Art Simone has penned one helluva love letter: Drag Queens Down Under, is the long awaited documentation of the Aussie Drag Queen scene

Aussie drag royalty Art Simone recently stopped by Happy to unveil her latest creation, Drag Queens Down Under(Affirm Press). Far more than just a coffee table flick-through, this book is a glitzy homage to the heart and soul of Australia’s drag scene.

Curated and penned by Art herself, it’s a vibrant spotlight on the Queens who keep the flames of glam, grit, and resilience burning strong.

A familiar face to packed-out venues and roaring applause, Art burst onto the scene with her debut on the first season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, claimed the title of Melbourne’s Favourite Drag Queen 2024, and even strutted her stuff in the Kath & Kim reboot.

Channeling equal parts Elvira and rock ‘n’ roll, Art blends wit and grit with a toughness as fierce as her eyeliner. In Drag Queens Down Under, she draws back the velvet curtain on queens from across Aus, each portrait radiating the undeniable sparkle and raw edge of Australian drag.

The book taps into a legacy of Aussie drag icons, from Les Girls to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Art pays special tribute to pioneers like Cindy Pastel—the inspiration for Priscilla’s iconic Bernadette—who paved the way but rarely received the spotlight she deserved.

She also shines a light on icons like Vonni, the first trans woman in the Southern Hemisphere to play Bernadette in the Priscilla musical, celebrating these queens as heroes who took mainstream culture by storm.

With Drag Queens Down Under, Art offers an unapologetically fierce tribute, dedicated to those who came before her and the queens yet to make their debut. In Art’s words, it’s a story of queens supporting queens—and Australian drag is all the stronger for it.

Stay connected to Art Simone via Instagram

Head here to buy Drag Queen Down Under.