Besa Luci in conversation with Adelina Rose and Lana Vee.

Drag is thriving in our region, both as a form of art and as a tool for radical change. The vibrant art of drag is becoming ever more present in the public sphere. 

But as drag artists and performers find and claim their space in the public domain, they face constant backlash, resistance and pushbacks. Being strongly linked with celebration of queerness and the LGBTQ+ rights cause, drag artists fight difficult battles in a region that has long been unaccepting, if not outright violent, towards LGBTQ+ people and allies. 

In addition to being a form of rebellion, drag is developing as an industry and a career in which performers invest a lot of energy, thought and labor. However, such labor tends to go unnoticed, and perhaps undervalued particularly when combined with an overall societal intolerance towards those who do not conform with norms or seek to shift them.

Two guests join us to discuss the dynamics of drag art in our region.

Erblin Nushi is a Kosovar filmmaker, director, producer. Nushi is also known by their drag persona Adelina Rose. They recently finished their debut feature film titled “I Love You More,” and have started their own film production company Tilia Entertainment. 

Lana Vee is a Serbian drag performer from Belgrade. Lana is one of the three members of the Bad Reputation Drag Shows and was also the Queen of EuroPride in 2022.

Other Talking Points is produced by Besa Luci and Aulonë Kadriu.

Music and sound mix by PUG musik.

This podcast is part of the Human Rightivism project, which is funded by the Embassy of Sweden in Prishtina, implemented by the Community Development Fund through its Human Rightivism Program. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Embassy of Sweden in Prishtina.