Painted with Raven, hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race icon and Emmy-winning makeup artist, Raven is back! Eight unique makeup artists from across the country compete from their own homes for a chance to showcase their artistry and win $25,000.
To celebrate the new season, we chatted with Joseph Tirado, one of the fiercely talented makeup artists competing to win the title of the Next Makeup Superstar this season.
What was your earliest memory of makeup?
When I was younger, while my mom worked, I’d sneak into her bathroom and use her extremely limited supply of makeup to commit straight-up atrocities to my face. I’m glad only I truly know how terrible those looks were! She used to use a brown lip liner to accentuate the birthmark on her forehead and I always used it to draw tattoos on my face.
What about makeup made you become passionate about it?
I became passionate about makeup after realizing how much it made me feel like me. It’s the unparalleled sense of authenticity makeup gives.
What is one of your favorite looks ever?
My tooth fairy! It’s the full embodiment of the kind of artist and person I am.
Who do you look to for inspiration?
Me! Dafuq! Just kidding, kinda. My friends, family, Lady Gaga…anyone who truly knows me knows how I feel about Gaga…and just people overall. I get inspiration from random stuff; I’m just weird.
What does being on Painted with Raven mean to you?
To say “the world” sounds cliché, but I’d also be lying if I expressed it as anything less than that. For what I feel is my entire life, I’ve worked toward something bigger, something more. Not ever knowing what or where that something was. Eventually, throughout my modeling and styling career I had conditioned myself into believing that even with my talents, I had gone as far as I could. Then I found makeup. And Painted with Raven found me.
What message do you hope viewers can take from seeing you on the show?
Kindness will take you places and give you things that talent alone could never.
