Born and raised in San Diego, California, RuPaul later studied performing arts in Atlanta, Georgia. He settled in New York City, where he became a popular fixture on the LGBTQ+ nightclub scene. He achieved international fame as a drag queen with the release of his debut single, "Supermodel (You Better Work)", which was included on his debut studio album Supermodel of the World (1993). He became a spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics in 1994, raising money for the Mac AIDS Fund and becoming the first drag queen to land a major cosmetics campaign. He later received his own talk show on VH1 called The RuPaul Show, which he hosted for over 100 episodes while co-hosting the morning radio show on WKTU with Michelle Visage.
RuPaul's Drag Race was created in 2009 and has gone on to produce fourteen seasons in the United States. The show has also seen success internationally, with several international variants of the show being made, such as RuPaul's Drag Race UK and Canada's Drag Race. This has also inspired several spin-offs of the main show, including RuPaul's Drag U, RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars, and RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race. He is also featured as a host on other reality television series such as Skin Wars, Good Work, and Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul.
RuPaul has made appearances in films such as Crooklyn (1994), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), television shows such as Girlboss (2017), Broad City (2017), and Grace and Frankie (2019). He later created and starred in his own Netflix original television series AJ and the Queen (2020). In addition, he has also published three books: Lettin' It All Hang Out (1995), Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style (2010), and GuRu (2018).
RuPaul is considered the most commercially successful drag queen in the United States. For his work on RuPaul's Drag Race, he has received 12 Primetime Emmy Awards, becoming the most-awarded person of color in the history of the Primetime Emmys. Outside of film and television, he also continues to write and record music; he has released fourteen studio albums as of 2022, and received a Tony Award for Best Musical as a producer for the musical A Strange Loop.
Let's Turn The Night
RuPaul Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tell it on the mountain, and turn around
I didn't wanna do this, but you won't give it up
Revel in your haste to put us down but...
When the lights go out, we are the sun
And that's because we know the power of love
We are all one
Turn out the lights, wake up your soul
Let's turn the night into tomorrow
Wherever we are, ever we go
We are the light, you're never alone
You justify your judgment, who's right who's wrong
Try me by a jury of my peers
We'll be at the disco dancin' to our song
Deep inside the bass we have no fear cause...
And tomorrow belongs to those who believe
It belongs to you and me, shine a light
Let 'em see, let 'em see
In "Let's Turn The Night," RuPaul sings about the power of love and the importance of staying true to oneself. The song sends a message of unity and encourages listeners to let go of their fears and insecurities. The first verse starts with RuPaul saying that the message he is about to give is too obvious to be said, but he wants to make sure it is heard. He urges everyone to turn their backs on those who try to put them down, and celebrate the power of love. In the chorus, RuPaul wants everyone to light up their souls and turn the night into something new. The song strongly emphasizes the importance of being your true selves and creating a brighter future tomorrow.
The second verse of "Let's Turn The Night" talks about how people often judge and criticize others without knowing their situation. RuPaul sings that he is not afraid of being judged and does not fear anyone because he knows the power of his love. The line "Deep inside the bass we have no fear" suggests that there is power in the song, and the bassline provides a symbolic sense of security. The bridge encourages listeners to believe in themselves and to follow their dreams. According to RuPaul, the future is bright, and it belongs to everyone who keeps the faith.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna say, it's much too obvious
I'm keeping quiet because it's undeniable
Tell it on the mountain, and turn around
Shout it out and face the consequences
I didn't wanna do this, but you won't give it up
I didn't want to fight, but you keep provoking me
Revel in your haste to put us down but...
You enjoy belittling us, but we won't back down.
When the lights go out, we are the sun
We shine bright when everything else is dark
And that's because we know the power of love
Our strength comes from love
We are all one
We are connected as a united force.
Turn out the lights, wake up your soul
Turn off distractions and be present in the moment.
Let's turn the night into tomorrow
Let's make the most of tonight and look forward to tomorrow.
Wherever we are, ever we go
No matter where we are or where we're headed
We are the light, you're never alone
We bring hope and support, you are not alone.
You justify your judgment, who's right who's wrong
You try to defend your criticism, unsure of who's at fault.
Try me by a jury of my peers
Let my peers decide if I'm in the wrong.
We'll be at the disco dancin' to our song
We'll be celebrating and having fun together.
Deep inside the bass we have no fear cause...
The music gives us courage and confidence.
And tomorrow belongs to those who believe
Those who have faith in the future will reap its rewards.
It belongs to you and me, shine a light
We have the power to make tomorrow better, so let's start now.
Let 'em see, let 'em see
Let others witness our greatness and our deeds.
Contributed by Avery F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.