Gagged (EP)

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Gagged
An image of a drag queen with purple hair and a ball gag is repeated across the cover. It has the words "Violet Chachki" and "Gagged" in the center.
EP by
Violet Chachki
ReleasedJune 30, 2015
Genre
Length16:17
Label
Producer
Singles from Gagged
  1. "Bettie"
    Released: June 2, 2015
  2. "Vanguard"
    Released: June 30, 2015

Gagged is an

seventh season of the reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race. Chachki was inspired to create the record in order to have her own music and visuals for her performances. Consisting of five dance-pop, electronic, and avant-garde tracks, Gagged was released as a digital EP, and was also made available via streaming services. Its lyrics emphasize sexual fetishism and gender identity, based in part on Chachki's personal experience working as a dominatrix
's assistant.

It spawned two singles "Bettie" and "Vanguard", which were promoted through the release of two accompanying music videos. The EP was praised by

Heatseekers Albums, Independent Albums, and Dance/Electronic Albums Billboard
charts.

Background and composition

I wanted to create something as a sort of soundtrack to the avant-garde visuals I create. I love fetish because the line between right and wrong is blurred in a controlled, safe way. It is harmless fun that can really give new meaning to someone's otherwise humdrum life. I also love the fashion!

Violet Chachki, discussing the development of the EP[1]

In an interview with the website GossipGay,

auteur with complete creative control."[2] Chachki also found inspiration in clowns, saying: "I’m a very visual person, and I feel like a clown half the time."[4]

Gagged was

mastered by Tom Coyne and produced and mixed by Tomas Costanza.[5] The song "Bettie" was produced by American drummer Tommy Lee. Concerning her working relationship with Lee, Chachki commented: "I'm so honored to even have the opportunity to do it. I've listened to lots of different music that has that same kind of (industrial) feel to it."[6] Chachki described the music as "dark and industrial."[7] The songs were influenced by the work of EDM artists: Purity Ring, Ladytron, Miss Kittin, and The Presets.[8] When discussing her vocal performance on the EP, she described it as "more sexy talking and raspy vocals, dark and fetishy."[2] While promoting the project, Chachki distanced herself from being identified as a singer, and said: "I never set out to be a popstar."[9]

Gagged consists of five

dungeon."[1][14][15] Oscar Raymundo wrote that the EP's title reflected how Chachki is "a fetish queen at heart."[2] The song's titles were noted for their explicitly sexual connotations by Salt Lake City Weekly's Tiffany Frandsen, who described them as "hid[ing] no shame, no secrets."[10]

Release and promotion

Violet Chachki – "Bettie"
A sample of "Bettie"; it incorporates a dense arrangement of drum machines, synthesizer riffs, "racecar sound-effects and digital androgyne cries" backing Chachki's references to sexual norms.[16]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

On June 30, 2015, Gagged was released as a digital EP.[17] It was also made available via streaming services, such as Amazon Music, Tidal, and Spotify.[18] During an interview with South Florida Gay News, Chachki said that remixes were being created for her songs.[7] She expressed a desire to incorporate the songs as a part of her aerial silk performances.[9]

The EP spawned two singles: "Bettie" and "Vanguard". The

pin-up model.[7][21] Images of whips, spanking, and boys wearing only underwear, are shown throughout the video.[19]

"Vanguard" was released as the second single on June 30; the music video was uploaded to Chachki's official YouTube account the previous day.[23][24] The lyrics revolve around protesting bigotry and hatred.[12] Filmed in Los Angeles, the music video was inspired by a negative encounter Chachki had in an Australian McDonald's.[20][25] In the video, Chachki forms a gang to fight back against a group of homophobic men. It also features scenes of Chachki performing aerial silk acrobatics.[26]

Critical reception

Gagged was praised by music critics for its sound and composition. Wire Magazine defined it as "the perfect soundtrack to her dark, sexy and daring persona."[8] GossipGay called the EP "refreshing" and "fun",[3] and Stephen Wyatt of Out & About Newspaper wrote that it included "dynamic club tracks that make you want to get up and dance."[4] The EP was described as "fierce and catchy" by Tiffany Frandsen.[10] The website Accidental Bear found it to be a collection of "hard-pounding, dynamic club tracks."[13]

The EP's singles and music videos received positive attention from critics. Frandsen applauded Chachki's confidence as the highlight of the music videos.

