WILLOW PILL
Willow Pill, House of Blues, Houston, TX 5/1/25.
Willow Pill’s God’s Child Brings a Texas-Sized Testimony to Houston
Houston was lucky enough to be graced by RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14 winner, Willow Pill, during her tour God’s Child—a show that was part drag, part theater, part fever dream, and fully entertaining. This wasn’t a typical night of drag; it was a full-blown spiritual experience, saturated in glitter, grief, storytelling, and chaotic comedy.
From the moment the lights dimmed and a glowing stained-glass window of Jesus appeared, it was clear this wasn’t your average show—we had entered the Church of Willow. Draped in flowing choir gowns and flanked by two choir members, Willow welcomed us into her campy congregation. The trio immediately broke into live gospel-style vocals, setting the tone for a night that fused religion, absurdity, grief, and self-discovery with seamless brilliance.
Willow cracked herself open with the kind of chaotic vulnerability that’s become her signature. What followed was a sacred mess of live vocals, reenacted childhood memories, nostalgic video montages, emotional monologues, and character skits that felt plucked straight from a late-night sketch show. The performance was personal, engaging, and downright hilarious—an unpredictable variety hour held together by raw honesty and razor-sharp comedic timing.
She dove deep into her upbringing in a devout Christian household and how that shaped her identity, queerness, and sense of self. But even the heaviest topics were wrapped in her signature absurd, dark humor. She doesn’t romanticize pain—she satirizes it, turning grief, chronic illness, and identity struggles into punchlines that somehow cut and heal all at once.
At one point, the audience was invited into a touching video conversation between Willow and her childhood best friend, reflecting on their bond as lifelong outsiders—her friend for the color of her skin, Willow for her queerness. Their reflections on belonging, distance, and chosen family added emotional depth that grounded the show’s more outrageous moments.
Willow didn’t shy away from the raw or the weird—she leaned all the way in. She burped mid-monologue, danced like nobody was watching (though a packed crowd definitely was), and broke the fourth wall every chance she got. She doesn’t rely on polish or perfection. She relies on truth, timing, and unhinged brilliance that simply can’t be replicated.
Beyond the camp and chaos, Willow used her stage to advocate—for queer people, for the chronically ill, for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong. Her comedy holds space for the unique, the beautiful, and everything in between. She’s not just making people laugh—she’s building empathy.
Willow is the epitome of quirky chaos—but beyond the comedy, she’s an advocate through and through. God’s Child didn’t just entertain; it raised awareness around chronic illness, grief, queerness, and identity. She uses her platform to turn pain into punchlines, shining a light on adversity in a way that’s both unexpected and impactful. Unapologetic and unashamed, Willow champions marginalized communities simply by existing loudly, authentically, and fearlessly as herself.
This wasn’t just a performance. It was a revelation—a sacred, satirical, glitter-soaked sermon. With God’s Child, Willow Pill isn’t just flexing her range—she’s redefining what drag performance can be. Houston got a front row seat to a drag icon evolving in real time, Willow Pill showed us that she’s more than a drag race winner. She’s a singular performer, a darkly, comic storyteller, and a once in a generation kind of entertainer and we are so lucky to have her in Houston.
Shot and Written by Loreal Curtis.
