Naysha Lopez | |
---|---|
Born | Fabian Rodriguez June 20, 1984 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Occupation(s) | Drag performer, beauty pageant participant |
Television | |
Awards | Miss Continental 2013 |
Naysha Lopez is the stage name of drag performer and beauty pageant winner Fabian Rodriguez (born June 20, 1984), who won the 2013 Miss Continental competition and appeared on the eighth seasons of both RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars . [1]
After competing on the beauty pageant circuit, Naysha Lopez won the 2013 Miss Continental competition. [2] [3]
Naysha Lopez competed on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2016, [4] [5] after building a drag career in Puerto Rico and Chicago. [6] She was the first queen eliminated, losing the lip sync battle to "Applause" by Lady Gaga against Laila McQueen. [7] Naysha was quickly brought back to the show for ep. 3 after a lackluster performance on ep. 2 by McQueen and Dax ExclamationPoint resulted in their dual-elimination; [8] Naysha subsequently placed in the bottom two again and lost another lipsync, this time against Chi Chi DeVayne to Blondie’s "Call Me", and became the second queen on the show to be eliminated twice (after season 7’s Trixie Mattel). [9] [10] Queerty's Timothy Allen said she was "one of the most beautiful queens to ever compete on the show". [11] Similarly, Michael Cook of South Florida Gay News said she was "arguably one of the most stunningly gorgeous queens to ever stomp the runway" on the series, to date. [12]
At RuPaul's DragCon LA convention in 2018, Naysha Lopez and Tempest DuJour tied for "fan favorite" in the “RuPaul's DragCon Pageant”, an event where "queens who were eliminated first on their seasons battled it out for the crowd", according to Patrick Crowley of Billboard magazine. [13]
In 2021, Rodriguez was first runner-up in the Mr. Continental competition, [14] winning in the swimsuit category. [15]
In 2022, Naysha Lopez was among a group of drag queens who performed on-stage with Jennifer Lopez at the iHeartRadio Music Awards . [16] The performance was a "full-circle" moment for Naysha, as she has repeatedly expressed admiration for Lopez as an artist, performer and businesswoman on many occasions, posting on Instagram in 2019: "Jennifer Lopez will always be a huge inspiration for me and my drag. Her take on Fashion and work ethic is like no other." [17] In 2023, she returned and competed on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, [18] ultimately being eliminated on episode 2 after she placed in the bottom two contestants, alongside Kahanna Montrese. The surprise lip-sync "assassin" of the episode, Thai drag performer Pangina Heals, won in a lip-sync against challenge winner Jimbo to Cyndi Lauper's "She Bop", and, as she received the majority of the votes to be eliminated from the safe queens, Naysha was sent home, placing eleventh out of twelve queens.
Rodriguez has a working class background, [19] and is a licensed cosmetologist. [20] His familial roots are in Puerto Rico. Rodriguez spent most of his life in Chicago, attending Lane Tech College Prep High School (graduating class of 2002), and, in 2023, was living on the city's Northwest Side and working in Lake View, also known as Boystown. She also lived in Belmont Cragin, [21] in 2016, and Elmwood Park, Illinois. [22]
As Naysha Lopez, Rodriguez hosts a popular weekly viewing party for RuPaul’s Drag Race, live-streamed from Chicago gay bar Roscoe's Tavern on YouTube. Along with co-hosts Kara Mel and Batty Davis, the event features anywhere from 2-4 guests, usually other queens from the show, as well as occasional judges from the series or other media personalities. Other guests at Roscoe's have included contestants and winners from Canada's Drag Race and RuPaul'sDrag Race UK. The group gives intermittent commentary during and after the episode, with behind-the-scenes gossip and information often being revealed, hence there is a strict no-filming policy at the bar. [23] [24] [25] [26] [27]
Naysha Lopez is a member of the House of Hall, a drag family headed by pageantry icon Tajma Hall (1970-2014), [28] which includes fellow Drag Race contestants DiDa Ritz (season 4), Jaida Essence Hall (season 12 winner) and Kahmora Hall (season 13). [29]
As of 2024, Rodriguez is currently residing in Los Angeles, explaining in a podcast interview with fellow DragRace alum Delta Work that he values the position hosting the viewing parties at Roscoe's Tavern (in Chicago) so much that he travels weekly between California and Illinois, stating: "I do my thing every week, and I have one of the best jobs, ever…Roscoe's has really stepped-up and shown appreciation for their talent." [30] Rodriguez is currently dating Jason Hughes. [31]
Title | Year | Album |
---|---|---|
