Lady Red Couture facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lady Red Couture
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Lady Red Couture in an undated photo
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| Born | May 30, 1977 Park City, Utah, U.S.
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| Died | July 25, 2020 (aged 43) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
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| Years active | 1995–2020 |
| Known for | Hey Qween! with Jonny McGovern |
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| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | PolyGram |
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Lady Red Couture (born Kareemia Baines, May 30, 1977 – July 25, 2020) was a famous American drag queen and singer. She was best known for co-hosting the talk show Hey Qween! with Jonny McGovern. Lady Red Couture was born in Park City, Utah, and later moved to Los Angeles. There, she became a well-known part of the local drag community.
She released her own album, #Stuntqueen, in 2018. She also appeared in many songs and music videos by other drag queens. Lady Red Couture starred in another web series called Judge Lady Red. She passed away on July 25, 2020, due to a serious health issue called cyclic vomiting syndrome. This was a long-term condition she had throughout her life.
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Early Life and Education
Kareemia Baines was born in Park City, Utah, on May 30, 1977. Her mother was Kathleen Barnes. She had a younger sister named Krystle Butler.
Baines went to George Washington Preparatory High School in Los Angeles. She was very active in school activities. She enjoyed theatre and played the trombone and tuba in the marching band. As part of the band, she even performed in the famous Rose Parade.
After high school, she earned a degree in culinary arts from Salt Lake Community College. She also graduated from Weber State University in 2001. For a short time after college, Baines worked as a chef for Amtrak.
Career as a Drag Queen
Lady Red Couture started her drag career in 1995. She often performed at places like Hamburger Mary's. She was very tall, about 6 feet 7 inches (2 meters) without heels. When she wore heels, she could be as tall as 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 meters).
She was known for her amazing singing voice and strong stage presence. Because of her height and powerful voice, people called her "the largest live-singing drag queen." She was also known as Mother Couture. Many people saw her as a key figure in the queer nightlife scene in Los Angeles.
Rising to Fame
Lady Red Couture became famous around the world as the co-host of Hey Qween!. This was a talk show about drag, and it featured interviews with contestants from RuPaul's Drag Race. She worked on Hey Qween! for eight seasons, from 2014 until she passed away.
She also had a small role in the 2011 movie Leave It on the Floor. In 2015, she starred in Judge Lady Red, a web series made by Jonny McGovern. She also appeared in one of McGovern's music videos called "Dickmatized."
Performances and Projects
In 2016, Lady Red Couture went on tour with the Drag Queens of Comedy. Two years later, in 2018, she released her album #Stuntqueen. She worked on this album with Adam Joseph. Adam Joseph also featured her on his music project, The Rent.
Lady Red Couture also created many live shows. In June 2020, Harper's Bazaar magazine included her in a photo series. This series showed "Striking Portraits of America's Most Legendary Drag Queens." She was also known for helping new drag queens. She taught them how to sew, do makeup, and perform.
Personal Life
Kareemia Baines was a transgender woman. She and Jonny McGovern became very good friends during the first season of Hey Qween!. McGovern invited her to live with him.
Death and Lasting Impact
On July 19, 2020, Lady Red Couture was admitted to a hospital in Los Angeles. This was because of a serious episode of cyclic vomiting syndrome. This was a long-term health condition she had throughout her life. She was placed on a breathing tube in intensive care.
On July 24, Jonny McGovern shared that she seemed to be getting better. However, the next day, Lady Red Couture passed away from problems related to her illness. McGovern announced her death on Instagram. Many famous queer people, including Isis King and many RuPaul's Drag Race stars, shared their sadness. They also shared tributes to her life and work. Billboard magazine called Lady Red Couture "a pillar of the drag and trans community."
In November 2020, Jonny McGovern released a music project called Flowers (Songs to Lady Red). This was a tribute to Couture. It was made with Adam Joseph. In the same month, Hey Qween! aired a special episode. It was called "The Lady Red Memorial Special." In this episode, performers like Honey Davenport, Jackie Beat, Sherry Vine, Latrice Royale, and Peppermint shared their memories of Lady Red Couture.
Images for kids
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Lady Red Couture in an undated photo
