes of hops and turmeric leaf; with heart notes of lilac, mimosa, and violet leaf; and base notes of labdanum resin, black leather, sandalwood, myrrh, and cashmeran, per its official page.

While Alaska looks good, sounds good, and now smells good, she’s not feeling good – not completely – going into Pride month. “This year Pride is suddenly controversial again, which I guess feels familiar to when I first started going to Pride years ago,” she tells HollywoodLife. “It’s important to remember that Pride exists because of an uprising against an oppressive authority. I think we need to keep that in mind and remind ourselves that corporations are not our friends or allies. It is up to us to protect one another in our community.”

This doesn’t mean she’s unwilling to celebrate, as her picks for The Sound Of Pride illuminate some important figures in the queer community.

RuPaul (ft. KUMMERSPECK), “A Little Bit of Love”

“I love this song. I think it’s my new favorite RuPaul song. And I recently learned the choreography from the Drag Race UK finale.”

Cher, “Pride”

“This is like a bonus track from Closer to the Truth, and it’s really gay and cute.

Aretha Franklin, “A Deeper Love (A Deeper Mix)”

“Obsessed with this classic Drag song. It’s an empowerment anthem, and it bangs.”

Whitney Houston, “Love Will Save the Day (Jellybean & David Morales 1987 Classic Underground Mix)”

 “I heard this in a club recently, and it’s so good. I think this is one of those Whitney songs that flies under the radar but deserves more attention.”

Loosey LaDuca, “Let Loose”

“I’ve been performing this everywhere I go. I think I need to buy Loosey a refrigerator or something.”

How does this year’s celebration feel when compared to last year’s?  

This year Pride is suddenly controversial again, which I guess feels familiar to when I first started going to Pride years ago. It’s important to remember that Pride exists because of an uprising against an oppressive authority. I think we need to keep that in mind and remind ourselves that corporations are not our friends and not our allies. It is up to us to protect one another in our community.

Pride is a time to celebrate unsung heroes. Who would you like to see get some more of the spotlight this year?  

Drag Kings! I think Drag Kings kind of get the short end of the stick when it comes to this widespread celebration of Drag. Tip your Drag Kings and support their shows. And let’s get a Drag King on Drag Race.

 Do you have a memory of Pride Months past that you’d like to share?

I remember my first ever Pride in downtown Pittsburgh. I was kind of scared, but it was very exciting. I was brought there by my wise older friend Bizzy Barefoot who showed us what it was all about. It was a beautiful moment, and I think it exemplifies how important it is for there to be kinship between different generations of queers. We can learn a lot from one another.

What do you have planned for June (and the rest of 2023?)  

Mostly working. Getting myself all over our great nation, celebrating Pride everywhere I can. And singing “Let Loose” by Loosey LaDuca.

Do you have a Pride 2023 message to share with the HollywoodLife audience?  

Get out there and be seen. Make your voices heard. Kick some ass.

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Keep checking HollywoodLife throughout June for more entries in The Sound of Pride and additional Pride Month coverage. And remember — fix your hearts or die!