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Bimini Bon-Boulash

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Bimini Bon-Boulash
Bimini performing in July 2021 in Torquay
Born
Thomas George Graeme Hibbitts[1]

(1993-05-12) 12 May 1993 (age 31)
Great Yarmouth, England, UK
Occupation(s)Drag queen, model, singer
Years active2019–present
TelevisionRuPaul's Drag Race UK (series 2)
Musical career
Genres
LabelsRelentless
Websitebiminibabes.com

Thomas George Graeme Hibbitts (born 12 May 1993), better known by the stage name Bimini Bon-Boulash or Bimini, is an English drag queen, author, recording artist and model based in East London, and born in Great Yarmouth, England.[2] They are best known for competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, where they placed as a runner-up.[3]

Early life and career

[edit]

Hibbitts' parents separated when Hibbitts was a child. Hibbitts describes themself as being raised in a working-class environment.[4] Hibbitts attended Lynn Grove Academy, moving to London in 2012 to study journalism at the London College of Communication. In London, Hibbitts discovered drag, beginning their career as a drag performer in 2017.[5]

Bimini started performing drag professionally in 2019 and was heavily inspired to kick-start their career by the spirit of their fashion heroes Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Iris van Herpen, and John Galliano.[6] Bimini has stated that their greatest inspiration as to their look and aesthetic is Pamela Anderson. Their drag name derives from what they would be called if they were assigned female at birth, and the name of their first cat, Bonnie Boulash.[7] Bimini is based in East London, and regularly performs across the capital.[8]

In December 2020, Bimini was announced as one of twelve contestants competing on the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK.[3] In Episode 1, Bimini lip-synced against Joe Black to "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, which they won, sending Joe home. They later won four challenges, including the Snatch Game, where they portrayed Katie Price, becoming the first contestant in the British version to win four challenges. In Episode 9, Bimini became the first contestant to reach the finale after lip-syncing in the first episode. After a final lip-sync in Episode 10, they were announced as a runner-up, along with fellow competitor Tayce, to eventual winner Lawrence Chaney.[9]

In February 2021, Bimini made their London Fashion Week runway debut alongside fellow Drag Race contestant A'Whora with Art School London, a genderless fashion label for designer Eden Loweth's AW21 collection.[10] In March 2021, Bimini, alongside their fellow Drag Race finalists, was photographed and interviewed for The Guardian.[6] In July 2021, Bimini embarked on a sold-out UK tour alongside A'Whora, Tayce and Lawrence Chaney for the United Kingdolls Tour with promoter Klub Kids.[11] In February 2022, Bimini also joined "RuPaul's Drag Race UK: The Official Tour" alongside the entire cast of the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, in association with World of Wonder and promoter Voss Events.[12]

It was announced via Bimini's Instagram account in March 2021 they would be writing a book with the working title A Drag Queen's Guide to Life, scheduled for release in October 2021, and published by Penguin Books and Viking Books.[13] The book was released with the title Release the Beast: A Drag Queen's Guide to Life. "Release the Beast" is a reference to Bimini's verse on "UK Hun?", which she performed with The United Kingdolls in RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

In June 2021, Bimini released their first single "God Save This Queen",[14] as well as a corresponding music video.[15]

On 21 August 2021, they presented the Saturday-afternoon slot on BBC Radio 1 from 1pm alongside Dean McCullough, as part of the radio station's "drag day".[16] In 2021, a reference to Boulash was featured in a Sainsbury's Christmas advertisement.[17] In the ad, a family is seated around the table playing the parlour game 'Who Am I?'. The grandmother is trying to guess which famous celebrity she is meant to be. As the camera pans across the table, the name Bimini can be seen written on a note stuck to the grandmother's head.

In November 2021, Bimini was awarded the GAY TIMES magazine's Honour for Drag Hero at a celebration in London, as well as featuring as the cover star for the GAY TIMES Honours edition.[18]

After signing to Relentless Records, Bimini went on to write and record their debut EP, When the Party Ends, which was released in the summer of 2023, featuring 6 tracks that pay homage to their love of the electronic music scene of the 1990s.

