La Diamond

La Diamond
Born
Enrico La Rocca

(1987-05-06) May 6, 1987 (age 37)
Riesi, Sicily, Italy
Occupations
Years active2011–present
Known for
PredecessorElecktra Bionic

Enrico La Rocca (born May 7, 1987), known professionally as La Diamond, is an Italian drag queen and costume designer originally from Riesi, Sicily. Described as one of the most known and appreciated drag queens in Italy by the Out magazine,[1] she[a] started doing drag in Rome, 2011. La Diamond rose to mainstream prominence by winning the second season of Drag Race Italia in 2022.

Life and career

La Rocca was born on May 7, 1987, and raised in the Riesi municipality, Province of Caltanissetta of Sicily. He has shown interest in fashion from an early age being influenced by his grandmother and mother, who worked as stylists in a family run atelier.[2] He moved to Rome to attend academy of fashion and later worked as a designer for Valentino.[3][2]

In 2011, La Rocca began doing drag as La Diamond in Rome's gay bar Muccassassina, where he still holds residency.[3] He cited designers such as Alexander McQueen, John Galliano and Thierry Mugler, alongside performers like Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Teese, Amanda Lepore and Grace Jones as his stylistic influences.[3] She described fellow-Drag Race contestants Farida Kant, Le Riche, Nehellenia and Aura Eternal as her "drag family".[2] In 2018, La Diamond won the title of Miss Drag Queen Lazio.[4]

La Rocca stated that he shot several scenes for the 2021 House of Gucci with Lady Gaga, which were eventually cut out from the movie, but can still be seen in the official trailer.[2]

On 30 September 2022, she was announced as a contestant on the second season of Drag Race Italia.[1] As a part of the show's promotion, La Diamond alongside other nine contestants was featured on the cover of Italian Vanity Fair magazine.[5] During the competition, she won four out of seven main challenges, which included: design, Snatch Game, improv and roast challenges. During the grand finale, which aired on December 8, La Diamond was declared the winner, receiving the title of Italia's Next Drag Superstar and a one-year contract with MAC Cosmetics as their brand ambassador.[2][6]

Filmography

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2022 Drag Race Italia Herself Season 2, Contestant (Winner)
2024 Bring Back My Girls Herself Episode: "Drag Race Italia Season 2"

Discography

Title Year
"Portento (Na Na Na Na)"
(as the girl group 4Tune[b]) 		2022

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominee/work Result Ref.
Magnifica Awards Roma 2022 Revelation of the Year "Portento" (4Tune) Won [7]

Notes

  1. ^ This article uses both He and She pronouns.
  2. ^ The queens on this track from the cast include Aura Eternal, La Diamond, La Petit Noire and Nehellenia.

References

  1. ^ a b Bernardo Sim. "Meet the Queens of 'Drag Race Italia' Season 2". Out. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d e Alessandra De Tomassi (December 9, 2022). "Drag Race Italia 2, la vincitrice La Diamond: «Dopo il set con Lady Gaga, sogno la passerella di Dolce & Gabbana»" (in Italian). Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c Francesco Paolo Del Re (February 7, 2015). "La Diamond: "Incanto le notti a Muccassassina sognando l'abito bianco"" (in Italian). Gay.IT!. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  4. ^ "Miss Drag Queen Lazio 2018 La Diamond". Facebook. May 5, 2018. Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  5. ^ Alessandra De Tomassi (September 30, 2022). "Ciao Giorgia, vieni a giocare con noi?" (in Italian). Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on November 24, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  6. ^ Davis (December 8, 2022). "Drag Race Italia 2, the winner is La Diamond". Italy24.press. Archived from the original on December 10, 2022. Retrieved December 10, 2022.
  7. ^ Alessandra De Tommasi (December 16, 2022). "4Tune, la prima drag band italiana: «Amadeus, quando vuoi chiamaci per Sanremo!»". Leggo (in Serbian). Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2022.