The finale of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is Monday with the top three narrowed down to Kim Chi, Bob the Drag Queen, and Naomi Smalls. Only one can be crowned, of course. But Smalls, the 7-foot-tall Californian, will be showing her stuff to fans in the Boston area this weekend, performing Saturday at Ego in Providence and Sunday at Candibar in Boston.
Q. Your name comes from supermodel Naomi Campbell and the late rapper Biggie Smalls. What about them influences Naomi Smalls?
A. Both of them are just really amazing at what they do and don’t give a [expletive] about what anybody else thinks. And I’ve always loved the fierceness of Naomi Campbell and freshness of Biggie Smalls.
Q. You have deep fashion knowledge — as is obvious from your looks on the show — but what brands does Naomi want to wear and why?
A. I love any ’90s Mugler, ’90s Galliano, and ’90s Chanel.
Q. How did you learn to do your makeup and what inspires Naomi’s look?
A. I used to wear makeup as a boy in high school and I just kept adding more and more to it. And thank God for YouTube, because YouTube videos have been my drag mother for the last couple years.
Q. After watching your YouTube club performances, I can see that you can do some pretty slow glamour songs, like your performance of “Embrace,” but then there’s the more outlandish performances I’ve seen of “Hey QT” and “I Touch Myself.” What defines Naomi’s performance and how do you pick the songs?
A. My performances all start with either a look or a song. When I start with a song that I really like, I build a look to go with the song, or if I have a look I really want to wear, I find a song that goes well with the look.
Q. Lastly, congratulations on making it to the Top 3. How does it feel to have made it this far and to be a part of a Top 3 that is made up completely of people of color?
A. It feels great! I feel really honored to be a part of this amazing group of queens.
Ego , 73 Richmond St., Providence, 401-383-1208, egopvd.com.
Candibar , 275 Tremont St., Boston 617-804-5441, candibarboston.com.
John Paul Stapleton can be reached at john.stapleton@globe.com.