The Advocate's list of 7 Things That Are Everything This Week.[23] The single "Bettie" was chosen as an example of the best music released by a RuPaul's Drag Race contestant by the website Pitchfork's Andy Emitt. Emitt praised it for being transgressive, writing that both the song and the video represented "the boldness of the rising generation of queer and trans* artists who eschew comfortably 'safe' representations of sexuality in favor of discomforting the audience they still mean to attract… and arouse."[16]

Commercial performance

In the United States, Gagged reached a peak position of number 16 on the

Heatseekers Albums Billboard chart, and remained on the chart for two weeks.[28] It peaked number 48 on the Independent Albums Billboard Chart,[29] and number 11 on the Dance/Electronic Albums Billboard Chart.[30] It was Chachki's first entry on a Billboard chart, and one of two releases from a RuPaul's Drag Race season seven constant to chart on Billboard. The second was Pearl's album Pleasure, which peaked at number 11 on the Dance/Electronic Albums Billboard chart.[31]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Bettie"
Lee3:09
2."Harlequin"  3:31
3."La Petite Mort"  2:53
4."Vanguard"  3:15
5."Show Off"  3:29
Total length:16:17
Notes

Personnel

Credits for Gagged per AllMusic[32] and liner notes.[5]

Management

  • Producer Entertainment Group LLC

Personnel

  • Tom Coyne –
    mastering
  • Tomas Costanza – producer, mixing
  • Violet Chachki – primary artist

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
US
Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[33]
 16
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[34] 48
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[35] 11

Release history

Country Date Format Label
Worldwide June 30, 2015 Digital download[17]
  • Sidecar Records
  • Producer Entertainment Group
Streaming[18]

References

  1. ^
    World of Wonder. Archived from the original
    on November 23, 2016.
  2. ^
    The Huffington Post. Archived from the original
    on June 2, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Interview with Violet Chachki". GossipGay. March 29, 2016. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  4. ^ a b Wyatt, Stephen (August 3, 2015). "An interview with Violet Chachki". Out & About Newspaper. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015.
  5. ^ a b c Gagged (Media notes). Violet Chachki. Sidecar Records, Producer Entertainment Group. 2015.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ Petkus, Shelby Clark (July 16, 2015). "Roses Are Red, Violets Are Blue". Between the Lines. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  7. ^ a b c Nahmod, David-Elijah (July 22, 2015). "Drag Race Winner Violet Chachki To Perform at The Manor". South Florida Gay News. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  8. ^ a b DJ FR8-O. "Gagged Queen – Violet Chachki Dominates South Florida". Wire Magazine. Archived from the original on November 28, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ a b Durden, Victoria (July 13, 2015). "Violet Chachki Talks Being The 'Shadiest' Drag Queen". Galore. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d Frandsen, Tiffany (December 2, 2015). "Violet Chachki: The drag superstar brings her music (and larger-than-life persona) to Saltytown". Salt Lake City Weekly. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  11. ^ a b "Violet Chachki Releases 'Gagged' and "Vanguard" Music Video". Drag Near You. July 1, 2015. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  12. ^ a b c Preston, Dominic (June 30, 2015). "Violet Chachki Launches 'Gagged' EP and Video for 'Vanguard'". Frontiers. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  13. ^ a b "Drag Race Winner Violet Chachki Reveals All In 'Kiss & Tell' Burlesque Tour". Accidental Bear. October 7, 2015. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  14. The Advocate. Archived from the original
    on November 23, 2016.
  15. ^ a b Preston, Dominic (June 2, 2015). "Drag Race' Queens Violet, Ginger and Pearl Simultaneously Debut Their Music Videos". Frontiers. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  16. ^ a b Emitt, Andy (June 26, 2015). "The Best and Worst Music of RuPaul's Drag Divas". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on November 30, 2016.
  17. ^ a b "Releases". AllMusic. June 30, 2015. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  18. ^ a b Gagged was released on various streaming services upon its release on June 30, 2015:
  19. ^ a b Brix, Sabine (June 9, 2015). "Watch: Boys, Bondage, Bettie Page! It's Violet Chachki's New Music Video (NSFW)". Gay News Network. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  20. ^ a b Bricker, J. Denton (July 31, 2015). "'Drag Race' winner Violet Chachki is feeling in the pink, with a figure that leaves queens green with envy". Dallas Voice. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  21. ^
    The Advocate. Archived from the original
    on November 23, 2016.
  22. ^ "Violet Chachki – Bettie [Official]". YouTube. June 1, 2015. Archived from the original on November 25, 2016.
  23. ^
    The Advocate. July 3, 2015. Archived from the original
    on November 23, 2016.
  24. ^ "Violet Chachki – Vanguard [Official]". YouTube. June 1, 2015. Archived from the original on November 25, 2016.
  25. ^ Holland, Scott. "Violet Chachki – RuPaul's Winner". Hot Spots!. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  26. ^ Hernandez, Justin (June 30, 2015). "RuPaul's Drag Race Winner Violet Chachki Is A "Vanguard" In New Music Video". Queerty. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  27. ^ "Violet Chachki gets cozy with Jules Faure". Glamcult. May 26, 2016. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  28. Heatseekers Albums for Violet Chachki. Archived from the original
    on November 21, 2016.
  29. ^ "Chart Search". Billboard Independent Albums for Violet Chachki. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  30. ^ "Chart Search". Billboard Dance/Electronic Albums for Violet Chachki. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  31. ^ Caulfield, Keith (July 22, 2015). "'RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race' Returning for Second Season on Logo TV". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 23, 2016.
  32. ^ "Credits". AllMusic. June 30, 2015. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016.
  33. ^ "Violet Chachki Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  34. ^ "Violet Chachki Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2016.
  35. ^ "Violet Chachki Chart History (Top Dance/Electronic Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 7, 2016.

External links

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