Personal life

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Bimini currently resides in East London, England. Bimini is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns when out of drag and she/her pronouns when in drag.[19] They spoke about coming to terms with their gender identity in a conversation on the third episode Drag Race with fellow non-binary contestant Ginny Lemon. Their open conversation was praised by viewers and sparked confidence in many to discuss their gender identity with those closest to them.[20] Bimini has consumed an exclusively vegan diet for eight years.[7]

Filmography

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Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Broadcasting Channel Notes Ref
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race UK Contestant BBC Three/BBC One Series 2 (Runner-up & Miss Congeniality) [3]
Blind Love On First Date Island Host E4 Series 1 Host [21]

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref
2022 The House Police Officer #1 (voice only) Netflix film [22]

Music videos

[edit]
Year Title Artist Ref
2020 "Baby" Madison Beer [23]
2021 "My Head & My Heart" Ava Max [24]
"My House" Jodie Harsh [25]
"Rasputin" Majestic x Boney M [26]
"Confetti" Little Mix [27]
"God Save This Queen" Bimini [15]
2022 "Tommy's Dream" Bimini
2022 "Different Kinds of People" Bimini
2023 "Rodeo" Bimini

Radio

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes Ref
2021 Bimini & Dean McCullough Themself BBC Radio 1 [16]

Web series

[edit]
Year Title Notes Ref
2021 YouTube Pride 2021 Guest [28]
2021 Fashion Photo RuView Host of DRUK S3 [29]

Discography

[edit]

Extended plays

[edit]
Title Details
When the Party Ends

Singles

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As lead artist

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Year Title Album Notes
2021 "God Save This Queen" Non-album singles [14]
2022 "Tommy's Dream"
"Different Kinds of People" When the Party Ends
2023 "Rodeo"
[edit]
Title Year Peaks Album
UK
[30]
"UK Hun?"[31]
(among the United Kingdolls) 		2021 27 Non-album singles
"A Little Bit of Love (Cast Version)"[32]
(RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Series 2) 		–

Bibliography

[edit]
Autobiography
  • Release the Beast: A Drag Queen's Guide to Life (Penguin, 2021)[33]

Stage

[edit]
Year Title Promoter Location Ref
2021 United Kingdolls The Tour Klub Kids Torquay, Southampton, Newcastle, Glasgow, Sheffield, Leeds, Cardiff, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London [11]
2021 MODE Klub Kids Manchester, Cardiff, London, Glasgow and Amsterdam [34]
2022 RuPaul's Drag Race UK : The Official Tour Voss Events / World of Wonder Ipswich, Oxford, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Southend, Manchester, Sheffield, Blackpool, Llandudno, Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool, Basingstoke, Portsmouth, Plymouth, London, Derby, Bristol, Bradford, Aberdeen, Southampton, Stockton, Brighton and Newport [12]
2022 United Kingdolls Tour ITD Events / Klub Kids Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, Auckland and Wellington [35]

Awards and nominations

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Year Award ceremony Category Work Results Ref
2021 10th Annual Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards The Style Award Themself Won [36]
2021 Gay Times Honours Drag Hero Themself Won [37]
2022 British Academy Television Awards Virgin TV's Must-See Moment Their verse in "UK Hun?" Nominated [38]
2022 The WOWIE Awards Best Book Award (The Reading is Fundamental Award) Release the Beast Nominated [39][40]

