This Friday (31 Mar) the London Titans are back for another Ball at the Two Brewers in Clapham and there’s a definite Adele theme to the night as it’s called Hello Ball. Alongside DJs Demon and Liam Chaplin there’s going to be cabaret from Drag Idol champ and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Danny Beard. Dave Cross had a catch up with Danny to find out what’s rolling in his deep.
Hi Danny, are you looking forward to being back at the Brewers on Friday for Ball?
I can’t bloody wait and I have a little something special planned for the night!
Sounds exciting! There’s an Adele theme on the night – can we expect some of her songs in your show?
You certainly can. I have been going over some with my vocal coach this week and really pushing myself to hit the notes, so let’s cross all fingers and toes and hope that I don’t murder her music.
Are you a fan?
I’m a massive fan. I’m 24 now and have grown up listening to her. Hometown Glory was one of the first songs of hers I really connected with and I’ve been hooked ever since.
What is it that you especially like about the Brewers?
It’s one of those venues that has cabaret oozing out of its pores. The audience expect great things and I think it makes you work harder and really push yourself as a performer.
How has your year been so far – what else have you been up to apart from gigs?
I’ve been having such a lovely year. I have just been part of BBC Radio 1’s LOLathon for Comic Relief and was invited into the studio to ‘roast’ Chris Stark with Alice Lavine, Nick Grimshaw and Scott Mills, which was really fun. I have just won Best National Cabaret Act in the Midlands Zone Readers Awards against some amazing performers who I look up to, so I’m humbled to have snatched that title. I feel like it’s a real team effort in Birmingham as the venue is just astounding, so if you’re ever there you have to check out Eden Bar.
Drag Idol 2017 has just launched – looking back, how did winning it two years ago affect your life?
It completely changed my life. I was working three nights a week DJing on Canal Street in Manchester doing the same thing week in week out. I loved it but I needed to mix it up and Drag Idol came at a really good time for me. Before entering I never thought of Danny Beard as anything other than a DJ and now cabaret is my full time job.
What would your advice be to people entering this year?
Be different, be you and make extra effort with your attention to detail. There are so many talented people out there that don’t get noticed because they buy the same style sequin dress and big ass wig. I’m not being shady to any queen that rocks that aesthetic by the way. I get it and I love it and I launched my cabaret career with one black top and three different pencil skirts, so maybe I’m not one to be giving ‘fashion’ advice. I suppose what I’m trying to say is find a way to stand out and be seen without copying anyone else and show the world how good great British drag can be.
It’s just over a year since you were on Britain’s Got Talent – looking back, was that a positive experience?
I did have the most amazing time doing the show. I was given vocal lessons by top professionals, I got to learn how to work in a TV studio, I met so many fantastic people and most of all I got to show what I could do to a wider audience. But if it wasn’t for Drag Idol I wouldn’t have been at a position to be on Britain’s Got Talent in the first place.
What are your plans for the rest of 2017?
I have some really exciting stuff coming up. I will be appearing alongside Alan Carr at a private event for the Ben Cohen Foundation next month. I’m really excited about that as it’s a charity that really means a lot to me personally. This summer I will be making a return to Sitges Pride and appearing at a large outdoor festival here in the UK. I can’t say too much about that yet, but I have visions of this high heeled glitter pig in a muddy field. I will be continuing my gigs all over the UK and finishing the year off in my first professional panto at The Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks, Kent, playing the Magical Mirror in Snow White. I’m really lucky too, because I get to do it as Danny Beard, so I still get to cover myself in glitter and flounce about singing and being an all-round general dick. Only without swearing or referencing Grindr.
Danny is at Ball this Friday (31 Mar) from 9pm at the Two Brewers, 114 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7UJ.
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