The contributions of members of the LGBTQ+ community to the arts have spanned decades, ranging from fashion, to performances, to music, and even to breaking the mold on what "art" even is (as encompassed by the oft-repeated quote from renown drag queen Vivacious, "To me, the word 'gay' means 'Generations Ahead of Yesterday.'"). Each of the queer entertainers in this list have contributed towards the evolution of drag in their own unique way - and have looked absolutely stunning while doing it.
1. Ada Vox
Ada Vox is the stage name and alter-ego of Adam Sanders, a 24-year-old waiter from San Antonio, Texas. She is most known for being the first competitor to perform in drag on American Idol in 2018, where she made it to the top ten. Ada Vox's delivered riveting performances on the show, where viewers raved about her renditions of Radiohead's Creep and Nina Simone's Feeling Good. Despite being eliminated from the competition, her ability as a vocalist has earned her international recognition, including from RuPaul herself.
2. Sasha Velour
Sasha Velour, also known as Sasha Steinberg, is a drag performer, artist, and film director from Brooklyn, New York. Sasha Velour is most known for being the winner of Season 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality show competition, in 2017. Since then, Sasha has produced a monthly drag show in the heart of Brooklyn called Nightgowns, which showcases a variety of talented drag acts from all over the world. She is also directing and producing an anthology of short films on the art of drag titled One Dollar Drags and has recently released her first short film of the series, Pirate Jenny.
3. Hungry
Hungry is a drag performer from Berlin, Germany who specializes in distorted drag. They have gained global acclaim for their surreal makeup work and unusual perspective of drag, which emphasizes illusion more than traditional notions of femininity. Their artistic vision was showcased in Bjork's new album, Utopia, and they have been featured in Paper Magazine and numerous other publications.
4. Vander Von Odd
Vander Von Odd, also known as Antonio Yee, is a drag queen native to Imperial Valley, California. She was the first winner of the Boulet Brothers' Dragula, a web show reality competition that focuses on drag queens who embody the qualities of filth, horror, and glamour in their drag personas. With the title of the world's first Supermonster, Vander has become well known not only for her interpretations of alternative drag but also for her captivating performances with Sasha Velour's Nightgowns.
5. Trixie Mattel
Trixie Mattel, also known as Brian Firkus, is a drag queen from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She first became well-known for her exaggerated malibu-barbie inspired makeup in 2015 as a cast member in RuPaul's Drag Race season 7. Her career took off even further in 2016 with the launch of the web show UNHhhh, a talk show with co-host and fellow drag queen Katya Zamolodchikova, that would eventually be picked up on Vice as The Trixie and Katya Show. Trixie's signature sarcasm and dry humor have caused her to become a fan favorite among Drag Race fans, which allowed her to return in All Stars season 3 and win the televised competition. Trixie is also a recording artist and has released two country and folk albums, including Two Birds in 2016 and her most recent release, One Stone, in 2018.
6. Peppermint
Peppermint, also known as Agnes Moore, is a drag queen from New York City and the runner-up on season 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race. While previous competitors had come out before filming the show, Peppermint is the first contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race to compete on the show as an openly trans woman. Her openness about her identity comes in the wake of controversy about the participation of trans and queer women in drag, as represented by remarks RuPaul made on trans contestants in an interview with The Guardian. Peppermint will be the first trans woman to act as the principal role in a Broadway musical in Head Over Heels, which is set to begin performances on June 23rd of 2018.
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