References

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  1. ^ "WHEN THE PARTY ENDS". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Drag Race's Bimini says modelling contract 'huge for non-binary representation'". www.indy100.com. 29 March 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "RuPaul's Drag Race UK". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  4. ^ "An interview with RuPaul's Drag Race finalist Bimini Bon Boulash". The Face. 19 March 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  5. ^ Craik, Laura (26 May 2021). "Bimini : 'I always knew that I was neither here nor there'". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b Rebecca, Nicholson (13 March 2021). "'Drag was always a protest, a political statement': RuPaul's Drag Race UK finalists open up". the Guardian. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  7. ^ a b "Who is Bimini Bon Boulash? Meet the RuPaul's Drag Race UK star who is the "bendiest queen"". Radio Times. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  8. ^ Durrant, Will (18 March 2021). "Bimini Bon Boulash on their Hackney roots ahead of RuPaul's Drag Race final". Hackney Gazette. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  9. ^ Nolfi, Joey (18 March 2021). "The winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 2 is..." Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  10. ^ Dazed (20 February 2021). "Bimini Bon Boulash makes their LFW runway debut at Art School". Dazed. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  11. ^ a b "United Kingdolls The Tour". Klub Kids. Archived from the original on 21 March 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  12. ^ a b "RuPaul's Drag Race UK Tour". Voss Events. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  13. ^ "A DRAG QUEENS GUIDE TO LIFE (working title and cover TBA)". Instagram. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  14. ^ a b God Save This Queen - Single by Bimini, archived from the original on 7 June 2021, retrieved 6 June 2021
  15. ^ a b God Save This Queen - Bimini [Official Video], retrieved 6 June 2021
  16. ^ a b "Drag queens Jodie Harsh and Bimini to host Radio 1 shows". BBC News. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  17. ^ "Sainsbury's 2021 Christmas advert encourages families to 'savour' every moment". The Independent. 14 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021. Christmas advertisement.
  18. ^ "Bimini wins Drag Hero at GAY TIMES Honours 2021". GAY TIMES. 19 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  19. ^ @biminibabes (26 January 2021). "My pronouns are...She/her in drag They/them/bad bitch out of drag 💓What are yours?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  20. ^ "Drag Race UK: 'I came out to my mum as non-binary watching the show'". BBC News. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Blind Love on First Date Island - Blink Industries". Blinkink. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  22. ^ Lang, Jamie (16 December 2021). "Netflix Drops Chilling Trailer for Stop-Motion Anthology The House – Global Bulletin". Variety. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Premiere: Madison Beer recruits drag queens Crystal, Asttina, Bimini and Tayce for new Baby video". GAY TIMES. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2021.
  24. ^ "Ava Max - My Head & My Heart (Bimini Bon Boulash Performance Video)". YouTube.
  25. ^ Jodie Harsh (5 March 2021), Jodie Harsh - My House (Official Video), retrieved 21 March 2021
  26. ^ Majestic x Boney M. - Rasputin (Official Video), retrieved 2 May 2021
  27. ^ Little Mix - Confetti (Official Video) ft. Saweetie, retrieved 2 May 2021
  28. ^ Celebrate Pride loud and proud with Olly Alexander & Mawaan Rizwan | YouTube Pride 2021, retrieved 29 June 2021
  29. ^ FASHION PHOTO RUVIEW: RuPaul's Drag Race UK Series 3 - Queen of Your Hometown. YouTube. 25 September 2021. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  30. ^ "United Kingdolls | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  31. ^ UK Hun? (United Kingdolls Version) - Single by The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Season 2, retrieved 15 February 2021
  32. ^ A Little Bit of Love (Cast Version) [feat. The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race UK, Season 2] - Single by RuPaul, retrieved 19 March 2021
  33. ^ "A Drag Queen's Guide to Life by Bimini Bon Boulash | Waterstones". www.waterstones.com. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  34. ^ "MODE". Klub Kids. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  35. ^ "United Kingdolls Tour » ITDEVENTS". ITDEVENTS. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  36. ^ "'STEPS TO HEADLINE AS TOM ALLEN HOSTS VIRGIN ATLANTIC ATTITUDE AWARDS, POWERED BY JAGUAR". Attitude Magazine. 5 October 2021.
  37. ^ "Bimini wins Drag Hero at GAY TIMES Honours 2021". GAY TIMES. 26 November 2021.
  38. ^ "Nominees for Virgin Media's Must-See Moment Announced for Virgin Media BAFTA TV Awards". BAFTA. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  39. ^ Nguyen, Nikki (2 May 2022). "World of Wonder's 2022 WOWIE Awards at DragCon: Cast Your Votes Now!". World of Wonder. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  40. ^ "Here Are World of Wonder's 2022 WOWIE Awards Winners". World of Wonder. 16 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
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