'Drag Race' winner Violet Chachki fakes it 'til she makes it

"RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 7 winner Violet Chachki. "RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 7 winner Violet Chachki. Photo: Miss Missy Photography Photo: Miss Missy Photography Image 1 of / 33 Caption Close 'Drag Race' winner Violet Chachki fakes it 'til she makes it 1 / 33 Back to Gallery

Violet Chachki is a stealth drag ninja.

The killer queen wielded sickening fashions, a tiny waistline and towering confidence to slay the competition and be named "RuPaul's Drag Race" Season 7 winner. But despite her consistency, Chachki says she "went into complete shock" when her name was announced over finalists Pearl and Ginger Minj.

"You're fighting for everything. To us, to drag queens, this is our child," Chachki says. "I literally birthed this person. I created this persona. I built this up until this point. You're fighting for your career and your child and your dream. It's the hardest thing I've ever done."

Her debut music video, "Bettie," was released Monday night. And she's already got dates booked throughout the summer. She made her Houston debut just last month and will likely return soon.

Was your unflappable confidence as effortless as it seemed on the show?

My whole confidence is almost a 'fake it 'til you make it' kind of thing. You go into this thinking, 'I don't expect anything, but I'm never not going to exude that confidence.' You don't go into it thinking, 'I'm just gonna get it because I said so.' I'm still in a state of shock. I can't even. It feels like my whole life's been a dream, and I'm about to wake up.

Did you have a clear plan once you walked on set?

I definitely did. I think I went in extremely strong. I was barely ready to go on the show. I think a couple months prior, I would have gone home. The timing was perfect for me. I was in a really great place, extremely focused, and I had a really strong game plan. Just exude confidence and own it. I had blinders on – all the drama, whatever was going on outside the challenges. I really just didn't care about anything outside of performing well and doing drag. I really was focused on the prize.

What was the most challenging aspect of the competition?

It's really hard to maintain your focus there. With that being said, I was so focused that I almost had no one talk to at some points. It's a balancing act. I almost went in a little too strong and too confident. That alienated a lot of people. You get to a breaking point where you just need to talk to somebody. You can't call home. You can't talk to the girls unless there's a camera around you. So you just go to your room and cry. No one knows you. You get on the plane, and every single person you encounter for two months has no idea who you are. It's a crazy experience.

Did you find yourself eventually clicking with any of the girls?

I think me and (Miss) Fame are probably the closest. She just has an amazing heart, a heart of gold. She talks a lot, but when you need someone to talk to, she's right there. She's a great listener. We both have similar experiences. We have a similar aesthetic. It really meant a lot to me at the time. I see her as such a beautiful individual inside and out.

You admitted to going through a real transformation on the show.

The walls that I had put up initially going into the season came down. You get more comfortable. You get to know the girls. They get to know you. You get a better understanding of how everyone's personality works, what your dynamic is with everybody and how you communicate. People say that I was super-shady on the show. But I got body-shamed, my character got questioned, my drag character got questioned, my age got questioned. I got called horse face. All of this was done behind my back. If I said anything to anybody, it was almost always to their face. It's easier when you're just upfront with somebody. You can just learn and grow from it.

What are the origins of the Violet Chachki character?

I've always been inspired by vintage clothing and vintage styles. I wanted my character to have a nod to mid-century women, somewhat dark and mysterious, beautiful to look at. That's where the word chachki comes from. It's a Yiddish word that means just a strictly decorative object that has no function. I kinda like to play on that.

Your reversible dress, which went from plaid to sequins on the runway, is the stuff of 'Drag Race' legend.

I love that outfit. It's falling apart, so I'm about to retire it. People die over it. It wasn't even designed to do that. It was designed to just be plaid and be lined with sequins. I just happened to turn the sleeves around and belt it. And it worked.