“Never compare yourself to anyone else. You are your own fierce individual with talents no one else can possess but you.” - Matty Scarlett Bobo speaking to MGT on being a drag performer
The rumours are sad and true, Matty Scarlett Bobo is packing her things and moving to Vancouver but she’s not going alone. Joining forces with her is fiancé Pete Em who has set-up what can only be described as a fantasy dream home as decadent as they are.
Celebrating a decade of living in Toronto, Matty started drag only two years prior to getting here, and in that time she has earned her stripes as a provocateur of gender-bending performance. The event superstar is one of the reasons many of our queer spaces have made a comeback. Nights when Matty is booked tend to fill with over-the-top personalities, local celebrities and a larger than life crowd of fashionistas, club kids and those who wish they were. AS IF, FML, and The BoBo Show are just some recent event gems Scarlett has been a part of but it’s her recent appointment as spokesperson for the Absolut Empire's Ball, a Toronto drag competition emphasizing the development of drag houses, that has seen her face plastered on billboards, buses, magazines and TV ads all over town.
The thing that makes Scarlett Bobo stand out is not her outlandish behaviour and outrageous costumes or the intensity with which she pursues the world around her but the absolute genuineness with which she engages with those around her. “Toronto has been my home for a decade and in the last decade I have made incredible relationships, I’ve created so much content for drag, I have pushed myself beyond belief,” Matty told friends on Facebook. In a recent interview with MGT she added, “It’s a hard game to play, it’s not easy and it’s not fair all of the time. You have to create opportunities for yourself and work as hard as you can. Give opportunities to your sisters and your community. Always give back because it’s not all about fame and popularity. It’s about art, respect and history.”
Just ask the MoJo boys Joey Viola and Monty Tayara who have been throwing hit parties with Scarlett’s help for ages, “I'll never forget the first time I watched Scarlett Bobo eat fire. I was watching her do a runthrough at the club my boyfriend Monty and I owned at the time and was nervous that the entire venue would erupt into flames! But Scarlett quickly proved I had nothing to worry about, the queen is a fire eater! Scarlett is unique because she performs in ways nobody else is doing in mainstream drag. Her productions are vivid and her events are multi-faceted and inclusive to all types of performance artists. My boyfriend Monty and I have not only co-produced events with our event MoJo Toronto and Scarlett's Bobo and Friends, but Scarlett has gone on to prove she is a force to be reckoned with, both in Canada and abroad.”
Monty, who is also Joey’s partner echoes the praise for Scarlett’s impact of those around her, “Every time she sets foot on stage, she puts a smile on my face, as I'm sure she does for so many others watching her, and I'm going to miss the positive and uplifting vibe she gives us each and every week. I'm also going to miss all of Scarlett Bobo's amazing drag looks. Toronto has been so lucky to have Scarlett for all these years - she's talented, kind hearted and always wants the community and the people in it to succeed. The platform she's created and now uses to help other performers is inspiring and I will always cherish our friendship, both with me and my partner Joey.”
Will Matty ever come back to Toronto? In her own words, “I will I be back in Toronto, eventually. Possibly. Probably. Toronto will always be home.” It’s unlikely that Scarlett Bobo will have trouble finding her place in the scene given that one of her sisters-in-crime Quanah Napoleon is waiting for her to land so they can start doing what they do best, make art.
In an interview with My Gay Toronto, Quanah recalls having been a Christmas orphan one year and finding herself being hosted by Scarlett Bobo’s family, adding to her story that “another time we performed at Yonge and Dundas square performing for Pride, She did a heartfelt Madonna tribute number and brought me out at the end to sing ‘keep people together keep people together forever and ever’ the closing song form the Truth or Dare movie. The number itself meant so much to us and to be able to share the stage like that together is always super fun!” recalls Quanah, “And of course being there from the beginning at Empire’s Ball as a judge and seeing it grow to what it is now is so amazing to see them work so hard and have it pay off in such a major way. I've always been in awe of her talent, perseverance, and determination to do well for the community and give back. she is my ride or die and I can't wait for this exciting new chapter with them over in Vancouver.”
Photo cutline: Yes, this is really their new house!
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