Symone (drag queen)
American drag performer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Reginald Gavin (born January 14, 1995),[3] 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 (2021). She is a member of the queer art collective House of Avalon.[4][5]
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Symone | |
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Symone at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2022 | |
| Born | Reginald Gavin[1] January 14, 1995 |
| Other names | Delilah Alamaine[2] Erykah[2] Symone Alamaine[2] Symone Seymour-Cox[2] |
| Education | University of Arkansas, Little Rock (BA) |
| Occupation | Drag queen |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Television | RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) |
| Website | thesymone |
Early life
Born Reggie Gavin, Symone was raised in Conway, Arkansas,[4] as the youngest of three children, with two siblings who are significantly older.[6] A shy child due to anxiety about being gay, Symone discovered drag as a teenager in 2009 after RuPaul's Drag Race debuted,[6] and began to experiment with makeup and drag, attending senior prom in a dress.[5]
Career
2013–2020: Drag beginnings
Shortly after high school graduation in 2013, she performed drag for the first time at Triniti Nightclub under the name Delilah Alamaine.[6] 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.[6] She hosted a series called Symone Says.[4] 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."[4]
Symone is a member of the queer fashion and pop culture collective House of Avalon along with season 12 Drag Race finalist Gigi Goode.[4] The collective was started in 2016 in Little Rock by designer Marko Monroe, Hunter Crenshaw, and Grant Vanderbilt.[7][8] Vanderbilt is Symone's drag mother.[6]
Symone moved to Los Angeles in 2019 and joined other relocated members of House of Avalon.[9]
2021–present: RuPaul's Drag Race success
In 2021, Symone gained wider prominence as a contestant on season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race, where she became the show's first Arkansas contestant.[10] 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.[6][5] After the first two episodes aired, pop culture websites Vulture and Jezebel stated that Symone was a frontrunner to win season 13.[11][12] 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!"[9]
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.[10][8] 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.[10] The dress was designed by Marko Monroe and created by Howie B.[8] 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."[10] Symone ultimately won the season in the grand finale that aired on April 23, 2021.[3]
In August 2021, Symone was a featured performer in Drag Fest, a live music festival.[13] Symone was featured on the cover of the September 2021 issue of Interview.[14] That same month, Symone attended the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards,[15] the 2021 Met Gala,[16] and walked the red carpet at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards.[17]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race | People's Choice Award for The Competition Contestant of 2021[18] | Nominated |
| 2022 | Herself | Queerty Award for Drag Royalty[19] | Runner-up |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Star-Crossed: The Film | Heist Girl 2 | ||
| 2022 | Bros | Marty | Feature film | [20][21] |
| 2026 | Stop! That! Train! | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) | Contestant | Winner | [11] |
| 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked | |||
| 2021 | RuPaul's Drag Race: Corona Can't Keep a Good Queen Down | Herself | Stand-alone special | [22] |
| 2021 | 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards | Herself | Guest | [23] |
| 2021 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Herself | Guest | [24] |
| 2021 | Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 3 | Herself | Amazon Prime Exclusive | [25] |
| 2022 | Gutsy | Herself | Episode 1: Gutsy Women Have the Last Laugh | [26] |
| 2023 | Drag Me to Dinner | Herself | Hulu original | [27] |
| 2023 | Celebrity Family Feud | Herself | Guest | [28] |
| 2023 | Avalon TV | Herself | World of Wonder original | [29] |
| 2024 | Ridiculousness | Herself | Guest | [30] |
| 2025 | 2025 MTV Video Music Awards | Herself | Performer with Sabrina Carpenter, Willam, Laganja Estranja, Denali, and Lexi Love | [31] |
Music videos
Featured and cameo roles
| Year | Title | Artist | Role | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | "Simple Times" | Kacey Musgraves | Featured | [32] |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The X Change Rate | Herself | Guest | [33] |
| 2021 | Ruvealing the Look | Herself | Guest | [34] |
| 2021 | Whatcha Packin' | Herself | Guest | [35] |
| 2021 | Beauty Secrets | Herself | Guest | [36] |
| 2021 | Binge | Herself | Guest | [37] |
| 2021 | The Awardist | Herself | Guest | [38] |
| 2021-23 | The Pit Stop | Herself | Guest | [39][40] |
| 2023 | Billboard Cover | Herself | Guest | [41] |
Discography
As part of the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 13
As lead artist
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| "Condragulations" (cast version)[42] | 2021 |
| "Social Media: The Unverified Rusical"[43] |
