About the artist

When Athene Atlas was born 1990 in Vienna (AUT), her parents already had planned her entire life. She must become a business analyst, earn good money, and always be a good boy. Turns out she had other plans. 

“Zuerst lernst du ‘was ‘gscheites!”

© Privatfoto

Athene started acting and singing when she was only 5 years old. She has been educated at Kids School of Vienna Conservatory (Kindersingschule des Konservatorium der Stadt Wien). Because of her remarkable voice and her stage presence her teacher wanted her to be a Wiener Sängerknabe, but her parents made different plans.

At age 6 she acted in front of an audience for the first time, at age 14 she stood in front of a camera for the first time. The movie has been screened at Opernkino (Cinemagic) Vienna. 

In 2007 she dropped out of school after having a life changing experience at Flucc Wanne (VIE) where she performed in Drag for the first time. From this point on it was very clear she would never be a business analyst, but an artist.

I’m an artist, mother!

Ever since she collaborated with other performers of Vienna’s Drag and performance scene like Mutti, her Drag sister Dutzi Ijsenhower, Sue Philis Baker, Doktor Domi Darf Das, Denice Bourbon, Patrick Lammer, Beri Sayici and many, many more.

From 2011 to 2014 she was part of Jimmy und die Stricherjungs, a Viennese trash pop project. They were even on tour throughout Europe and where main act on the big stage of Vienna Pride 2012. The band had one Album out.

From 2012 to 2015 she worked as a show host at Radio Energy Austria where she hosted the morning news as well as the club charts show. Afterwards she worked at a German Home shopping network as a producer.

Hosting at Radio ENERGY (NRJ)

Good boy? Not anymore!

In 2021 Athene Atlas came out as non-binary Transwoman. She started Hormone Replacement Therapy and started to take care of her mental health as well. Newspaper “Heute” had an article about her story battling with depression and burn-out.

In 2022 she was part of Slash Film Festival and shared stage alongside US-Drag Royalty Peaches Christ, as well as Cherry T Joystick, Lady Nutjob and many more. She founded Club Atlas at Vienna’s underground hotspot “Marea Alta” and began to host her own Drag events.

© Gregor Hofbauer

In June 2023 she performed at brut (VIE) after Nestervals piece „Die Namenlosen“. Since July 2023 she hosts „Familientreffen“ for queer people and allies. The idea is to be a new chosen family for those who got kicked out by their biological family. In Summer she also won an award as best performer at a Puls4 TV-show. She started working as a DJ again.

In 2024 the Event „Club Atlas“ became an association and the Event has been rebranded to „Club Atlas presents…“ starting with different event series. „Marea Atlas“ is the successor in the same location (Marea Alta) and „Parole Emil!“ started as a new political event series with conceptual art and performance to be paramount and drag to be sidelined.

„The best voice of all time, in Vienna, at Sun Dutz Film Fest.“ 

Dutzi Ijsenhower

What’s next?

Athene Atlas declared herself as Godmother of Viennas queer underground to be a new anchor point for Vienna’s queer underground community. Much needed in times where right-wing extremists want to erase Drag and the whole queer community.

© Daniel Hill