From community theater to opening for a pop superstar, this local celebrity is a soon-to-be graduate from Coastal Carolina University.
While getting ready for one of her weekly performances, Xa’mona Tenae had a chance to talk inspiration, activism and the pursuit of drag stardom. At just 12 years old, she started performing and entertaining in local theaters and school productions.
At this age, she had an interest in drag after discovering “Rupaul’s Drag Race.” She said she watched the show in secret before sharing her identity with her mom.
“It definitely caused the relationship to get a bit rocky for a minute. But now, she’s come around and we’re closer than ever. She’s one of my biggest supporters,” Tenae said.
Before she was old enough to perform in the local club, Tenae and friends created stories and fantasies of what her persona would be.
“My drag is a combination of all of the Black women in my life. My family members, my aunts, my cousins, my sister, my mom, my grandma,” Tenae said. “But, it’s also of course all of the Black women in pop culture. You know, Black pop stars like Donna Summer, Diana Ross, Beyonce, Janet Jackson.”
Her inspirations are apparent in her powerful and captivating performances. Her mother, a source of this inspiration, came to her debut at Pulse Ultra Club. Having a support system is essential, because behind the glamor, drag is expensive, hard work.
“I get paid for all my gigs now. But there was a very long time where I did do a lot of shows for free,” she said.
Tenae’s biggest gig to date was for a pop star who has recently achieved superstar levels of fame. Chappell Roan, who considers herself a drag queen, uplifts the art of drag by having local queens as openers for her shows. Tenae was accepted via an application on Roan’s social media to open for her Charleston, South Carolina show.
“I’m going to be honest, before [applying] I did not know who Chappell Roan was,” she said. “I honestly didn’t think that I was gonna get cast for that so I just applied, really with no like, motive or anything.”
Tenae received an email from one of Roan’s assistants that she was selected and took the stage at Firefly Distillery on May 20.
“It was honestly surreal,” Tenae said. “I believe it was like 3,000 people in attendance. And [Chappell] she was so sweet. And she is so tiny, so much tinier than I thought she’d be. Needless to say, I’m a huge fan now and I listen to her music every day.”
Currently, venues reach out to Tenae and she can make ends meet with drag. However, she warns anyone who might be in it for the money.
“You are in the wrong profession. Do something else, because for a very long time, you’re going to have to put in more than you’re getting back,” she said.
Tenae’s most recent pursuits in the pageant circuit have earned her the titles Miss Pulse Ultra Club 2024 and Miss North Carolina Gay US of A Newcomer, but they have also been a learning experience.
“I have learned is that it’s extremely expensive,” she said about the National Miss Gay US of A pageant in Texas, “I spent very close to if not more than $5,000 on the entire package with rooming and flights included. It’s very time consuming. I spent hours with my dancers rehearsing endlessly.”
Tenae’s motivation to perform keeps her going.
“Performing is like my therapy. It’s where I get all of my frustrations and emotions out,” she said. “It’s to inspire and uplift the people watching. Drag is a very powerful thing and I think a lot of people take it for granted. But most of all, it’s wanting to put a smile on people’s face and make sure they’re having a good night.”
Aside from money, another challenge has grown in scale and threat. Drag has become a major target of the anti-woke culture wars. Tenae recalled several instances where she was harassed, but said this only motivates her.
“It just kind of puts a fire in my ass to be even more visible and to work harder, because we’re not going away,” Tenae said.
She admitted she used to fight hate online, but now she takes the high road and finds that continuing her craft is powerful in and of itself.
“I think that everyone who does drag is an activist, especially with the climate we’re in right now,” she said. “At the end of the day, they’re gonna have their beliefs and they’re gonna stick to their beliefs, no matter what you say.”
Between her most recent performance and pageant titles, the future is bright for Tenae. After she graduates this semester, she plans to relocate.
“In the next five years I see myself hopefully living in either New York or Texas. Thriving in my drag, and maybe five years from now I’ll have already been on drag race or be on drag race,” she said. “I see myself being the same old person I am now and maybe a little bit more famous.”
Even with more local acclaim, Tenae remains humble.
“A lot of people consider me a local celebrity. It’s such a weird concept to talk about. I try my best to remain humble, because humility can take you a long way. There’s no point in being a cocky jerk,” Tenae said.
