June 2026 - Cover Story: Carly Quinn Is Building More Than a Stage; She's a Force
- Jun 6
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 19
Drag has never been about stepping into the spotlight for Carly Quinn. While dazzling costumes, colorful makeup, and unforgettable performances are certainly part of the experience, they're only the beginning. Behind the glamour is a performer, producer, and visionary who has dedicated herself to creating opportunities for New Mexico's drag community to thrive.
In the past year, Quinn has gone from being one of Albuquerque's best-known performers to one of New Mexico's leading supporters of drag entertainment. She has produced a major drag celebration, started a new TV show, and organized a unique fashion event. Through all this, she's showing that drag is about supporting others as much as it is about putting on a show.
Sitting down for an interview after a year away, Quinn couldn't help but reflect on just how much had changed.
"It's been a year," she laughed. "And I look totally different."
The biggest change has been how quickly the New Mexico Draggy Awards have grown. Quinn started the event to honor performers from all over the state. It began as a small show but has become one of New Mexico's top LGBTQ+ entertainment events.
"We officially have one month until the big event," Quinn said. "It's been bigger and better than I could have imagined."
The numbers tell the story.
VIP packages were almost sold out weeks before the event. Community voting passed 2,000 responses, and over 600 nominations came in. This shows that New Mexico's drag scene is bigger and more active than ever.
The event's rapid success also prompted a significant upgrade to the venue.
"We moved from a 100-seat venue to a 300-seat venue," Quinn said proudly.
Moving to the Southwest Broadway Cultural Center shows how popular the Draggys have become. It also highlights how drag is becoming an increasingly prominent part of New Mexico's arts and entertainment scene.
Quinn thinks awards should recognize the whole community, not just focus on competition like many other ceremonies do.
"The best part about the Draggies is we just sit, and we go, 'Everybody gets an award,'" she joked. "I become Oprah on stage."
Her sense of humor comes from a deeper belief.
Instead of promoting rivalry, the Draggys highlight the wide range of drag styles. Quinn wants people to see everything drag can offer, from pageant performers to comedy queens, alternative artists, and experimental acts.
"So often, drag performers have this mental association that drag equals work," she explained. "Now it's like, 'Oh, I get to be in drag and feel like a celebrity tonight.'" It gives performers a chance to support each other rather than just compete for jobs.
Even though the Draggys have grown a lot, Quinn is still pushing forward. This summer, Quinn is also launching Club Carly, her new TV show where she'll talk with a variety of guests. "I'm beyond excited," she said. "We're going to have drag performers, local superheroes, and anybody I can think of that I want to talk to."
The show matches Quinn's curious nature and her wish to highlight the creative people who make New Mexico special.
But TV isn't her only new project. She's also getting into fashion production with Zombie Prom, a runway event she's putting together with Pandora Ash and Roski. Within twenty-four hours of announcing the project, every designer slot had already been claimed. "The post has been shared over 10,000 times," Quinn said, still sounding amazed by the response.
The huge response made her realize something she hadn't noticed before. "I didn't know fashion was such a big thing in New Mexico." For Quinn, fashion and drag have always been closely connected. Costumes, creativity, and self-expression come together on the runway just like they do on stage.
One of the biggest things she's learned this year is how to find balance.
"I've really been trying to emphasize quality over quantity," she explained.
Like many artists, Quinn used to feel she had to keep creating new events and projects all the time. Now, she focuses on creating experiences that really matter, rather than just staying busy.
This careful approach has made her work even stronger.
As we celebrate Pride Month, Quinn was asked a simple but important question: What are you proud of? Her answer came without hesitation. "I'm so proud of this community," she said. "I'm so proud to be a New Mexican, and especially a New Mexican drag performer."
She laughed while mentioning that she'd recently upgraded her title from the "Clown Princess of Albuquerque" to the "Clown Princess of New Mexico."
The reason wasn't ego. It was geography.
Having performed throughout the state, Quinn realized her mission had grown beyond any single city.
"We've got to spread the love," she said. "Spread the joy. Spread the clown."
That simple phrase sums up who Carly Quinn is now. She's doing more than just putting on drag shows now. She's creating places where performers feel valued, audiences feel at home, and creativity can grow.
Whether through the New Mexico Draggy Awards, Club Carly, Zombie Prom, or the countless performances she continues to deliver on stages across the state, Quinn is helping to shape the future of New Mexico's LGBTQ+ arts community.
Comments