Admire
Drag queen Admira took the Swedish people by storm when she claimed the winning spot and became a big favorite in the TV program Drag Race Sweden. Since 2013, Admira - with her unforgettable shows, exclusive look and entertaining personality has established herself as one of the most popular drag show artists Sweden has to offer today.
Admira has performed live in Allsång at Skansen, Svenska Nyheter and Nyhetsmorgon. She has handed out awards at Kristallen and the Grammy Awards and performed on stages all over Sweden and Europe.
Behind the mask we meet the designer and
actor Adam Risberg. Adam is the one who
creates the character of Admira, in everything from the costumes,
the wigs and makeup for the music, the jokes and the shows.
He also lectures on drag history, designs costumes
to others and make drag transformations.
Scroll down to read the story of Admira!
THE HISTORY OF
Adam Risberg grew up in Södermalm in Stockholm and was already creative and expressive as a child. He knew he was not like many other children around him and often felt left out.
During his time at Södra Latin's high school, his thoughts were marked by questioning of all the roles we in society adopt day in and day out. And his exclusion, well, he could either turn that into a solitary pursuit - or into a sparkly statement...
So, in his senior year of high school, Adam chose to put together a drag show as his final project. A full-fledged show with dancers, costume changes, funny videos and extra everything.
The show at Södra Latin received, before its premiere, attention in the media. It was not common for an 18-year-old boy to put on an advanced drag show at school. The exposure of the show in turn led to various gay profiles and drag artists making their way to Södra Latin to see Adams' show.
He chose to call the show "The Admira Thunderpussy show" and Adam's idol Christer Lindarw also made it to the show to show his interest.
In the spring of 2013 at Södra Latins Gymnasium, Admira was thus born through this well-known show and shortly afterwards Adam performed as Admira at gay clubs, events and private parties.
In the fall of the same year as the high school show, Adam became part of the ensemble for Jonas Gardell's stage show "Mit enda liv" which was played at Maximteatern and also Liseberg in Gothenburg.
Admira also became the so-called "house queen" at the gay club WONK, where she performed every weekend and appeared in different creations to keep the mood up.
She was crowned by Kajsa Bergkvist as Gaylucia of the Year 2013 and nominated by the QX readers for Drag of the Year 2014.
Since 2014, Admira has been nominated by QX readers to Drag Of The Year every year. That's every year for the last 12 years! Much thanks to Admira's continuity, drive and development as an artist.
Adam began his studies in 2015 at Stockholm's Tillskärarakademi and in parallel with his education he performed as Admira at company events, clubs and for Christmas that year he did his first regular Christmas show at the Metropol Palais, where lussebullas and Christmas carols were offered to the guests. He also put together a regular drag show at club WONK, which came to be known as "Thunderrave".
In the spring of 2016, Adam produced the show "Dragtastic Thursdays" at MELT show bar and restaurant. The show would attract guests to MELT on Thursdays, and thanks to Admira's high level of quality, MELT brought in as many guests as on salary weekends. Admira also began in 2016 to perform abroad in Berlin, Amsterdam, Paris and Oslo.
In 2017, Admira continued her regular show at MELT and was seen in all sorts of contexts. She was, among other things, a presenter at Pride festivals, an artist evening at the Gröna Lund stage and the Dragshow Gala in Malmö.
She released her own ice cream "A taste of Thunder" together with Magnum and performed in clubs in cities around Sweden and Europe.
After being nominated 4 years in a row for Drag of the Year, Admira (finally) took home the prize at the QX Gala 2018.
Adam went to the gala as himself and accepted the award in a suit, which sparked some provocation and even some confusion - "who was that guy in a suit on stage accepting the award for Drag of the Year?" some wondered in the audience.
In the spring of 2018, Admira's show "Admira at Rival" premiered at Rival in Stockholm.
She also became the house queen at the King Kong club in Stockholm, opened for the Rupaul's Drag Race show "Werq The World" at Göta Lejon and was a presenter at Europride in Gothenburg.
In autumn 2018, her new concept and show "Admiras Drag Soaré" had its premiere at Dramatenbaren, where she took on a new expression of show for the first time - live singing.
Accompanied by a pianist and with a pioneering concept in Swedish drag, the show was a success and on Fridays were so packed with people at Dramatenbaren that between the tables, people sat on the floor and in the windows to watch Admira perform.
It was also during this time that Admira had the honor of emceeing and performing in Tallinn at the very first public drag show the country showed, along with Rupaul's Drag Race winner Aquaria. The performance was so groundbreaking that she was interviewed on Estonian news TV.
In 2019, Admira continued with "Admira's Drag Soaré" at Dramatenbaren in Stockholm and worked at Club King Kong as a mingling hostess. She did shows at Stockholm Pride, in Parkteatern, Uppsala Konserthus and performed with Icona Pop at Allsång at Skansen.
The pandemic came, but that didn't stop Admira from performing outdoors in various contexts and online. Shortly after the restrictions were settled, Admira was back on stages around Sweden.
In 2022, Admira continued to do shows and performed, among other events, at Edvin Törnblom's release party for the book Bögen Är Lös.
In the summer, Adam took on the role of producer for Stockholm Pride with his stage show "Glamspäck". The show "Glamspäck" brought together Sweden's drag and burlesque artists and Admira was, in addition to being a producer, also a presenter and show artist.
The reality competition program "Drag Race Sweden" premiered in April 2023 on SVT and SVT play. Admira was one of the contestants and quickly became a great favorite with the viewers during the course of the program.
Thanks to her experience on and off the stage, she won 3 episodes and ended up as the winner of the show.
Admira was crowned "Queen of Drag Race Sweden" and this in turn led to a transition in her career. Admira now became, thanks to the exposure of her artistry on TV, a public figure with a wide audience all over Sweden.
In 2024, Adam produced and premiered his very first one-man show "Admiras Prajd-späck" at Ö2 Scenkonst Södermalm. This was the first show Adam produced for a theater stage, featuring costume changes, original written songs, films and monologue.
The shows sold out and, thanks to their appreciative audience, received a nomination for Stage of the Year 2024 at the QX gala.
Adam also appeared as "Admira as Mother Russia" in the satirical program Svenska Nyheter and also did the voice of the Queen in the children's film "Lilla Spöket Laban - Laban spökar agin."
Admira performed in Allsång at Skansen with her song Ave Admira, handed out awards at the Grammy Awards and Kristallen and toured Sweden with her shows.
She did a Christmas concert with Stockholms Gaykör the same year and released her own Christmas song "Admira Christmas Time" which she performed in Nyhetsmorgon.
2023 was, to say the least, an intense and joyful year where Admira gained public recognition thanks to her participation in Drag Race Sweden.
Until now, Adam had been working hours in service to make ends meet, but now thanks to the success of the show, he was able to make a living from his great passion - drag.
Yes, from a project in high school to being crowned the winner of Drag Race Sweden - you can easily say that Admira's journey to full-fledged Drag Queen of Sweden has been one of rank and nuance.
Today, Admira's artistry is so developed that as a solo artist she easily captures audiences of various content and sizes, from 20 people up to thousands at private functions to global corporate events.
Over the years, her repertoire has been refined to such an extent that it maintains a class and quality that is unique within the culture.
What will Admira come up with next?
Follow her on social media and you might be the first to know..