Hundreds of people gathered in Liverpool to celebrate The Vivienne at a vigil tonight, and a spontaneous moment during the concert was particularly special.
The Ru Paul’s Drag Race winner, whose real name was James Lee Williams, died on Sunday, January 5, at the age of 32.
A week later, fans, family and friends alike paid tribute to the star at a concert in front of St George’s Hall, releasing balloons into the sky during a live music performance.
Actor Liam Fox, who starred alongside Williams in the stage show Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, was in attendance along with his wife, actress Joanna Fox.
Liam said speaking about the emotional event subway: ‘She was very beautiful. She was deeply loved by everyone who knew her which makes it all the more tragic to lose her so young when there was so much waiting for her.
“I loved all the speakers, I loved all the stories since I started in the drag scene. There was laughter and tears.”
Liam found a particularly poignant moment: “The balloon release, which happened naturally during the song For Good, was particularly beautiful.” As well as the closing song Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
“Viv was a global star, breaking boundaries and shining a spotlight wherever she went, but for them, there was no place like home.
So to conclude that song in my beloved Liverpool was the perfect ending.
The fact that it was broadcast on iPlayer so that the vigil was available to watch across the country shows the impact it had.
“Liverpool, her family and friends were proud of Viv tonight.”
The building was lit up green in tribute to Williams’ role as the Wicked Witch in the musical Wicked on the West End, with people speaking fondly of the late star. Other buildings around the city, including the Liverpool Empire, were also illuminated in the same colour.
The vigil included moving speeches from principal Simon Jones, who said Williams had “never been mean”. “There was a magic about her.” He added that Vivian was a drag queen in the UK. RuPaul’s Drag Race co-star Danny Byrd also spoke about the strong bond he shared with Williams, and said they wished Williams had not “left the party so early.” He described his best friend Bobby Williams as “the brightest star I’ve ever known” and said they had “an unmistakable energy that made them stand out from the crowd”.
A special letter from the Williams family was also read: “Vivian was born in Liverpool.” People became his family. We are very proud of everything they have achieved. They shed a light like no other. We will miss you forever and love you forever. Williams was born and raised in North Wales, but moved to Liverpool when he was 16.
“Thank you so much for coming. Love you Uncle James,” his young niece Isabella said to cheers from well-wishers.
In one beautiful moment, hundreds of green balloons were released into the sky. The concert concluded with a beautiful performance of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
The event was organized by Sahir House, Liverpool’s oldest LGBTQ+ community charity, which Williams has worked closely with.
On the same evening, the Dancing On Ice cast also shared their tribute to the star, but viewers were left disappointed, calling it “disgusting”.
Williams competed in and won the first British series of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2019 and competed again in the seventh series, which was the All-Stars edition, in 2022.
Their other TV credits include Channel 4’s Celebrity Hunted in 2022 in aid of the Stand Up to Cancer campaign.
The following year, they made history as the first queen ever to compete on Dancing On Ice and finished in third place with professional partner Colin Grafton.
Williams last appeared on screens just days ago, starring in the festive special of Blankety Blank on Boxing Day.
Williams married David Ludford in 2019, but they announced their separation in April 2023.
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