Drag Queen Aria Addams tells us in an interview about her career and her opinion on Twitch as a streaming platform.
On the streaming platform Twitch, thousands of channels go online every day, where streamers entertain their viewers. The content offering now ranges from classic gaming, to artist and DJ streamers, to casual conversations in Just Chatting. One such streamer is Drag Queen Aria Addams.
Who is this? Aria Addams is the stage name of Milo Pochylski, who has been a full-time drag queen and content creator on social media since 2019. The name is derived from Aria Stark from the popular book series and TV show “Game of Thrones” and the Addams Family. On Twitch, she is predominantly active in the categories Gaming and Just Chatting.
In an interview, we asked Aria how she views Twitch as a drag queen and what the positive and negative aspects of the streaming platform are.
Practicing Late into the Night
MeinMMO: Hello Aria! For readers who don’t know, please briefly explain what “Drag” means and what it specifically means to you.
Aria: Drag used to mean “Dressing up as girls”, referring to the classic man who dresses as a woman for shows. Nowadays, however, drag is an art form independent of one’s gender that anyone can do.
I often sat in my room until 3 AM practicing my makeup until it looked the way I wanted it to. The rest develops gradually.
MeinMMO: What inspired you to start streaming?
Aria: Corona took away all forms of audience interaction from me as a drag queen. The pandemic began right after my TV appearance on “Queen of Drags”. The reach I had built up quickly declined due to the lockdowns, etc. So I thought about how I could entertain people well from home… And Twitch felt like a good fit for me.
I see streaming as part of my job, and it is definitely full-time. Before I became self-employed in 2019, I was an apprentice in a travel agency. Right now, I’m live about 4 hours on 4 days a week. For just over a year, I’ve also called Twitch my home and became a proud Twitch Ambassador in 2022.
MeinMMO: What games do you play in your streams and why?
Aria: Everything from A to Z. Indie games, horror, shooters, point-and-click adventures, etc. Everything that is fun for me and my community and makes for good content.
Currently, I’m especially looking forward to this year’s Pokémon releases! The franchise has greatly influenced my childhood, so I guess I’ll always be attached to it.
“I Feel Recognized by Twitch”
MeinMMO: What are the biggest issues Twitch should address from your perspective as a drag queen?
Aria: I believe the biggest problem lies more with the consumers of the platform than with Twitch itself. Much can only be influenced by raising awareness. However, it is sometimes necessary to take decisive action, and people need to face consequences for what they say in streams or in chats.
MeinMMO: On the other hand: Is there something that Twitch does really well in your opinion?
Aria: I feel very “recognized” by Twitch and have a sense that queer people are well supported throughout the year and not just during Pride Month. Also, with appropriate moderation tools to prevent hate proactively, Twitch is doing really well.
MeinMMO: In 2022, you became a Twitch Ambassador. What do you see as your responsibilities in this role, and how would you like to approach them in the future?
Aria: I see myself somewhat as a self-appointed diversity officer. This is not meant to be taken too seriously, but I view it as an opportunity to spread a bit more tolerance and openness on Twitch. I’m very happy that Twitch supports queer creators like me, and I believe that this visibility brings a lot.
MeinMMO: What is most important to you about your community? What do you appreciate about them, and what have you learned from them?
Aria: The most important thing to me is an open and friendly interaction in the chat and on Discord. If you’re not an asshole, you’ll always be welcome here. I have a strict “No Bullshit Policy” (laughs). I greatly appreciate the support of my community and am glad that we have such a familial atmosphere.
MeinMMO: Do you have any special goals or dreams that you would like to fulfill as a drag queen?
Aria: I would like to achieve – and this is not meant to sound conceited at all – a reach as large as the big players in social media today, especially in the gaming sector.
I look up to big YouTubers or streamers and would love nothing more than to be the first drag queen to achieve such recognition in the mainstream. Because the more people I reach, the more I can positively influence others.
MeinMMO: What 3 pieces of advice would you give to someone looking to get into streaming?
Aria:
- Don’t do it for the money, but because you enjoy it.
- Work with what you have, but don’t be afraid to invest in equipment in the long run.
- Use TikTok as a reach-driving platform to spread your clips. The algorithm is performing really well right now.
We thank Aria for the interview and wish her and her community on Twitch much fun in the streams.
We also spoke with a teacher who streams on Twitch:
