★ ★ ★ 1/2 out of 5
In its impressive 12 years on the air, cultural juggernaut RuPaul's Drag Race has challenged drag entertainers to star alongside RuPaul in the legend's music videos, record their own unique verses for official ru-mixes and perform on the main stage to original creations in their pursuit of the "Next Drag Superstar" title.
When the UK spinoff finally premiered in 2019, 10 new contestants from across the pond vied for the coveted crown and scepter. The Vivienne sashayed away with the title, but the series will be remembered for a challenge performance from her worthy competitors Baga Chipz, Blu Hydrangea and runner-up Divina De Campo.
In the series' fifth episode, Leland produced "Break Up (Bye Bye)" and helped properly introduce the world to the Frock Destroyers. Baga, Blu and Divina blew rival girl group Filth Harmony out of the water and saw their clever and hilarious rendition eventually peak at #34 on the UK Singles Chart and #44 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in the U.S.
While Divina quickly released her own solo Decoded EP following the series end and Baga joined forces with The X Factor starlet Saara Aalto for "When the Sun Goes Down" earlier this year, neither could let an opportunity for the Frock Destroyers to live on and conquer the music scene go to waste. On the heels of "Her Majesty" and "Big Ben", the queens now present Frock4Life, the British trio's debut album.
Filled to the brim with camp aesthetic, proper Europop influence, and impressive vocal performances from all involved, the album parodies Lady Gaga, highlights sharp production skills, and subtlety references male genitalia and extreme vanity in record time.
Split in three parts by instrumental interludes a la Chromatica, the trio capitalize on their Drag Race UK spotlight with "Her Majesty", demanding the peasants partake in their own royal delusion or face the consequences. While Baga relies on Daddy, Divina secures a life of comfort by bagging an old rich dude, and Blu pretentiously flaunts her self-proclaimed crown and throne. Set to an 80s Europop beat, the album lead single is easily one of the sharpest and more serious offerings from within the Drag Race shared universe.
"Big Ben" is the album's crowning jewel though. Led by Divina's controlled and seductive vocals, the trio shares a not-so-subtle story of their well-endowed lover. Unfortunately, you can never keep a delicious secret to yourself. Soon, everyone wants a piece of Ben's large piece. "All of my friends are jealous, they wanna take a swing at him like it's tennis, I said this ain't a sport for any couple, get off the court this ain't no doubles," Baga chimes, pushing back on the eager and thirsty.
The friendly, constructive advice continues on "Fame Whore", where the trio places the overbearing stalkers and imitators on notice. The position of a famous and obnoxious celebrity has already been filled. Instead of being first to the opening of an envelope or following the queens' every step, perhaps the attention seekers should find a more productive use of their time. Again, each queen brings their own unique flare to separate verses, yet still manage to cohesively package their talents. 
Presumably inspired by the Spice Girls, title track "Frock4Life" encourages listeners to live out their best lives and wildest dreams, even if Baga, Blu and Divina don't truly know the extent of the advice they are dishing out. To "frock" is to dabble in your heart's inner desires, just be sure to mix in some camp and dance. Accompanied by impressive brass instrumentals for the latter third, the finished product is an anthem about absolutely nothing. We're not complaining.
Vanity and insecurity cloud "How's the Lighting?". In the age of social media dependence and obsession, the trio sings of doing nothing, going nowhere unless the lighting is perfect for a string of photographs. "The boy doesn't recognize me, but I think that he's cute, cuz the photos that he's liking, have a little FaceTune", they come clean over the chorus. While cute and harmless, the finished product is the weakest of the bunch.
Finally, we revisit "Break Up (Bye Bye)", reminding the audience why a proper debut outing from the Frock Destroyers was warranted. With Leland behind the wheel, Baga showcases her lack of class, Blu aspires to be a hero to the gays, and Divina highlights a preference for love, not violence. Not only was the effort worthy of Drag Race fan praise, it was welcomed by the UK pop audience, becoming one of the few songs from a drag performer to chart.
Frock4Life does the absolute most to capitalize on what is normally 15 minutes of fame bestowed by RuPaul. Baga, Blu and Divina showcased wit, chemistry, and respectable vocal abilities on the reality competition show. They strengthen those talents together over six new tongue-in-cheek tracks. While most will approach releases from Drag Race alum with a grain of skepticism, the trio's debut album takes advantage of infectious beats by sprinkling in some appreciated humor and knowledge of European genre trends. The special ingredients make all the difference. Yes, the lyrical material might be cluttered with recycled drag trends -- partying at the club, demands for crowns and titles, casual sex -- but it's all forgivable when viewing through the British lens.
Tracks to Hear: "Her Majesty", "Big Ben", "Fame Whore" and "Break Up (Bye Bye)"
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