Amanda Lepore, meeting with the icon of New York gay nights

June 29 2014

by Marc Dedonder

She is said to be the most famous transsexual in the world. David LaChapelle's muse, queen of New York nights, extravagant gay icon, singer, she has been seen on stage at theMadrid gay pride or parading at the Mardi Gras inSydney, host of the hottest gay parties inNew York,Rio orParis...

Today Amanda Lepore releases her first album, "I... Amanda Lepore", written with Cazwell, and with contributions from Risqué or M.Y.A. Fifteen tracks that her fans have been waiting for for months.

A few weeks ago, we called her at home, in New York, and asked her about this album, Cazwell, her body, Lady Gaga, Jessica Rabbit and her favorite places in the world. With her soft and deep voice, she answered us with frankness and a lot of humor.

"I... Amanda Lepore" is your very first album
Amanda Lepore : Yes! It gathers all the tracks you already know, Champagne, Marilyn etc. In all 15 tracks(see cover below, ed.). Most of them written by Cazwell. Risqué also worked on 2 tracks, including Marilyn. M.Y.A also came to make a featuring on one of the titles.
We took a long time to release this album, because we wanted everything to be perfect. And then we wanted to organize ourselves to be able to do some promotion with Cazwell, together.

In the song "Marilyn", you sing "Madonna? too rich! Britney? too young". What do you think of Lady Gaga?
AL: At the time I wrote that song, she didn't exist, so I didn't mention her (laughs). But I like her. She has a little something more than Britney or Christina Aguilera... Something quite personal. So she gets people's attention, they're willing to hear her and open their minds, and that's a good thing.

Cazwell, what can you tell us about your relationship?
AL: I've always loved his music. I met him a long time ago when he first came to New York. I used to see him at parties. One day, at a David LaChapelle party, we had a glass of champagne together. And then he offered me the title Champagne...
Thanks to him, I gained a lot of confidence in myself. He gave me the opportunity to express myself through music. After the fashion and the night world, the music seemed to me to be a natural way to evolve, and he helped me to take this way(Find our interview of Cazwell, published last March)

On your Facebook, you welcome your fans with this message: "Hi... This is Amanda Lepore, the number 1 transsexual in the world, with a 100% functional vagina...". How does it feel to be the "world's most famous transsexual"?
Iam very proud to be transsexual. And I accept this honor with great pleasure (laughs)

You would have decided to change sex at 11 years old, and you would have had your first operation at 15 years old. Legend or truth?
It's true! I always knew I wanted to be a girl, I dressed like a girl. So I had to become a girl, as fast as I could.
But I never wanted to be an icon. I just wanted to be a normal girl. To be happy, and just live. Have a quiet job. Well, in that respect, I completely missed my life (laughter)

Did you really take inspiration from Jessica Rabbit to sculpt your body?
I've always loved blonde movie stars. Marilyn, Jayne Mansfield. And Jessica Rabbit, she has such a perfect body! Today, I think I'm halfway between Jessica Rabbit and Marilyn.

Amanda Lepore by Amadeo Turello

Are you satisfied with your body today, after so many operations?
Youhave no idea how happy I feel in this body today. It's amazing. It's so far beyond anything I ever hoped for in life. I have gone so far beyond my expectations. Thanks to this body, I can dress the way I want to, I can express all my femininity and my joy of life.

What do you want to do in the years to come?
Tocontinue toperform on stage, again and again. And since I like to design all my own clothes, why not go into fashion design?

It hasbeen said that you were the queen of New York , that no New York party could take off until you were seen there...What are your favorite places in NewYork?
A bar?I don't go out to bars much but there is one place where you can find me sometimes: G Lounge. I do stripper and gogo dancer shows there. It's a very funny place, very intimate, to recommend to all those who would like to discover gay New York and who would like to meet me...
A restaurant ? The B.E.S. the Boutique Eat Shop, a place with a very special atmosphere, a place to see and be seen, a perfect place to go out and get noticed
A hotel? The Standard Hotel. It has a superb restaurant, it is an ideal place to go out at night, the clientele is very beautiful
A club? The Vandam party, on Sunday night, at the Greenhouse. It's a unique place. I love the music, they have very good djs, the clientele is very mixed, gays, straights, clubbers, fashionistas, trans... It's a place that makes you want to be beautiful.
A store ? I used to make my own suits. But I don't know how to make my shoes. So let's say Christian Louboutin's boutique on the Upper East Side.

A place in New York where a tourist could really feel the atmosphere of NYC ?
Atthe corner of 57th street and 5th avenue. You can see the Plaza, Central Park, Tiffany's and all the beautiful stores on 5th. I think it's a perfect place for a tourist.

What other city in the world do you feel at home in?
Iwas so impressed with Paris when I first came. Everything is so old and extraordinarily beautiful. I felt like I belonged in this city.

Amanda Lepore by Amadeo Turello

What are your favorite places in the world
A hotel? The Ritz, in Paris. I don't like modern hotels, I feel uncomfortable there. I like old places. During a fashion week, after a Dior show, I hosted the party that followed, at the Ritz, with Cazwell. And I fell totally under the spell of this place, which has a slightly old-fashioned glamour, an old classic. I felt so good there that they had to push me out, I didn't want to leave (laughs)
>A bar? I'm not much of a bar person... I'm more of a room service person when I'm traveling. I only leave my room to go where I have to do a show or host a party.
A restaurant? Again, I'm more of a room service person. And if not, I prefer to be taken to a restaurant. So I can never remember the names of the places I've eaten at.
A club? I don't remember the name but it was a club in Istanbul. An extraordinary place! I was terrified to perform there, I thought I was going to get arrested for contempt (laughs). And then I arrived in the club, which looks like a circus. They had decorated my dressing room with David LaChapelle pictures. I had an amazing time.
A beach? The beaches of Hawaii. The sand is black, the water is deep blue. I'm blonde, with very white skin, it's perfect to show me off (laughs)

The perfect place to party?
Ibiza! If you like to go out in clubs, this is the place to be. It's so excessive, it never stops, there are the best DJs in the world. I love it!

Where do you find the most beautiful boys?
In Brazil, without any doubt. The girls, the boys, they all have sublime bodies.

A city to fall in love with?
Paris is really the romantic city par excellence. Going out in the evening, for two, in a small restaurant, then going for a walk, hand in hand, in the streets...

The city to get married?
Hawaii! It looks like paradise, there are beautiful flowers everywhere. It's a real postcard and you are alone in the world there. Moreover, there are many more men than women on this island, it is perfect to find a husband!

Excerpts from theMarilynclip

The most gay-friendly city?
Forme, it's my city, it's New York

An object that you always take with you when you travel?
Ialways have a bottle of water with me. And also, since I never go out without makeup, without a lot of makeup, I always have my kit with me. A lipstick, waterproof mascara, just to be able to make a connection instantly!

Are you more of a corridor or a porthole?
Corridor. I don't like to feel trapped.

Your best advice for traveling?
Neverget on a plane with new shoes. I love wearing high heels but when traveling, you have to be reasonable (laughs)

Your dream destination?
Idon't know Saint-Tropez. It looks so glamorous there!

A photo from one of your last trips?
It's not a personal picture, it's the flyer of one of the parties I gave in Ibiza last year. I love this visual!

Amanda Lepore, follow her on Facebook or on her official website.