Tom Rasmussen

Tom Rasmussen

Tom Rasmussen is a writer and musician from the United Kingdom, born and raised in Lancashire and later based in London. Their work spans music, books, journalism, theatre and screen projects, and their public profile is shaped by both their writing and their performance history in drag.

Writing

Rasmussen’s first two books are Diary of a Drag Queen and First Comes Love. Both are described as critical successes. They write regularly for the Guardian, the Observer, the Independent, Dazed & Confused and i-D. They also hold a column at American Vogue, where they write about sex and relationships.

Music and performance

Their debut album, Body Building, combines dark dance music with live performance and an aesthetic influenced by their years working in drag. Before focusing on their own music, Rasmussen performs in drag for a decade in venues including the Royal Opera House, Glastonbury and the West End. Their drag alter ego, Crystal, is known for singing live rather than lip-syncing.

Body Building also brings in falsetto vocals, queer themes and moments of acoustic instrumentation. Rasmussen’s single “Dysphoria” is an important track in this period of their work, presenting a direct and emotional account of their relationship with their body.

Other projects

Rasmussen co-composes the music and lyrics for a debut musical based on David Nicholls’ Starter for Ten. They are also working on a television series for South of the River Pictures and adapting their second book for screen with STV.

Touring and collaborations

They tour with Rina Sawayama and Self Esteem in the UK, bringing their music to a wider audience alongside other contemporary pop artists.