Meet Nick Cameron a.k.a Misty Boxx, the Aussie Bearded Bear Beauty from Victoria, Australia

Originally from Port Macquarie, he moved to Melbourne after living in the UK for two years, where he met his partner. He still lives there, and they have been doing long distance for like 5 years now. Nick Cameron comes from a town where there was no drag scene or any scene really, he just wanted to create a little magic for the community so that those younger than him could see that there is an LGBTIQA+ presence in the town and their events are a safe space for all.

Luka Musicki (L.M.): How did you get into being a drag queen, what was the motivation (and/or inspiration) and why do you do it?

Nick Cameron (N.C.): Im from a small coastal town in NSW called Port Macquarie, we didn’t have a drag scene or really even a LGBTIQA+ scene or space. So my Best Friend and I decided we would pop on a wig, wear a dress and perform for the town and introduce Drag to the community. 

L.M.: It is usually a long process to have a creative name for a drag queen. Where did you get the name ‘Misty Boxx” from? I was thinking that my drag queen name would be either Miss-steak or Enter-Prize Furr-real, did I get it right for a good bear drag queen?

N.C.: Haha I love the Miss-Steak! My name came from my love of Pokemon (hence Misty) I grew up watching Pokemon and misty was just a red headed bad ass and I wanted to tap into that fierce attitude! The Boxx name came from my love of Pandora Boot from S2 of Rupauls Drag Race, it was the first season i saw and Pandora was a campy, theatrical queen and well, so am I haha but I fell in love with Pandora and so I thought why not pay a little homage, oh and Misty Boxx just sounds funny. As a name (Furr-real), absolutely haha I kinda wish I thought of that!

L.M.: There are many drag queens in Australia (let alone around the world) like Frock Hudson and Holi Day Knight in Melbourne, Jacqui St. Hyde, Keira Billie and Maxi Shield in Sydney, and Archie Arsenic in Brisbane. Are there any drag queens that I am missing here to mention? And what is the drag queen scene like for a bearded drag queen? 

N.C.: OMG Frock and Holi are incredible here in Melbourne, I think the bearded queen scene is growing and I love that, bearded queens are so gorgeous such a beautiful mix of the hyper feminine and masculine! Whether its a Moustache or Goatee or a full on gorgeous beard…like mine haha But I think its great that its growing, I love a bearded queen!

L.M.: What are the gigs, events, and show that you have MC for? 

N.C.: I used to host shows back in Port Macquarie and they were full on 90minute productions! Then came AGD (Australia’s Got Drag) which my best friend (Arie Ola) and I created and held in Port Macquarie a national Drag Comp that was a lot of fun, and to even recently I did a cabaret style show in Melbourne where I sang live and told my story through song.

L.M.: What are your favourite songs to sing or lip sync to when you are performing?

N.C.: Well she is a live singing Queen now haha but id have to say the show tunes, im a theatre queen through and through, when. Singing live I like big belly numbers, but to lip synch it’s gotta be a comedy number but honestly ill do almost anything haha.

L.M.: Being a drag queen is a lot of work, I would imagine. How long does it take you to get yourself ready, like from the make-up to the costume/outfit? How long does it take to style your beard?

N.C.: I know it looks like a lot of work because im so gorgeous haha but id say an hour for the face and 30 mins to get into the outfit. When I started doing drag honestly id get ready at 1pm for a 7pm show and still be running behind, but its all practice and I think I’ve really got Misty’s look to a good place where it doesn’t take me 8 hours any more.

L.M.: If you had to playful throw shade on a fellow drag queen, who would it be and what is the goss/tea?

N.C.: OMG Luka I could never! I love all Drag performers! But tbh, Misty Boxx serves City Chic off the rack realness, so lets start with that haha

L.M.: What do you in your spare time to let your ‘drag’ hair done? Like recreational activities?

N.C.: Honestly I just love being social, hanging with my friends here in Melbourne and getting into the community and being part of it… Oh and Magic the Gathering… She’s a nerd through and through haha

L.M.: What is your favourite drink of choice? Is it Margaritas according to your Instagram? 

N.C.: Well funny you say that because Grouse on Smith St have a Cocktail names after me! It’s a Habanero Raspberry Margarita how Fabulous is that! When im not sipping that you’ll see me with a glass of Red in my hand.

L.M.: Tell me about the dog tag or the dog collar that you wear? Is this part of the Puppy Play community? 

N.C.: I am indeed a Pup, I have been for almost 6 years now, I’ve had this chain since my partner gave it to me back in 2019. It’s literally a part of me hence why I don’t take it off when in drag. 

L.M.: Were you originally from NSW? And if so, what made you move to Victoria? More bears in Victoria or was it the un-bear-able temperature during winter? 

N.C.: I was indeed from NSW, and I LOOOOVE MELB WEATHER, lets face it im a large man and me and humidity don’t mix well but Melb weather for drag is bliss! Unless its peak summer and 35 degrees than chances are the face is melting off and my eyelashes are now part of my beard haha.

L.M.: Would you say being a bear has helped or hindered your career? Is your audience primarily bears?

N.C.: Absolutely no hindered it at all, the bear community is such a welcoming one and when I moved to Melb they befriended me straight away and it was actually so good to be apart of a community, we didn’t have that back home and having the bears celebrate who I was and how I looked I just felt so accepted its beautiful.

L.M.: Is there any advice that you would give someone (like a bear) would be interested in starting in the drag queen career, and what is involved? Like singing, dancing, vogue model photography, right? 

N.C.: JUST DO IT! People always say to me “omg I would love to get in drag, but I suck at makeup”, if you saw pics of me back in my early days… busted haha but its just practice but more importantly its just about having fun! Drag is whatever you make it, whether you want to sing live, lip synch the house down boots, death drop and flip on stage or just discover the diva within (we all have one) pick up that blush don’t be afraid! Haha but honesty Drag is such a beautiful thing and its queens like Frock Hudson doing story time in Bendigo Pride, Holi Day Knight giving up coming performers a stage to put on shows of all kinds or Maxi Shield touring the world and spreading the body positivity, there’s more to drag than we think.

L.M.: Do you have any upcoming gigs that we should invest in?

N.C.: I may be in the process of putting together a FABULOUS show with Linh Uendo, Samuel Roberts and Myself for Midsummer… maybe… rumours? Haha (its happening!!!!)

L.M.: What are your career goals for the future? 

N.C.: At present im a Venue manager for Grouse on Smith st and im loving it, im literally in my community in a venue where we celebrate and encourage performers from drag to cabaret to comedy. But one day id love to open a bar insppired by the Kit Kat club from Cabaret, CAMP!

Thank you Nick for your time for the big section of the interview, and now some rapid fire quesions:

• Location: Melbourne
• Pronouns: He/Him/His
• Relationship status: In a Relationship
• Favourite Drink: Red Wine
• Favourite Cities/Vacation Spots: London, Pacific Islands, Europe
• Favourite Hobby or Pastime: Playing the card game, Magic the Gathering, and of course, watching musicals, like The Broadway
• Idea of a good date? Sitting in the park eating su

Where can you find yourself? Website, Facebook, Instagram, etc.

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nick.cameron.756
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsmistydarling/