By Denny Patterson

Straight from the sizzling streets of South Florida, RuPaul’s Drag Race sensation Morphine Love Dion is turning up the glam, the grit – and yes, the Shakira hips.

Famed for her fierce runway presence, jaw-dropping stunts, and unapologetic attitude, Morphine is making her grand debut in Werq the World, the planet’s largest drag production. For the 2025 tour, an award show–inspired spectacle celebrating the power and pageantry of drag, she steps into the role of ultimate Latin pop goddess, delivering electrifying performances and red-carpet-worthy charisma night after night.

Werq the World kicked off August 15 and will hit major cities across the U.S. including New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Fort Lauderdale. OutClique recently caught up with Morphine to chat more about her set and embodying Shakira, as well as her biggest takeaways from Drag Race, representing South Florida magic on the global stage, and her advice to young queer artists.

Spoiler alert: the hips don’t lie!

Denny Patterson: Hi, Morphine! How excited are you to be involved with this year’s Werq the World tour?

Morphine Love Dion: I am over the moon! I have been touring and working non-stop since last year, and ever since I started doing drag, I’ve always wanted to be on Werq the World. The fact that I’m finally doing it as my favorite artists in the entire world is just insane. 

Denny Patterson: Yes, you will be serving Shakira realness! How are you preparing to channel such an iconic performer, and can you give us a hint as to what fans can expect?

Morphine Love Dion: I’m a huge, huge fan of hers, and I used to do Shakira at brunch every weekend. I’m also one of the top Shakira personators of Miami, so I’m going to channel that same energy. I’m going to channel what I’ve learned from her performances, her vibes, her hips, her hair, and I have seven different Shakira outfits that I recreated, so you can expect Shakira all the way down. I’m so excited!

Denny Patterson: This year’s tour is all about award shows. What are you looking forward to the most about stepping into this glitzy, red-carpet fantasy?

Morphine Love Dion: I feel like I’m now used to the red carpet fantasy. I’ve been to at least eight different red carpets between this year and last, so it feels like home. 

Denny Patterson: Werq the World is known for its over-the-top production value. How does being part of such a massive international drag spectacle compare to performing in more intimate venues?

Morphine Love Dion: I did RuPaul’s Drag Race Live in Las Vegas, which is a giant production, so I feel like that helped. Werq the World is such a crazy monster, so doing Vegas for three months definitely warmed me up a little bit. I do love more intimate venues as well because you get to interact with fans, but I love performing on a big stage. There’s such a big difference. Some queens love to only interact with the crowd and not perform, but I feel like a true performer is one that doesn’t need to interact with a crowd. 

Denny Patterson: Is there anything you ultimately hope audiences take away from this show?

Morphine Love Dion: I want them to take away that celebrity impersonation has been a part of drag for years. It’s like an infinity stone and a key aspect of drag. A lot of queens emulate themselves as someone else, so I feel like it’s important that we take it back to our roots. 

Denny Patterson: You will be sharing the stage with some major Drag Race royalty on this tour including Sasha Velour, Jimbo, and Miss Vanjie. What is your favorite part about traveling and connecting with queens from previous seasons?

Morphine Love Dion: It’s funny, because I was such a huge drag fan in high school, I only ever dreamed of meeting these queens. Now that I’m kiking and working with them, I’m so excited to have a good time, be hung over the next day, and complain about it with them all (laughs). It’s insane. Like, I saw Miss Vanjie on TV, and now we’re like best Judy’s. I love it. 

Denny Patterson: Looking back at your time on RuPaul’s Drag Race, what’s the biggest lesson you took away from that experience?

Morphine Love Dion: I think the biggest lesson is how to present myself. Mama Ru has taught me a lot about stage and camera etiquette; I feel like not a lot of people know how to learn or teach, period. The biggest take away, honestly, is that you can be a professional and act stupid at the same time. Just let loose, and if a mistake happens, keep going. You act like it didn’t happen and just move forward. Don’t be afraid to have a good time and just act like a stupid fool. That’s the best advice I’ve gotten from Ru. If I fall off the stage, I’m going to get right back up. 

Denny Patterson: And fans really responded to your charisma, glam, and Miami heat. What was your mindset going into the competition, and how did you stay true to yourself under all that pressure?

Morphine Love Dion: My mindset going in, I was a huge competitor. I definitely wanted to win everything, but that didn’t happen. Once I felt like I knew I wasn’t going to win, I was like, girl, let’s just have a good time. I think I had the most confessionals ever, and it’s insane that me talking crap went viral every time! I never thought that would happen, and us South Florida girls are made a little different here. There’s all kinds of different girls. Look at Mhi’ya Iman LePaige. She can be the shyest person in the world, yet she tears the stage up. 

Denny Patterson: If asked to go back for an All Stars season, would you?

Morphine Love Dion: Oh, yes! I would love to go back and smoke the competition. I feel like I have a different, newfound confidence now, and I can’t wait to show the world. I also have better looks because, you know, I have money now (laughs). 

Denny Patterson: How would you say being a proud Miami queen continues to inspire your art and drag persona?

Morphine Love Dion: You know, I have been offered to move to LA and Vegas, but there’s just something about being home. My family and friends are here, so I feel like being in South Florida and watching the new generation of Miami queens blossom gives me inspiration to stay. I’d love to see Miami become like another New York or Chicago. Before, there were five New York queens in every season, and now we’re seeing at least 2-4 queens from Miami. Miami’s becoming a drag capital, and we have several more queer spaces. I feel like as the city continues to grow and evolve, it’s going to be a great place for queer people.  

Denny Patterson: You touched on this earlier, but can you talk more about what you think sets South Florida drag apart from other scenes around the country?

Morphine Love Dion: I think what sets us apart is that we’re absolutely unhinged. Like, it’s 1000 degrees and humid, and everyone’s naked. We all love to wet ourselves, and we’re also friendly competitors. Yes, we all want to outdo each other, but in the best way possible. Not negatively. I feel like that’s why we’re all so crazy. Mhi’ya’s flipping all over the places, I’m pouring water all over myself – it’s just something that we love to do here. 

Denny Patterson: What message do you have for young queer artists?

Morphine Love Dion: I know this sounds very corny, but I do sometimes suffer from imposter syndrome, so I feel like I don’t belong. When you’re in a room full of amazing talent, you may feel like you don’t belong but you must always remember where you came from and always remember that you’re going to get to the place you want to be at if you absolutely believe that you are that girl. Even if you feel like it’s a lie, always tell yourself that you’re that girl, and always pay respects to those that came before you. That is the one thing that I tell everyone. Many of these new Drag Race girls do not pay respects to their elders, or the queens and trans icons that came before them. They paved the way for us to look the way that we do and to perform the way that we do, and I feel like that’s the best advice I can offer.