Belgium’s Mustii offered Eurovision role on set of Drag Race Belgique
Mustii got the offer to become Belgium’s Eurovision entrant while on the Drag Race Belgique set. (Getty
Drag Race Belgique judge Mustii has revealed how he was offered the chance to represent Belgium at this year’s Eurovision.
Fans went wild last August after Mustii was named as the first Eurovision Song Contest entrant for 2024, and the 33-year-old singer-songwriter and actor sang his broody tune “Before The Party’s Over” in the second semi-final on Thursday, (9 May), where sadly he failed to qualify for Saturday’s Grand Final.
Speaking exclusively to PinkNews ahead of the semi-final, Mustii said he was approached about the opportunity in the summer of 2022, while filming the first season of Drag Race Belgique with host and Canada’s Drag Race star Rita Baga.
“It was early in the morning. I was at the makeup [table] and the big boss of the broadcaster was there behind me asking me if I knew Eurovision, if I was interested to represent Belgium,” he recalls.
“I was so sleepy at that moment. I was like… what are you telling me now? It took me a few hours to get back on the ground.”
Mustii decided to accept the offer after a few hours’ deliberation because he knew Eurovision would be amazing and would help him “to live an intense life” – as if being a Drag Race judge, and a Netflix and stage star wasn’t intense enough.
He has spoken to some of the Drag Race Belgique queens and told them that, while he’s used to judging them, now it’s their chance to judge him.
“It’s crazy on Eurovision, everything, every word, is under analysis all the time. It can be a bit overwhelming, but it’s part of the game. I just want to enjoy [it]. Everybody’s got an opinion and you just have to accept it.”
He hopes the Drag Race queens will “be nice” when it comes to judging him because he believes he’s always been one of the nicest Drag Race judges.
“Even before I was at Eurovision, I think I’m the sweetest judge ever when I’m in Drag Race. I’m like a fan boy,” he says.
“I’m a fan of drag. For me, it’s a really important artistic discipline, really political… it’s inspiring as an artist to see them… it’s this fire they have inside [them] that is so inspiring for me.”
For Mustii, Eurovision was a logical next step in his career following his Drag Race debut, given that the two elements have often been seen as linked.
“[The] two shows share the same values… that’s why there is a lot of crossover between [them], and I totally understand,” he says. “It’s so lovely to see these kind of Drag Race heroes in Eurovision, and I feel the RuPaul production [company] World of Wonder is supportive [of] us.”
The Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final takes place on Saturday (11 May) at 8pm on BBC One in the UK.