"Money, Success, Fame, Glamour" (Glam Rock version) (with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8) | 2023 | Non-album single |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | RuPaul's Drag Race (season 8) | Herself/Contestant | 9th place | [33] |
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked | ||||
2018 | The Jam | Herself | Guest | [34] |
2023 | RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars (season 8) | Herself/Contestant | 11th Place | [35] |
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | Meet the Queens | Herself | Stand-alone special RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 | [36] |
2017 | Backhanded Compliments | Herself | Guest | [37] |
2017 | VideoOut | Herself | Guest | [38] |
2017 | Hey Qween! | Herself | Guest | [39] |
2019 | Kiki with Kimora Blac | Herself | Guest | [40] |
2019 | Out Of The Closet | Herself | Guest | [41] |
2022 | Naysha Lopez: White Sox Pride Night | Herself | Stand-alone special | [42] |
2022 | The Pit Stop | Herself | Guest | [43] |
2023 | Meet the Queens | Herself | Stand-alone special RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 8 | [44] |
2023 | EW News Flash | Herself | Guest | [45] |
2023 | BuzzFeed Celeb | Herself | Guest | [46] |
José David Sierra, better known as Jessica Wild, is a Puerto Rican drag queen, professional make-up artist, and reality television personality. She was a contestant on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.
Karl Philip Michael Westerberg, known professionally as Manila Luzon, is a Filipino-American drag queen, reality television personality, recording artist, and comedian. Luzon came to international attention as a contestant on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race and on the first and fourth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.
Alexis Mateo Pacheco, best known as Alexis Mateo, is a Puerto Rican drag queen, performer, reality television personality, fashion designer, and the winner of All American Goddess 2016, Miss Gay Days 2016 and National Showgirl 2017. She became internationally known as a contestant on season 3 of RuPaul's Drag Race, and seasons one and five of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Alexis Mateo is also drag mother of viral sensation and "RuGirl" Vanessa Vanjie Mateo.
Justin Dwayne Lee Johnson, best known by the stage name Alyssa Edwards, is an American drag performer, choreographer, and businessperson. Edwards was known for competing in drag pageantry before rising to international attention as a contestant on the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, becoming a fan favorite during and after her time on the show. Edwards subsequently appeared on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars and starred in her own web series, Alyssa's Secret.
Timothy K. Wilcots, better known by the stage name Latrice Royale, is an American drag performer, recording artist, and reality television personality. She is best known for her appearances on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race in 2012 and on the first and fourth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. She finished fourth on her original season; in its final episode, she was crowned Miss Congeniality. She placed fifth on the fourth season of All Stars.
Bryan Watkins, known by his stage name Shannel, is an American drag queen and television personality, best known for competing on the first season of RuPaul's Drag Race and later the first season and ninth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars.
Mariah Paris Balenciaga, or simply known as Mariah, is the stage name of Elijah A. Kelly, an American drag queen and television personality, best known for competing on the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race (2011) and the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2020). Since appearing on the show, she has been featured in a number of web series produced by World of Wonder, such as Wait, What?, Transformations, and Fashion Photo RuView. Balenciaga released her first single, "Mug 4 Dayz", on November 19, 2013.
Joshua Allen Eads, better known by the stage name Ginger Minj, is an American drag queen, actor, singer-songwriter, and reality television personality. After achieving recognition for placing as the runner-up on the seventh season of the reality television competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, Minj returned to compete on the second and sixth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Minj has acted in three Netflix productions—the comedy feature film Dumplin' (2018), the animated series Super Drags, and RuPaul's fictional series AJ and the Queen, and has acted in numerous theatrical productions. Minj appeared in the 2022 film Hocus Pocus 2, the sequel to Hocus Pocus. Minj has released three studio albums—Sweet T (2016), Gummy Bear (2021), and Double Wide Diva (2021).
