Symone (drag queen)

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Symone
Born
Reggie Gavin

(1995-01-14) January 14, 1995 (age 26)
Conway, Arkansas
NationalityAmerican
OccupationDrag queen
Years active2013–present
Known forRuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) winner
PredecessorJaida Essence Hall

Reggie Gavin (born January 14, 1995),[1] known by the stage name Symone, is an American drag queen and model. She is best known as the winner of season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race. She is a member of the queer art collective House of Avalon.[2][3]

Early life[]

Born Reggie Gavin, Symone was raised in Conway, Arkansas,[2] as the youngest of three children, with two siblings who are significantly older.[4] A shy child due to anxiety about being gay, Symone discovered drag as a teenager in 2009 after RuPaul's Drag Race debuted,[4] and began to experiment with makeup and drag, attending senior prom in a dress.[3]

Career[]

Drag beginnings[]

Shortly after high school graduation in 2013, she performed drag for the first time at Triniti Nightclub under the name Delilah Alamaine.[4] While a student at University of Arkansas at Little Rock, she began to build a following as a performer at Discovery and The Factory, and later changed her stage name to Symone, after a character in a play she wrote in high school.[4] She hosted a series called Symone Says.[2] Of her drag identity, she said Symone represents "the person that I really am. I would say Reggie is a mask I put on every day."[2]

Symone is a member of the queer fashion and pop culture collective House of Avalon along with season 12 Drag Race finalist Gigi Goode.[2] The collective was started in 2016 in Little Rock by designer Marko Monroe, Hunter Crenshaw, and Grant Vanderbilt.[5][6] Vanderbilt is Symone's drag mother.[4]

RuPaul's Drag Race[]

Main article: RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13)

Symone moved to Los Angeles in 2019 and joined other relocated members of House of Avalon.[7] In 2021, she gained wider prominence as a contestant on season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race, where she became the show's first Arkansas contestant.[8] She has received positive reception from critics for her drag fashion and persona, which frequently nod to Black cultural icons like Lil' Kim and Grace Jones.[4][3] After the first two episodes aired, pop culture websites Vulture and Jezebel stated that Symone was a frontrunner to win season 13.[9][10] Rihanna sent Symone an Instagram DM after seeing her on the show: "You soooo EVERYTHING! Nasty Lil bitch! I live for every second of it! You're a true joy to watch!"[7]

Symone received media attention for her runway dress worn on episode 9: a white faux leather dress with exaggerated hips, red crystal bullet holes on the back, and a white headpiece emblazoned with Say Their Names.[8][6] As she walked the runway she recited the names of several murdered Black Americans: Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Brayla Stone, Trayvon Martin, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, and Monika Diamond.[8] The dress was designed by Marko Monroe and created by Howie B.[6] Symone said her intention with the dress was to state: "No matter how pretty or beautiful or non-threatening I—and Black people—seem, we're still seen as a threat."[8] Symone ultimately won the season in the grand finale that aired on April 23, 2021.[1]

Continued career[]

In August 2021, Symone will be a featured performer in Drag Fest, a live music festival.[11] She was featured on the cover of the September 2021 issue of Interview Magazine.[12] In September 2021, she attended the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards,[13] the 2021 Met Gala,[14] and walked the red carpet at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards,[15]

Awards and nominations[]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race People's Choice Award for The Competition Contestant of 2021[16] Nominated

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2021 Star-Crossed: The Film Heist Girl 2
2022 Bros TBA Feature film [17]

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) Contestant Winner [9]
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race: Corona Can't Keep a Good Queen Down Herself Stand-alone special [18]
2021 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards Herself Guest [19]
2021 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Herself Guest [20]
2021 Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 Herself Amazon Prime Exclusive [21]

Music videos[]

Featured and cameo roles[]

Year Title Artist Role Ref(s)
2021 "Simple Times" Kacey Musgraves Featured [22]

Web series[]

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2021 The X Change Rate Herself Guest [23]
2021 Ruvealing the Look Herself Guest [24]
2021 Whatcha Packin' Herself Guest [25]
2021 Beauty Secrets Herself Guest [26]
2021 Binge Herself Guest [27]
2021 The Awardist Herself Guest [28]
2021 The Pit Stop Herself Guest [29]

