Non-binary burlesque performer Jake DuPree is not the kind of human you see every day. On a typical post on their Instagram, you’ll find them flawlessly adorned in gemstone-encrusted lingerie and dominating the stage with a passionate confidence that says the whole world is at their feet–because it often is.
From their beginnings in a small Southern town to a life that would fit perfectly on the stage of the Moulin Rouge, everything about their story sparkles as much as their impressive wardrobe. Playboy got a chance to chat with them about his past, present, and most importantly, their future.
Playboy: Did you hit a point in your younger years where you realized what you wanted to do?
Jake: I grew up in a small town in Arkansas, just about 7,000 people. So it’s like this duality. I stand out for a reason in terms of being queer, being a little bit more effeminate, and you have the support of that. And then on the outside of that you have this kind of archaic way that a “Southern person” should be, or a Southern man should be.
I did not fit into those boxes. I think coming from where I came from, all I had was my imagination. I was a big reader and I did a lot of in the art world growing up too. So I used expression in my imagination to get out of where I was from. Everything that I create now is from this fantasy place in my head. It’s so weird how that follows you in life, like some of those things that you think “I don’t know what this will ever turn into,” but it has turned into this.
I was always a big fan of old Hollywood movie musicals, like Marilyn Monroe, Josephine Baker. These people have this kind of wink wink, nudge nudge quality to them. And I always liked that mixed with kind of a sexuality, an owning, like I know what I’m doing and I’m gonna get what I want from it. I think that has followed me in my own life, so it’s just interesting to see how it all has worked out. I didn’t know it’d be in this way, but I’m very thankful that it has.
Playboy: I love the way you word that, because the idea of imagining it all in your head and then having that come into reality is really powerful.
Jake DuPree: I think that too. I say that to people. You don’t have to do what I do. You don’t have to take your clothes off in front of strangers. But you can do things that scare you or you might think aren’t possible just because you haven’t seen it before. And I think the most exciting part is that it is possible. Sometimes it can be kind of an uphill slog to get to the places where you would like to be, but sometimes it’s worth it.
Playboy: When did you get involved with burlesque, and how did that help you blossom into who you became?
Jake DuPree: I started in burlesque almost seven years ago. I auditioned. I had been doing this amateur drag competition at a gay bar here in West Hollywood. And I randomly just signed up for it because I was always into queer performance or drag or something, I was just trying to figure it out.
I ended up winning that over that summer, and then I got put in touch with Dita von Teese for this audition for our show here in LA. Everything was just right. Two weeks later, I got asked by her to do her giant Martini glass act, which was something that I had watched for years and years and years. And to get chosen to do that and to learn it from her! It was surreal. So after that I thought: I’m gonna run with this and see what happens. And I’m really glad I did.
Playboy: For you, is doing drag a different creative expression from doing burlesque?
Jake DuPree: I think my drag basically looks like my burlesque self. It’s basically everything that I still do now, which is cool. It’s just a part of me, not a separate entity or separate character.
But what’s cool about being in the burlesque space is, it’s a female created art form. A part of me always wanted to pay homage to that. I didn’t know if it was possible for me to be occupying that space. So I think that the drag aspect of it, this kind of confidence and a little bit of delusion, allowed me to step into the burlesque space and be like: I belong here, too.
Playboy: Do you pick the lingerie you wear? Or are you at a point where you’re getting lingerie custom made?
Jake DuPree: Now it’s all custom-made. There’s a woman that I use in France, outside of Paris, and she makes a lot of amazing things for me. It’s cool to sketch things or have inspiration and be like, let’s do this, [and I] actually live this in real life, so it’s fun.
I love the art of design. My scholarship to college was in fashion illustration. Creating the full fantasy of what I see in my head, sometimes that’s impossible, but it’s in the art of trying. So that’s the best part.
Playboy: In your photos, you have the vibe of a person who feels so accepted in their space. I’m curious if that’s about the burlesque scene, or that’s about finding your tribe, or if it’s pieces of all those things.
Jake DuPree: It’s pieces of all those things. For me, there are definitely times where you deal with complete self-doubt or judgment of yourself or not fully accepting yourself, so it’s a constant battle of that. And it’s also in the space that I’m occupying. There’s no one I can really look to say, I’ll follow that. And that can be exhausting and also make you question if you really should be doing it.
[That said,] I think with age comes “I don’t have to prove anything anymore.” And I think that’s what I try to do with anything that I do, pictures or modeling or lingerie. I’m also an agent to make my own self happier and fulfilled. So anything’s possible. And some of the things that have happened in my career I’m still in shock over some of them too, so I have to just run with that too and believe.
Playboy: Let’s talk about performances for a minute. What was the last performance that made you feel amazing?
Jake DuPree: I got to do this performance at the Louvre in Paris for this private birthday party, and I got to come down the ceiling from the crane that lowers artwork into the museum. It was wild, one of those moments where I was like, “How am I here?” I will remember that till the day I die.
Number two, the time I performed at the Crazy Horse in Paris. I’m the first non-binary person to perform there and it was literally my number one dream, not thinking that that would ever happen. And so to be on that stage, to have my moment up there with this place that’s the epitome of glamour … this is just so cool.
And then number three was in the Las Vegas show, obviously I was one of the opening acts for Kylie Minogue and Christina Aguilera.
Playboy: Do men come to you who say “I want to dress up?” Or “I’m queer and I’m not out yet.” How do you deal with those types of fans messaging?
Jake DuPree: For a long time, I was really scared to step into being non-binar y as well because I didn’t know if I was ready for that. I didn’t want to say it unless I felt super confident about it. So by the time I came to that conclusion, I felt assured in that and I can back myself up. I know I’ve got myself. So if people reach out, I’m always excited, when anybody comes up and says, “Wow, I didn’t even know that was possible,” and I’m like “Me too.”
What’s also interesting too is, when I grew up, being gay or queer was definitely not as a cool or as in as it is now. And to come from an environment where you’re surrounded by straight people, men mainly, telling you how othered you are, how different you are. Having straight men come up to me and say things, to compliment even just my performance or say “that was so beautiful” has remedied my relationship with straight men, which is something I never thought would happen.
