Kandy Muse - Wikipedia

American drag performer

Kandy Muse
Kandy Muse at RuPaul's DragCon LA, 2022
Born	Kevin Gabriel Candelario (1994-11-03) November 3, 1994 (age 31)South Bronx, New York City, U.S.[1]
Other names	Cherry Blossom[1]
Television	RuPaul's Drag Race (season 13) • RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars (season 8)
Website	thekandymuse.com

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). In 2024, she starred on the second season of reality television series House of Villains and Slaycation.

Career

[edit]

Kandy Muse was a former member of the House of Aja, a queer collective house ran by Aja, 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 House of Muse, including 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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Singles

[edit]

As featured artist

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

Television

[edit]

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 13 (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 (6th Place)	[29]
2025	RuPaul's Drag Race (season 17)	Herself	Special guest; Episode: "The Villains Roast"	[30]
TBA	Slaycation	Herself	Main cast	[31]

Web series

[edit]

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref
2017	Cosmo Queens	Herself	Guest	[32]
2018	Hey Qween!		Guest (Episode: Aja)
2021	Ruvealing the Look		Guest	[33]
	Whatcha Packin'			[34]
	The X Change Rate			[35]
2022	Out of the Closet			[36]
	Trixie Cosmetics: Kiki with Kandy Muse			[37]
2023	Meet the Queens		Stand-alone special RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8	[38]
	EW News Flash		Guest	[39]
	BuzzFeed Celeb		Guest	[40]
	Inside the Producer's Studio with Kandy Muse	Host	7 episodes	[9]

Music videos

[edit]

Title	Year	Notes
"Do What U Want"[41]	2013	By Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly
"Big Dick Daddy"	2017	By Velo
"Sitting Alone in the VIP"	2020	By Alaska Thunderfuck

Awards and nominations

[edit]

Year	Award-giving body	Category	Work	Results	Ref.
2018	Brooklyn Nightlife Awards	Drag Queen of the Year	Herself	Won	[42]
2021	MTV Movie & TV Awards	Best Fight (with Tamisha Iman)	RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked	Nominated	[43]
2022	Queerty Awards	Future All-Star	Herself	Nominated	[44]

See also

[edit]

• LGBT culture in New York City
• List of LGBT people from New York City

References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "On Point With: Kandy Muse". Thotyssey. Tumblr. November 2016. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
2. ^ Limón, Enrique (September 12, 2021). "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. ^ "Past Villains Get Roasted! Who Went Home on 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 17 Tonight?". Parade. March 7, 2025.
31. ^ 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.
32. ^ Kandy Muse | COSMO Queens | Cosmopolitan, December 11, 2017, retrieved November 15, 2022
33. ^ Kandy Muse's Denim Entrance Look 😍 Ruvealing the Look | RuPaul's Drag Race S13, April 14, 2021, retrieved August 26, 2021
34. ^ Kandy Muse's Whatcha Packin' 🌟 S13 TOP 4 | RuPaul's Drag Race, April 15, 2021, retrieved August 26, 2021
35. ^ The X Change Rate: The Queens of RuPaul's Drag Race Season 13, January 1, 2021, retrieved November 23, 2021
36. ^ Kandy Muse 🍬 A Craving For Fashion | S6 E2 | Out of the Closet 👗, November 8, 2022
37. ^ Kiki with Kandy Muse, February 28, 2022, retrieved November 15, 2022
38. ^ 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
39. ^ 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.
40. ^ The Queens Of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 8" Play Who's Who. BuzzFeed Celeb. May 15, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
41. ^ KANDY MUSE [@TheKandyMuse] (June 14, 2025). "I was in this music video" (Tweet). Retrieved June 15, 2025 – via Twitter.
42. ^ "Post by @bknightlifeawards". Instagram. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
43. ^ 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.
44. ^ "'The 2022 Queerties". Cheat Sheet. February 24, 2022. Archived from the original on February 12, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2022.

External links

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kandy Muse.

• Kandy Muse at IMDb

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