Kandy Muse

Kandy Muse
Kandy Muse at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2022
Born
Kevin Gabriel Candelario

(1994-11-03) November 3, 1994 (age 30)
South Bronx, New York City, U.S.[1]
NationalityDominican-American
Other namesCherry Blossom[1]
TelevisionRuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) • RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 8)

Kandy Muse is the stage name of Kevin Gabriel Candelario[2] (born November 3, 1994), an American drag queen and performer most known for being the runner-up on both the thirteenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race (2021) and the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (2023) and the second season of House of Villains (2024) and the upcoming series called Slaycation.

Career

Kandy Muse was a former member of the House of Aja, a queer collective house ran by Aja LaBeija, a drag queen who competed on the ninth season of RuPaul's Drag Race.[3]

Kandy Muse was a member of the Doll Haus, alongside fellow former House of Aja members Dahlia Sin and her daughter Janelle No. 5. Now she is the mother of the Iconic house of Muse featuring Xunami Muse, Papito Suave, and Lucas Skywalker.[4]

In 2021, Kandy Muse competed on the thirteenth season of Drag Race, during which Kandy Muse portrayed a "slutty version" of LinkedIn in "Social Media: The Unverified Rusical" and Patrick Starrr in the Snatch Game episode, and placed runner up to winner Symone.[5][6][7]

In 2023, Muse competed on the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, where she was declared the runner-up to Jimbo.[8] After the airing of the season, Kandy's own World of Wonder original series, Inside the Producer's Studio with Kandy Muse, was announced to premiere on August 7, 2023.[9]

Kandy Muse is the drag mother of Xunami Muse, who competed on the sixteenth season of Drag Race in 2024.

Music

Kandy Muse performing during Werq the World (2023)

In 2017, Kandy Muse was featured on Eureka O'Hara's song "Body Positivity" and appeared in the music video for Velo's "Big Dick Daddy".[10][11] Serving as the song's inspiration, Kandy Muse appeared on Alaska Thunderfuck's "Sitting Alone in the VIP" as well as the accompanying music video in 2020.[12]

Personal life

Candelario was born to parents of Dominican descent and lives in New York, as of 2021. He is also African American and identifies as black.[13] He was born in the South Bronx, NYC, and was raised between Tremont, Bronx[14] and the Dominican Republic.[1] He grew up Mormon and was baptized at 8 years old.[15]

Discography

Singles

Title Year Album
"ConDragulations"[16]
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, season 13) 		2021 Non-album single
"Social Media: The Unverified Rusical"[17]
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, season 13) 		2021 Social Media: The Unverified Rusical Album
"Lucky"[18]
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, season 13) 		2021 Non-album single
"Money, Success, Fame, Glamour" (Glam Rock version)
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8) 		2023 Non-album single
"Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical"[19]
(with the cast of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, season 8) 		2023 Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical Album

Other appearances

Song Year Artist Album
"Body Positivity"[20] 2017 Eureka O'Hara, Adam Barta & Electropoint Non-album single
"Sitting Alone in the VIP"[21] 2020 Alaska Thunderfuck Non-album single

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2017 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 3) Guest Stand-alone special episode: "Exclusive Queen Ruveal"
2021 RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) Contestant Runner-up (16 episodes)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked Herself Season 12 (14 episodes)
RuPaul's Drag Race: Corona Can't Keep a Good Queen Down Herself Stand-alone special [22]
Dragging the Classics: The Brady Bunch Cindy Brady [23]
2022 iCarly Cruella Intentions Episode: "iDragged Him" [24]
2023 RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 8) Contestant Runner-up (12 episodes) [25]
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars: Untucked Herself
Good Morning America Herself Guest (1 episode) [26]
GMA3: What You Need to Know Herself Guest (1 episode) [27]
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen Herself Guest (1 episode) [28]
2024 House of Villains Contestant Season 2 [29]
TBA Slaycation Herself Main cast [30]

Web series

Year Title Role Notes Ref
2017 Cosmo Queens Herself Guest [31]
2018 Hey Qween! Guest (Episode: Aja)
2021 Ruvealing the Look Guest [32]
Whatcha Packin' [33]
The X Change Rate [34]
2022 Out of the Closet [35]
Trixie Cosmetics: Kiki with Kandy Muse [36]
2023 Meet the Queens Stand-alone special
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 		[37]
EW News Flash Guest [38]
BuzzFeed Celeb Guest [39]
Inside the Producer's Studio with Kandy Muse Host 7 episodes [9]

Music videos

Title Year Notes
"Big Dick Daddy" 2017 By Velo
"Sitting Alone in the VIP" 2020 By Alaska Thunderfuck

