On April 29 this year, I met Jessabelle Thunder for a customary outing to the V&A museum. She visits London as often as she can, keen to make a second home here with frequent invitations to perform. As we ogled jewels and ornate settings at the Cartier exhibition, we discussed the finer details of the act she’d compete with at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend in June. Picking our favourites in a finale room full of blinding diamond tiaras, the signposting of what was to come would only occur to us when the Miss Exotic World crown was duly placed on her head six weeks later.    

When I messaged Jess after her winning performance to say just how perfectly executed it was (and I meant it – not a fingernail wrong under such pressure, best I’ve ever seen her do it) I received the quintessential reply: “It was decent and I’m not mad at myself.”  High self-praise indeed from a woman who holds herself to insurmountable standards and qualifies every opinion and idea with a self-deprecating shrug. A chronic overthinker with a big, benevolent brain and wide, earnest eyes that could hold the world, her humility walks hand in glove with activity – especially now, with our industry in such an uncertain, precarious period. 

Sixteen years ago, Jess had seen a few burlesque shows – including Forty Deuce in Las Vegas – and was “blown away, though I never imagined I’d do it myself.”  Then she visited Denver with a boyfriend and saw a student showcase. 

“I remember turning to him and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s actually a school of burlesque? That’s insane and hilarious; I’d never do it.’ Apparently, he heard something deeper in that, because when we got back to LA he signed me up for a class with Penny Starr Jr. and Jewel of Denial.”

Her first show was in October 2009. Jess doesn’t remember the particulars, but the adrenaline rush was unforgettable. Her class was invited to perform at Monday Night Tease, where she met Chris Beyond and subsequently performed at Peep Show Menagerie. 

“Then everything snowballed. Sixteen years later, I’m still going.”

Jessabelle Thunder at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2025, by shphotografia

Jess sees her recent triumph as a community win for Los Angeles burlesque, and those close to her certainly feel that way. She is quick to acknowledge Kitten DeVille – the first Miss Exotic World from LA back in 2002, when the pageant was still at the goat ranch. 

Now her mind has turned to how the prestige of this crown can amplify her ongoing mission, for burlesque in LA, and beyond.

“In LA, sometimes we’re just fine with how things are. And I think we could do more to come together and create a truly show-stopping, elevated scene,” she explains.

“When I started, there were fewer shows, like Monday Night Tease, Devil’s Playground and Peep Show Menagerie, each with their own flavor and audience. There were occasional conflicts, of course, but there was also a clearer structure and commitment to building the scene.”

“I want emerging performers to value burlesque and invest in quality, not treat it as a fleeting side hobby without understanding its roots.”

Now, with so many shows and fewer long-standing relationships, Jess thinks the LA scene feels more disconnected. Social media has made some things easier, but also created isolation. Today, venues often leave all the promotion to producers, which in turn puts more pressure on individual performers.

“The scene has grown, but there’s so much happening that it becomes fragmented, and we lack communication, coordination, and shared standards, particularly around pay rates and show quality,” she goes on. “There’s space for people at all levels, but I want emerging performers to value burlesque and invest in quality, not treat it as a fleeting side hobby without understanding its roots.

“It’s unrealistic to expect total cohesion, but I think we’d benefit from more conversation. I’d love to create a large scale, collaborative showcase or peer-reviewed event. Something that encourages growth, feedback, and unity.” 

Jessabelle Thunder is crowned Miss Exotic World, Reigning Queen of Burlesque at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2025, by shphotografia

Jess wants better venues, better pay, more stages – “not just restaurants” – and more live music venues which, in her opinion, draw new audiences and elevate the entire experience. 

One undeniable positive she recognises is the increase in diversity, but she still wants to see more Black and Latin performers in the Los Angeles burlesque scene.

“One of my big projects is Brown Sugar Burlesque, an all-Black burlesque show with a live R&B band. I co-produce it with my friend Mariah, who comes from the spirits and bar world. We’ve done four or five sold-out shows and we’re trying to get another one going. Funding is the biggest hurdle.

“Performing for a mostly POC audience is a totally different energy, and the live band, Maurice Smith and Delta Soul, brings so much. I’d love to grow the show, tour it to other cities, and invite performers from all over. I want to show Black folks that Burlesque is for us.”

“I want to show Black folks that burlesque is for us.”

