When she’s not bewitching packed Broadway houses, two-time Drag Race champion Jinkx Monsoon immerses herself in immense Spotify sagas. These aren’t mere playlists of a few dozen tracks, but epic soundscapes featuring hundreds of selections—musical deluges you could drift off to and awaken before you’ve even scratched the surface.
Far from being public mixtapes, Monsoon’s curated catalogs serve a singular purpose: character preparation. She spins them through rehearsals and queues them moments before curtain to anchor her emotional state and fully inhabit her roles.
The “Oh, Mary!” playlist—which she granted Billboard an exclusive glimpse into—boasts over 500 tracks, spans more than 27 hours, and continues to evolve as Monsoon refines her artistic vision. Each song resonates with her interpretation of a restrained yet frenzied Mary Todd Lincoln, responding to the play’s dynamics and her own personal connection to the part.
“Overall, the playlist is volatile,” Monsoon explains. “Mary is simultaneously grieving one relationship and celebrating the start of another. These songs oscillate between heartache and newfound love, capturing the character’s emotional seesaw.”
Though “Oh, Mary!” unfolds in the 1860s, Monsoon’s selections range from the Roaring Twenties to today—both because recorded music predates the era only by a decade and because she finds Civil War–era tunes eerily resonant with current events. Her sweeping compilation leaps across genres and generations, showcasing an encyclopedic depth of musical history and her steadfast commitment to serving the story. (Not that it’s needed: Monsoon’s portrayal of Mary—a blend of empathy and comedic precision through Sept. 28—is simply Broadway magic.)
Below are 19 standout tracks from Monsoon’s “Oh, Mary!” playlist, each accompanied by her reflections on how they help her breathe life into this unforgettable character.
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Jessica Harper – “Old Souls” & “Me of Me”
Harper’s fragile vocals embody the allure of showbiz seduction. “Old Souls” evokes Mary’s intimate tutor scene, while “Me of Me” mirrors her repressed longing—an awakening of desires she can’t yet name.
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Peggy Lee – “Is That All There Is?”
Lee’s wry inquiry into life’s promises reflects Mary’s disillusionment. Though it hints at apathy, Monsoon hears a celebration of experience—an invitation to marvel at life’s unfolding spectacles.
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Bette Davis – “I’ve Written a Letter to Daddy”
The late-career vaudevillian lament mirrors Mary’s reputation as a fallen star—drunk on nostalgia and clawing at memories that were never as golden as they seemed.
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Helen Kane – “I Wanna Be Loved by You”
Despite the historical mismatch, Kane’s breathy cabaret persona captures Mary’s fantasy of becoming a nightclub siren—a romanticized escape from her rigid existence.
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Madonna – “Mer Girl”
Monsoon uses this to clear her mind pre-show, immersing herself in Mary’s desperate urge to flee—to slip away into solitude and confront the burdens she’s long avoided.
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The Muppets – “The Muppet Show Theme”
A playful nod to vaudeville’s genesis, this tune fires up Monsoon’s physical comedy instincts as she readies for the whirlwind pace of the performance.
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Dagger Polyester – “Will”
This dramatic rock-cabaret piece mirrors Mary’s emotional extremes, with sweeping orchestrations that underscore the thrill and peril of newfound love.
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Laufey – “Silver Lining”
With its blend of melancholy and melodic grace, this song reinforces Mary’s candid self-awareness—her willingness to name every flaw and lead with it.
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Chappell Roan – “Picture You” & “Coffee”
Roan’s tracks underscore Mary’s tumultuous marriage and clandestine affair, illustrating her tug-of-war between duty and desire.
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Paul Williams – “Tomorrow,” “Fat Sam’s Grand Slam” & “I’m Feeling Fine”
From Bugsy Malone’s hopeful dancer to the exuberant saloon anthem “Fat Sam’s Grand Slam,” these songs map Mary’s unfulfilled dreams and moments of unbridled joy.
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Ute Lemper – “L’heure bleue (The Hour of Parting)”
Weimar-era cabaret classics that resonate a century later, offering Monsoon a treasure trove of dramaturgical nuance for Mary’s world.
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Jerskin Fendrix – “Portuguese Dance I & II”
From the Poor Things soundtrack, these avant-garde cuts parallel Mary’s innocence trapped in an adult body—her only true skill set emerging through song.
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Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin & Jim Cummings – “Be Prepared”
This Lion King villain anthem empowers Monsoon to unleash Mary’s darker impulses—an indulgent reminder that even historical heroines harbor ruthless moments.