James Jeffrey Wirth, better known as Jaymes Mansfield, is an American drag queen, TV personality, and YouTuber. She is best known for competing on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, and playing the part of Delia Von Whitewoman in the film The Bitch Who Stole Christmas.
Mayhem Miller is the stage name of Dequan Armand Johnson, an American drag performer and actor, best known for competing on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race (2018), the fifth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2020), and the second series of RuPaul's Drag Race: UK vs. the World (2024).
Monét X Change is the stage name of Kevin Akeem Bertin, a Saint Lucian-American drag queen, singer, podcaster, and reality television personality. She is known for competing on the tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race (2018), on which she placed sixth and was crowned the season's Miss Congeniality, and for winning the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2018–2019) alongside Trinity the Tuck. She returned to compete in the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, an all-winners season, where she placed runner-up.
Brooke Lynn Hytes is the stage name of Brock Edward Hayhoe, a Canadian-American drag queen, ballet dancer, and television personality. After working as a dancer with Cape Town City Ballet and Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, Brooke Lynn Hytes achieved international recognition for competing on the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race; Brooke Lynn Hytes placed second, only to winner Yvie Oddly. Brooke Lynn Hytes is the first Canadian to compete in the series. Since 2020, Brooke Lynn Hytes has been a main judge on the spin-off series Canada's Drag Race, and is the first Drag Race contestant to become a full-time judge in the franchise.
Kahanna Montrese is the stage name of Tyrone Hardiman, an American drag performer most known for competing on season 11 of RuPaul's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.
Silky Nutmeg Ganache is an American drag performer from Chicago, Illinois, who came to international attention in 2019 when she competed on the eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race finishing in third place, and later competed on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars in 2021. She has also been involved in numerous Drag Race spin-offs, including RuPaul's Drag Race: Vegas Revue (2020) and RuPaul's Secret Celebrity Drag Race (2022). She also competed in the first Canadian-based international All Stars spin-off series, Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World in 2022, finishing as a runner-up.
Soju is the former stage name of Tony Hyunsoo Ha, a South Korean-American retired drag queen, singer and television/YouTube personality. Soju is best known for her online reviews of the reality show RuPaul's Drag Race, until being cast on the show's eleventh season.
Jared Johnson, best known by the stage name Jaida Essence Hall, is an American drag queen and reality television personality best known for winning the twelfth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, and later returning to compete on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, an all-winners season. Since her season aired in 2020, Hall has been a staple of several domestic and international tours that feature Drag Race contestants, including Werq the World, A Drag Queen Christmas, and Drive 'N Drag. In October 2020, Johnson was a featured performer in Rihanna's Savage X Fenty Fashion Show Vol. 2.
Kahmora Hall is the stage name of Paul Tran, a drag performer most known for competing on season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race.
Tamisha Iman is the stage name of Will Crawford, an American drag queen most known for competing on the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race and winning several drag pageants. She is a drag matriarch and the founder of the Iman Dynasty, a drag house.
Maddy Morphosis is the stage name of Daniel Truitt, a drag performer most known for competing on season 14 of RuPaul's Drag Race. He is the show's first openly heterosexual male contestant. Since 2023, he has hosted his own talk show webseries Give It to Me Straight.
Sasha Kekauoha, best known by the stage name Sasha Colby, is an American drag performer and beauty pageant competitor. In 2012, she won the Miss Continental competition. In 2023, she was crowned the winner of season 15 of RuPaul's Drag Race.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)…Jennifer lopez will always be a huge inspiration for me and my drag. Her take on Fashion and work ethic is like no other.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)Tajma Hall, a Chicago-based entertainer who shined worldwide, died Saturday morning, April 19, of cardiac arrest at Evanston Hospital. She was 44.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link)