Discography[]

As part of the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 13[]

As lead artist[]

Title Year
"Condragulations" (cast version)[30] 2021
"Social Media: The Unverified Rusical"[31]

As featured artist[]

Title Year
"Lucky"[32]
(RuPaul featuring the Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 13) 		2021

References[]

  1. ^ a b Nolfi, Joey (2021-04-24). "In 'RuPaul's Drag Race' winner Symone, a star is born: 'I want to rule the world'". EW.com. Archived from the original on 2021-04-24. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  2. ^ a b c d e Smittle, Stephanie (January 29, 2021). "All hail queen Symone, the Conway, Ark. queen owning the runway on "RuPaul's Drag Race"". Arkansas Times. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Newbold, Alice (March 12, 2021). ""People Need Drag – It Saved My Life": Symone On Becoming More Than A Fierce Fashion Queen". British Vogue. Archived from the original on March 13, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Street, Mikelle (January 29, 2021). "Symone Is The New Fashion Queen of 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  5. ^ "Jeremy Scott Welcomes You to the House of Avalon". 10 Magazine. October 19, 2020. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Rodgers, Daniel (March 9, 2021). "The story behind Symone's Black Lives Matter-inspired look". Dazed. Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Forbes, Jihan (March 10, 2021). "How Symone Came Up With Her Most Iconic Drag Race Looks". Allure. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d Nolfi, Joey (March 8, 2021). "How Symone pulled off the most powerful look in 'RuPaul's Drag Race' herstory". EW.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  9. ^ a b McCallion, Paul (January 2, 2021). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Pair of Queens". Vulture. Archived from the original on January 29, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  10. ^ Alford, Emily (January 1, 2021). "It's a Little Early, But RuPaul's Drag Race Already Seems to Have Found a Winner". Jezebel. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  11. ^ Damshenas, Sam (June 8, 2021). "17 incredible LGBTQ+ friendly events you can attend in the UK this year". Gay Times. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  12. ^ Princess, Sam (August 26, 2021). ""I Ain't Stopping Anytime Soon": Symone Talks to King Princess About Her Imminent World Domination". Interview. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  13. ^ Bergen, Spencer (September 12, 2021). "VMAs red carpet 2021: See all the stunning celebrity looks". Page Six. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  14. ^ Palumbo, Jacqui (September 14, 2021). "Getting Met Gala-ready with 'Drag Race' star Symone". CNN. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  15. ^ Ermac, Raffy (September 19, 2021). "RuPaul Brought Gottmik & Symone to the 2021 Emmys Red Carpet". Out. Retrieved September 20, 2021.
  16. ^ "The Competition Contestant of 2021". People's Choice Awards. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  17. ^ Goldberg, Leslie (September 23, 2021). "Billy Eichner Sets Historic LGBTQ Cast (With a Twist) for Universal's 'Bros' (Exclusive)". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
  18. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray; Journal-Constitution, The Atlanta (February 17, 2021). "VH1 To Release 'RuPaul's Drag Race: Corona Can't Keep A Good Queen Down'; Docu Chronicles Shooting Reality Series During Pandemic". Deadline. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  19. ^ Nolfi, Joey (May 17, 2021). "surprise Drag Race's Symone and Gottmik at MTV Movie & TV Awards, urge fans to support local drag". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 26, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  20. ^ Smittle, Stephanie (August 26, 2021). "Watch RuPaul interview Symone on Jimmy Kimmel Live". Arkansas Time. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  21. ^ Henderson, Taylor (September 13, 2021). "Rihanna Enlists LGBTQ+ Stars & Drag Queens for 3rd Savage X Fenty Show". Yahoo News. Retrieved September 13, 2021.
  22. ^ Sinha, Charu (September 10, 2021). "Travel Back to 'simple times' in New Kacey Musgraves Music Video". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  23. ^ The X Change Rate: The Queens of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13, January 1, 2021, retrieved November 23, 2021
  24. ^ Symone’s Polaroid Entrance Look
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