Try as we might, we can't all be Chaka Khan — even if she is every woman. One Austin band has a more relatable take, set forth in a classic makeover music video filmed at an iconic local business that could use some support.
"Juicy Booty," the high-energy new single by Subpar Snatch, explores the phenomenon of having frenemies against a video that is, frankly, surprisingly wholesome. Shot at famous Austin drag haven Coco Coquette, this video comes about a week after the business' "State of the Wig Address" on social media, asking for customer engagement so it can renew its lease for 2025.
"Oh no if you have one/You are one/Enemy just like me" sings vocalist Jess Scott, who wrote these lyrics as a direct homage to the iconic 1978 hit "I'm Every Woman."
This one's for women alone
Because women are best at everything
Even being mean
"The context is frenemies within the female world, and the subtext is kind of focused on the flexibility of women's relationships — and how that usually boils down to us being able to have compassion for each other and put ourselves in each other's shoes," says Scott. "There are notable characters and celebrities [in the lyrics], all who have shown us that reach, or that ability to have that flexibility of relationship with another woman. I think it all just kind of boils down to ... how those people can end up turning into your friends."
Ceecee Email — the band's drummer and resident drag performer — serves as the main character of this video, undergoing a quick transformation at the wig shop while the rest of the band goofs off. The vibes are much friendlier than a music video about enmity would usually call for, but the every woman-ness shines through the many looks.
The wig shop is known for its funky, playful styles.Still from "Juicy Booty" by Subpar Snatch
"I got to write the music video," says Scott, a former comedian. "When we were filming it, Ceecee was like, 'Don't we need to get shots of you?' They're so considerate. And I was like, 'Girl, this is the music video. The whole narrative is you.'"
In many ways, the whole band is Ceecee's narrative, since it was their desire for a creative outlet that sparked its formation. She and bassist Nate Ribner had been in another local band called Mt. Grey while Ceecee was forming a different performance identity, both in music and in drag. ("We actually still share a practice space with Mt. Grey, so there was no love lost," says Scott.)
As Ceecee came to realize that drumming in drag was much more fulfilling than lip syncing and dancing, Scott, thier partner, started getting a new band together. Early jams with a guitarist just didn't settle into the right rhythm, but with a such strong personalities and playing styles all around, the band isn't really hurting for another musician onstage.
Fittingly, the whole band spends the video browsing the wares of the wig and costume shop, but there are two separate emotional tones. It's 80's film across the board: Scott and Ribner play with scissors and costumes in disjointed montage scenes, as Ceecee assembles her outfit slowly, dramatically, piece-by-piece. (Both parties have their parts lined up for a remake of ZZ Top's "Legs," should they ever film an even closer version.)
Although the music video wasn't intended as an advertisem*nt for the shop, it couldn't come at a better time. It is, at the very least, a sincere testimonial. Ceecee, Scott says, exclusively shops at Coco Coquette, not just to support a local business but to engage in a shopping experience that's about more than selecting the right cut and color.
The video was already finished when the shop posted a six-part request on Instagram on June 15, seeking community help including not shopping on Amazon, booking events, and featuring the shop in lists and articles. (This story has been in the works since May's Hot Luck festival, but we're happy to oblige.) Four days later, the account shared a thank-you post for the "outpouring of care" they received in response.
"We were able to take some action immediately as a band in supporting them," says Scott. "I thought it was really great the way they asked. They came out, they let everybody know in the community that they were having a tougher time, and then they were just really vulnerable and concise. They said directly, 'This is what we need.' And a lot of it was really creative."
Nate Ribner propels the song forward on bass.Still from "Juicy Booty" by Subpar Snatch
One of the band's contributions — besides a pile of gift cards from friends and family for Ceecee's upcoming birthday — was to research some grants the shop might apply for. This music video is a great way to draw more eyes to the shop, and "wig whisperer" Allyson Garro has written in to share a few more tips on how to support local businesses:
I think because we've collectively grieved the loss of so many small businesses, as well as watching musicians, artists, and other folx in our creative community be priced out of living here, we're in a moment of heightened awareness around how our city is changing and what is in our power to shift about the trajectory in which we're headed. ...
The beautiful part of community engagement is that not everyone has to participate in the same way at the same time. ... Some people are regular supporters of the local economy through their spending behavior and physical engagement. Others help to spread the word through social media or blog posts; Even liking and commenting on posts are a way of showing support in these days of mysterious algorithmic changes! Signing up to receive a small business' newsletter can also be helpful to stay in the know of special events and sales that are happening.
And lastly, I think the impulse to shop online has become second nature for so many people that it takes some dedicated discipline to ask, "Is this thing that I'm searching for on Amazon available to purchase from a small business?" Around the holidays, I make a wishlist for family that links to small business' online stores and items I'd like to receive. ... I think of where I spend my money as "who am I investing in?" And I would 100% of the time prefer to invest in a small business or individual maker than Jeff Bezos.
Scott wraps it all up in a bittersweet feeling many Austinites are familiar with. Raised in Houston, she would travel to Austin to bask in the cool culture — much of which has disappeared. Still, she still sees "glimmers" of the city's weird past in places like Coco Coquette.
"Unfortunately, as a realist who also lives in Austin now in 2024, when I find those glimmers, I get very excited," she says. "But I also get nervous. I am 100 percent that person who, if I get something really good, I enjoy it for like three seconds, and then I immediately grieve it. ... I'm grateful that we did pull the trigger as a group, and that they allowed us to do it. It's good timing."
