When Bob the Drag Queen’s agent told her Madonna wanted her number, she said the moment was quite validating. The pair had been in conversation since Bob hosted Madonna’s Pride show in New York City in 2022. Now, she’s the host of Madonna’s blockbuster Celebration Tour.
“It made sense to me,” Bob said about receiving the request to emcee the tour. “I was like, ‘Why wouldn’t I be on tour with Madonna? I should be on tour with all of the divas’.”
She was a bit surprised, though.
“In working with her a few times, I’ve gained a lot of confidence, and I’m happy I have that confidence, to be honest.”
Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Credit: Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Bob will come home to Atlanta during Madonna’s tour stop at State Farm Arena on April 1. The nonbinary drag superstar, who hails from Columbus, said she’s been talking about the show with her family. In fact, during our phone call, Bob was in Clayton County visiting family.
Since moving from Georgia to New York in 2004, Bob returns home at least four times each year. But the Los Angeles resident said she doesn’t really know what to expect during the Atlanta show.
“Atlanta has so much going on lately, so I don’t even know what it’s going to be like when I’m here. I’ve performed in Atlanta quite a bit, but never at State Farm Arena. This is my first time performing at an arena that large here, but it’s all very exciting.”
Best known for winning season eight of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Bob said one of her favorite parts of the Celebration Tour has been transforming into different characters and wearing bold fashion choices, like the Marie Antoinette-themed look that recreates Madonna’s 1990 VMA’s outfit for “Vogue.”
For each show, Bob has about two hours to prepare backstage, which includes a prayer to set the intention for the concert. Watching a pop icon like Madonna in her element, however, is Bob’s biggest source of preparation.
“If you’re a longtime Madonna fan, you’re going to be in heaven. This is truly a love letter to her fans. ... Madonna did not become the queen of pop by accident. When you watch her work the stage and work the crowd and the way that she captivates people, it’s clear that Madonna is where she is by calculated measure, by hard work and by dedication.”
Credit: Robb D. Cohen /robbsphotos.com
Credit: Robb D. Cohen /robbsphotos.com
As for Bob’s favorite moment of the tour? Performing at Madison Square Garden.
“I was like, ‘I can’t believe I’m actually performing here. This is crazy.’ I used to work 10 minutes from there, but somehow it took me 12 years to make it there. It’s kind of crazy that I used to walk by that building every day, and then I did three shows there.”
But she’s keen on living in the moment and enjoying her new favorite Madonna song — ”Into the Groove.”
Once the tour wraps at the end of April, Bob will still be as busy as ever. She plans to work on her new clothing line, House of Bob, and podcasting, among other things. This summer, she’ll embark on her first headlining stand-up comedy tour, This is Wild. The four-date tour will be in Australia in July.
Credit: Albert Sanchez and Pedro Zalba
Credit: Albert Sanchez and Pedro Zalba
“I feel like sometimes for certain events, everyone’s always like what did I take away from this, and sometimes it’s just the experience itself,” she said about the Celebration Tour. “Have I grown as a person? I don’t know. Sometimes, I don’t always look for the deeper meaning in everything, so I think I’m just enjoying the ride and enjoying what it means to be on tour with Madonna.”
CONCERT PREVIEW
Madonna Celebration Tour
8:30 p.m. April 1. $155-$570. State Farm Arena. 1 State Farm Drive, Atlanta. 404-878-3000, statefarmarena.com.
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