Beyond Brown Sugar, Jess is focused on producing more high-quality burlesque shows to re-energize the LA scene. 

“There are so many people in this city, but audience numbers are down, possibly due to the economy, the post-pandemic slump, or just shifts in interest. I’m collaborating with folks like Audrey Deluxe, Tito Bonito and Ginger Valentine to explore how we can revive enthusiasm. We’re hoping to establish something consistent – a weekly or bi-weekly show that brings quality and excitement back to the community.”

Brown Sugar is part of that mission, and she’s hoping to inspire more interest through teaching and mentorship, too. 

“I want to give people a foundational understanding: not just choreography, but tools they can use in performance and life. It’s about connecting with your body and music in new ways, not copying my moves.”

Jessabelle Thunder by Neil Kendall

Does her winning act model what she’d like to see in LA burlesque and beyond? 

“The polish, certainly. If we want more people to view Burlesque with respect and value it as an art form, it needs to be polished. I don’t necessarily mean heavily rhinestoned or classic style acts. Whatever your style, get feedback. Push it to a higher level of performance. That’s what speaks volumes in our community and to the larger world.

“My act wasn’t polished from the jump, but because I had guidance and support. I really leaned into my community to fine-tune everything. Varla VaVoom, Lily SnatchDragon, Toby Taylor and Angie Cakes advised and worked on costume elements, and Ginger Valentine helped me refine my movements. I want to see more of that in LA and Burlesque in general; we could all use more guidance and support.”

“If we want more people to view burlesque with respect and value it as an art form, it needs to be polished.”

We muse on creatives’ love-hate relationship with pressure and occasion.

“When people go to the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend, they bring their best,” Jess affirms. “They work hard to represent themselves and Burlesque in the best light possible. Being accepted is a huge motivator, pushing me to go extra hard on an act and use the deadline to level up. Choreography, costume, concept – everything gets refined. But I want to push myself to improve even if there’s no festival deadline. Not just for BHoF – but for every show, every stage.”

Jessabelle Thunder at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend 2025, by shphotografia

As mainstream media, popstars and productions continue to cosplay and sanitise Burlesque, cherry picking the low-hanging motifs while keeping the gate firmly closed on the artform itself, Jess is conscious of how fragile and inconsistent our reputation is. 

“I think mainstream entertainment and audiences often misunderstand Burlesque,” she begins. “They see the surface – the removal of clothing, the fun, the spectacle on stage, but they don’t understand the depth. They dismiss it and say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to watch people undressing on stage,’ without realizing what they’re actually seeing – or missing. The storytelling, the performance art, how layered and thoughtful it can be.

“I believe it’s our duty as performers to help people understand. Yes, we want to celebrate the fun and the joy because that’s such a big part of it, but we also need to share the history, artistry, and behind-the-scenes work that goes into creating those few minutes on stage. Costume work, choreography, character development, research. The legacy we’re both honoring and continuing. How political Burlesque can be and how much activism exists within it. That there’s resistance in what we do, visibility and representation in what we create.”

“Burlesque allows us to take up space. To be loud and to be proud. And that’s a beautiful thing.”

It’s that resistance, I pose, which is more important than ever given the current state of the world, against capitalist, social and political oppression alike.

“We’re doing things on stage that many people have told us we shouldn’t, or couldn’t do,” Jess concurs. “For example, mainstream culture often devalues or excludes large bodies, but when those bodies take the stage, claiming sensuality, joy, and presence, it’s a radical and powerful act. It says something. It means something.

“In Burlesque, we see and celebrate all kinds of bodies, all kinds of identities – people living their truth, telling their stories and standing in their power. We’re told to shrink ourselves, to stay quiet and small because of who we are, who we love, or what we believe. Burlesque allows us to take up space. To be loud and to be proud. And that’s a beautiful thing.

“I just wish more people could see that – really see it – and respect it for what it is. But the truth is, most people won’t do the work to learn that on their own. It’s up to us. We have to show them and tell them. We have to educate, as a collective, about everything Burlesque truly is.

“Burlesque may not be ‘in’ right now from the outside, and there may be a sense of decline in the visibility or excitement around it. But I’m still pushing forward,” Jess concludes. “I’m still striving to do more. I want to keep representing Burlesque and taking it to new heights.”

Visit www.jessabellethunder.com and follow Jessabelle Thunder on Instagram.