When it comes to drag, Emi Grate cites the diva culture in Southeast Asia, burlesque artist Agent Wednesday, and drag queen Nancy NoGood as major sources of inspiration. "In terms of drag makeup and styling, I would go back to season seven of 'Rupaul's Drag Race,'" she says. "I was literally looking up Miss Fame's makeup tutorials and learning how to paint, and then season eight came, and Kim Chi was a huge influence. I really take makeup inspiration from every single one around me. If I see something I like on someone, I will ask them, 'How do you do it?' and then adapt it to my face."
She also credits queens like Lady Bunny and Bob the Drag Queen for helping her transform on a more inward level. "I used to be a very serious person, and Lady Bunny was somebody who I watched and was able to allow myself later on to be silly and fun," she says. For her, drag is an ever-evolving fantasy, and it's not necessarily the same for everyone. "You can live in that fantasy for a limited period of time, you can create that fantasy to be as far away from who you are as possible, or as close to who you are as possible, and it has endless potential. When you become the image of your own imagination, it's the most powerful thing you could ever do."