Awards and nominations

Year Award-giving body Category Work Results Ref.
2018 Brooklyn Nightlife Awards Drag Queen of the Year Herself Won [40]
2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards Best Fight (with Tamisha Iman) RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked Nominated [41]
2022 Queerty Awards Future All-Star Herself Nominated [42]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "On Point With: Kandy Muse". Thotyssey. Tumblr. November 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Limón, Enrique. "Conoce a Kandy Muse, la afrolatina compitiendo por la corona en "RuPaul's Drag Race"". independentespanol.com (in Spanish). The Independent. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  3. ^ "Every scalding hot drop of tea about Drag Race season 13". PinkNews. January 13, 2021. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  4. ^ "Drag Race: What happened between the Haus of Aja and Drag Race's Kandy Muse?". The Tab. January 5, 2021. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
  5. ^ McCallion, Paul (February 20, 2021). "RuPaul's Drag Race Recap: Social Werk". Vulture. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  6. ^ "'Drag Race' Season 13's Iconic Snatch Game Impressions, Ranked". Bustle. March 6, 2021. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  7. ^ "Patrick Starrr Gave Kandy Muse's 'Snatch Game' Tens Across The Board". Instinct. March 7, 2021. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  8. ^ Nolfi, Joey (April 20, 2023). "'RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8' cast of returning queens revealed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Inside the Producer's Studio with Kandy Muse Coming to WOW Presents Plus August 7th!". YouTube. July 24, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  10. ^ "'RuPaul's Drag Race' Queen Eureka O'Hara Promotes 'Body Positivity' on New Song: Premiere". Billboard. Archived from the original on May 21, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  11. ^ "VELO's Hot New Video 'Big D*ck Daddy' Feat. Hot Men, Aja, & Phi Phi O'Hara!". Instinct. August 26, 2017. Archived from the original on September 16, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  12. ^ "Alaska & Kandy Muse Unleash 'Sitting Alone In the VIP' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  13. ^ "RuPaul's Drag Race: Fans Attack Kandy Muse's Mother After Explosive UnTucked". ScreenRant. February 3, 2021. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  14. ^ "Bronx native Kandy Muse discusses experience on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'; winner to be crowned soon". YouTube. April 23, 2021.
  15. ^ "The Pit Stop S15 E07 🏁 | Bianca Del Rio & Kandy "The Pit Stop" Muse! | RuPaul's Drag Race S15". February 11, 2023 – via www.youtube.com.
  16. ^ "ConDragulations (Cast Version)". Spotify. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  17. ^ "Social Media: The Unverified Rusical - EP". Apple Music. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  18. ^ "Lucky (feat. The Cast of RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 13) - Single". Apple Music. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  19. ^ "Joan! The Unauthorized Rusical". Spotify. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  20. ^ "Body Positivity (feat. Kandy Muse) - Single". Apple Music. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  21. ^ "Sitting Alone In The VIP (feat. Kandy Muse)". Spotify. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ Hatchett, Keisha (June 23, 2021). "RuPaul's Drag Race Will Team with Brady Bunch Cast for Crossover Episode — Plus, Watch the First Act of All Stars 6". TVLine. Archived from the original on June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  24. ^ "Kandy Muse, Scarlet Envy, Rose', & Mo Heart Guest Star in New Photos from iCarly "iDragged Him""". www.beautifulballad.org/. May 10, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  25. ^ Nolfi, Joey (April 20, 2023). "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 cast of returning queens revealed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  26. ^ "Celebrating Pride Month with Kandy Muse". Abcnews.go.com. June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  27. ^ "Kandy Muse & Jimbo talk finale of 'RuPaul's Drag: Race All Stars'". Abcnews.go.com. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  28. ^ "Are These Bravolebrity Dads DILFY? | WWHL". YouTube. July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
  29. ^ "Meet the House of Villains season 2 cast". Entertainment Weekly. March 27, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  30. ^ Joey Nolfi, "See the 6 returning Drag Race queens set to be dropped into the wilderness on new Slaycation series". Entertainment Weekly, June 6, 2024.
  31. ^ Kandy Muse | COSMO Queens | Cosmopolitan, December 11, 2017, retrieved November 15, 2022
  32. ^ Kandy Muse's Denim Entrance Look 😍 Ruvealing the Look | RuPaul's Drag Race S13, April 14, 2021, retrieved August 26, 2021
  33. ^ Kandy Muse's Whatcha Packin' 🌟 S13 TOP 4 | RuPaul's Drag Race, April 15, 2021, retrieved August 26, 2021
  34. ^ The X Change Rate: The Queens of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13, January 1, 2021, retrieved November 23, 2021
  35. ^ Kandy Muse 🍬 A Craving For Fashion | S6 E2 | Out of the Closet 👗, November 8, 2022
  36. ^ Kiki with Kandy Muse, February 28, 2022, retrieved November 15, 2022
  37. ^ RuPaul's Drag Race (April 20, 2023), Meet the Queens of All Stars 8! 🌟 | QUEEN RUVEAL | RuPaul's Drag Race AS8 👠✨, retrieved April 20, 2023
  38. ^ Kandy Muse is Still The Main Character of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8 | Entertainment Weekly. Entertainment Weekly. April 26, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  39. ^ The Queens Of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8" Play Who's Who. BuzzFeed Celeb. May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  40. ^ "Post by @bknightlifeawards". Instagram. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  41. ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (April 19, 2021). "MTV Movie & TV Awards Nominations: 'Emily In Paris', 'WandaVision' & 'RuPaul's Drag Race'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  42. ^ "'The 2022 Queerties". Cheat Sheet. February 24, 2022. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
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